Can a Japanese Driver Drive in Romania? — IDP + the Side Switch
Japan
Romania
Yes — a Japanese licence holder can drive in Romania, with an International Driving Permit recommended alongside it. Three things change at once for a Japanese driver: switching from left to right-hand traffic, a strict zero-alcohol limit, and buying the rovinieta road vignette before you set off.
A Japanese licence holder can drive in Romania, and an International Driving Permit is recommended to carry alongside the licence. As a non-EU visitor you’ll want the certified translation an IDP provides — arrange it in Japan before departure, since it cannot be issued in Romania.
For a Japanese driver, three things change at once, and the licence is the least of them.
The first is the side of the road. Japan drives on the left; Romania drives on the right. Every reflex — the glance at a junction, the lane you pull into, the way a roundabout turns — is reversed, and the riskiest moment is your first day, pulling out of a fuel station or joining a roundabout on instinct. Take that first stretch on quiet roads and stay deliberate at every turn.
The second is alcohol. Romania runs zero tolerance, 0.0 BAC — stricter than Japan’s 0.03 and with no “one drink” margin whatsoever. If you are driving, don’t drink at all; penalties are severe.
The third is the rovinieta road vignette. Rather than toll booths, Romania charges for its national roads through an electronic vignette you buy online or at a petrol station before joining a main road; cameras check it by number plate. A rental often includes it — ask the desk to be sure.
One more practical point: Romania’s motorway network is limited, so most of a trip runs on two-lane national roads where surface quality varies and you’ll meet horse-drawn carts, slow trucks and unlit vehicles after dark. The 130 km/h motorway limit rarely applies in practice — rural roads are 90, towns 50. Drive to the road, not the sign.
Fuel is inexpensive at about $1.42 per litre. Winter tyres are required in cold conditions, so check the car if you travel roughly November to March. A minor speeding fine is RON 290-725 (about EUR 60-150), often paid on the spot. The emergency number is 112.
Read the full Romania driving guide, confirm your paperwork with the Driving Permit Checker, and see where the rovinieta fits in our guide to vignette countries.
Speed limits, fines, equipment & license requirements
Your home country driving rules for reference
Side-by-side driving rules comparison
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Winter tyres in Romania — 2026–27 season
Winter tyres are required in Romania whenever conditions are wintry — No fixed dates — required whenever the road is covered in snow, ice or black ice.
- Tread minimum: 1.6 mm — Romania sets no separate winter figure.
- Accepted marking: M+S / M.S. / MS / M&S required ("all seasons" alone is not enough; 3PMSF not required)
- Studded tyres: rules could not be verified from an official source
- Penalty: Class IV penalty: 9-20 penalty points plus seizure of the registration certificate (OUG 195/2002 art. 102(1) pt. 28)
In Romanian the rule is anvelope de iarnă, and snow chains are lanțuri de zăpadă — that is the wording on signs, in hire-car paperwork and on any penalty notice.
Verified against national legislation, August 2026 · Full Romania tyre law · Compare all countries
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, for tourist stays. Carry an IDP with your Japanese licence — as a non-EU visitor the certified translation is what rental desks and police expect. Get it in Japan before you fly.
Yes. Japan drives on the left; Romania drives on the right. This is the single biggest adjustment — roundabouts and junctions reverse, so take your first hour somewhere quiet.
Romania enforces zero tolerance (0.0 BAC), stricter than Japan's 0.03. There is no margin at all — no alcohol before driving, with severe penalties for crossing it.