Saint-Pierre and Miquelon 2026, UK Licence: IDP Advised, Right

Saint-Pierre and Miquelon is a curiosity: a fragment of France sitting just off the coast of Canada. With a UK licence the driving in Saint-Pierre and Miquelon is gentle, but two details are worth knowing before you pick up a car.

UK licence in Saint-Pierre and Miquelon: IDP advised

You can drive here on your UK licence, and an international driving permit is recommended to accompany it. This is a small French overseas collectivity, so the IDP matters mainly as a recognised translation if a rental owner or police officer asks. Arrange it in the UK before you travel, and keep your British licence, the IDP and passport together. Arranging the permit is covered in the IDP guide; the Driving Permit Checker shows what your own licence needs.

The adjustment that matters: driving on the right

Following French practice, the islands drive on the right, the opposite of the UK. On islands this small there is no motorway to worry about; the switch bites in small moments instead, when you pull away from a kerb in Saint-Pierre or reach one of the few junctions and your instincts point the wrong way. Be deliberate for the first day and it stops feeling backwards quickly.

Drink-drive limit: no territory figure on record

The UK limit is 0.08 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and 0.05 in Scotland, but the honest advice on the islands is to treat alcohol as zero before driving. Established figures are listed in the alcohol limits across countries guide; the BAC calculator gives a rough idea of how long alcohol lasts.

Age, emergency numbers and fines

Car licences are issued from 17, as in the UK. Call 112, or 17 for police, 15 for ambulance and 18 for fire. See how foreign fines are handled in the driving fines abroad guide, and if your route also takes in mainland France, the guide to France’s Crit’Air zones and fines is worth a look. The country page is the Saint-Pierre and Miquelon driving guide.