Driving in Serbia on a Japanese Licence — IDP Required, Plus a Side Switch
Japan
Serbia
A Japanese licence holder can drive in Serbia, but you must carry an International Driving Permit with it — Japan issues the 1949 Geneva-convention permit, which Serbia accepts. The two real adjustments are switching from left-hand to right-hand driving and a 0.02 alcohol limit, a notch below the 0.03 you have at home.
Two things make Serbia a real adjustment for a Japanese driver, and the alcohol limit is not the main one. You need an International Driving Permit to drive here — a Japanese licence alone is not enough. Japan issues the 1949 Geneva-convention IDP, which Serbia accepts, so arrange it at home before you fly (you cannot get one in Serbia) and carry it together with your Japanese licence and passport.
The second adjustment is the side of the road. Japan drives on the left; Serbia drives on the right. This is the change most likely to catch you out, and the risky moments are predictable: pulling out of a petrol station, entering a roundabout that now flows clockwise-to-anticlockwise the other way, or your reflex glance at a junction landing on the wrong side. Collect the car somewhere quiet rather than in central Belgrade, take the first half-hour slowly, and stay deliberate at every turn. Sitting on the left of a left-hand-drive car, with the gearstick on your right, adds to the relearning curve, so allow time for it to feel normal.
On alcohol you are on near-familiar ground: Serbia’s limit is 0.02 BAC, a little below Japan’s 0.03. That is a small margin, so the same discipline applies — nothing before driving — and breath testing is routine, especially after dark.
The roads themselves reward caution. Serbia’s motorways are modern and capped at 130 km/h, but the secondary network runs at 80 km/h rural and 50 km/h in towns, with surface quality, lane markings and lighting that drop off away from the main corridors. Local overtaking is more assertive than you will be used to. Drive to the road, not the sign. A 10 km/h overspeed costs roughly RSD 5,000-20,000 (about EUR 45-170), sometimes on the spot, so keep a card handy; you can preview a figure with our speeding fine calculator.
The emergency number is 112, and it is worth filling up before leaving the main roads. Confirm your permit setup with the driving permit checker and read the full rules on our Serbia driving guide.
Speed limits, fines, equipment & license requirements
Your home country driving rules for reference
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Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, provided you also carry an International Driving Permit. Japan issues the 1949 Geneva-convention IDP, which Serbia recognises; the permit plus your Japanese licence and passport is the combination to bring.
Serbia drives on the right, the opposite of Japan. This is the main adjustment — roundabouts flow the other way and junctions feel mirrored for the first day or so.
0.02 BAC, slightly below Japan's 0.03, so the standard you are used to needs a small tightening. Treat it as no alcohol before driving; enforcement is strict.