UK Licence in Sudan 2026: 3 Months, but FCDO Says Do Not Go
United Kingdom
Sudan
On paper, yes: the FCDO says a UK photocard licence works in Sudan for up to 3 months. In practice it advises against all travel to Sudan because of the armed conflict.
A British licence is not what stands between you and a drive in Sudan. The country has been at war since April 2023, and the UK Foreign Office’s first line on Sudan is that it advises against all travel there, with only the remote Hala’ib Triangle and Bir Tawil graded “all but essential”. The British Embassy in Khartoum is closed and there are no British consular staff in the country.
What the licence rule says
For anyone who must still go, the paperwork itself is light. The FCDO says you can use a UK photocard driving licence to drive in Sudan for up to 3 months. If you still hold the old paper licence, you may need to swap it for a photocard first. The FCDO page names no International Driving Permit for Sudan. The Driving Permit Checker covers other countries on a longer route.
Roads during the conflict
The FCDO warns that road travel carries heightened risk because of the fighting and should be undertaken only if strictly necessary. Even major roads may be untarred or unsurfaced, potholed and shared with pedestrians, donkey carts and rickshaws, and lighting at night is generally absent. Road traffic accidents are common.
Sudan drives on the right, so a British driver is switching sides on top of everything else. The WHO’s 2023 road safety profile gives a maximum of 50 km/h in towns and 90 km/h on rural roads; it lists no separate motorway limit.
Alcohol
The WHO profile records a drink-driving law with random breath testing but publishes no numeric blood-alcohol limit. The FCDO adds that non-Muslims may drink, though not in the presence of Muslims, and that you may still be arrested for drinking regardless of the circumstances. Behind the wheel, the only sensible amount is none. For how penalties follow drivers home, see who pays driving fines abroad.
Sources
- UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, Sudan travel advice (advice against all travel; embassy closed): gov.uk
- UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, Sudan: safety and security (UK photocard licence for up to 3 months, road conditions, alcohol laws): gov.uk
- WHO Global status report on road safety 2023, Sudan profile (50 km/h urban, 90 km/h rural, no BAC figure): who.int
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Frequently Asked Questions
The UK Foreign Office says a UK photocard driving licence can be used in Sudan for up to 3 months. Holders of the old paper licence may need to swap it for a photocard first. The same advice warns against all travel to Sudan.
Yes. The FCDO advises against all travel to Sudan because of the military conflict in Khartoum and other areas; only the Hala'ib Triangle and Bir Tawil are graded 'all but essential travel'. The British Embassy in Khartoum is closed.
Sudan drives on the right, the opposite of the UK. Expect the switch to matter most at junctions and when overtaking, on roads that are often unsurfaced and unlit.