Tunisia on a UK Licence 2026: 1968 IDP and a Green Card
United Kingdom
Tunisia
GOV.UK says you can drive for up to a year with a 1968 IDP and your UK licence, and you need a green card for insurance. Tunisia drives on the right; the alcohol limit is 0.03.
Tunisia is a popular self-drive destination for British travellers — close to home, cheap fuel, and a car opens up the coast, the desert fringe and the Roman sites that tours rush past. The paperwork is manageable; the adjustments behind the wheel are where attention pays off.
The verdict for British licence holders
You can drive in Tunisia on your UK licence together with a 1968 International Driving Permit: GOV.UK says that combination covers you for up to one year. The IDP cannot be bought outside the UK, so get it before you leave, and keep it with your licence and passport. GOV.UK adds that you need a green card to prove minimum insurance cover. The Driving Permit Checker covers onward countries.
The big adjustment: driving on the right
The UK drives on the left; Tunisia drives on the right. This is the change most likely to catch you out, and the riskiest window is your first day — joining a roundabout flowing the other way, pulling out of a petrol station, or glancing the wrong way at a junction out of habit. Take your first hour somewhere quiet rather than in central Tunis, and be deliberate at every turn.
A tight alcohol limit and roads that vary
Tunisia runs a 0.03 blood-alcohol limit — far below the 0.08 a driver from England or Wales is used to, and tight enough that the only safe choice is not to drink before driving.
On speed, towns are 50 km/h, rural roads 90, and motorways 110. The motorway between Tunis and Sfax is genuinely good; the trouble comes off it, where surfaces deteriorate, livestock and pedestrians share the carriageway, and overtaking can be unpredictable. Drive to the road rather than the sign, especially after dark. Fuel is cheap at around $0.72/litre, and the emergency number is 112.
Check the full rules on our Tunisia driving guide, and estimate any penalty with the Speeding Fine Calculator before you set off.
Sources
Speed limits, fines, equipment & license requirements
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Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, with a 1968 International Driving Permit. GOV.UK says you can drive in Tunisia for up to one year with the 1968 IDP and your UK licence, and the IDP cannot be bought outside the UK. If you bring your own car, carry a green card as proof of insurance.
Tunisia drives on the right, the opposite of the UK. Plan your first drive on quiet roads; junctions and roundabouts are where the switch trips people up.
Tunisia's blood-alcohol limit is 0.03, considerably stricter than the 0.08 used in England and Wales. With that little margin, the safe approach is no alcohol before driving.