Togo Driving Rules 2026: RN1 Checkpoints Want an IDP

The RN1 runs the whole length of Togo, from the port at Lomé north through Atakpamé and Kara to the Burkina Faso border, and it is the road almost every visiting driver ends up on. It is also the road with the checkpoints. Police and customs stops are routine rather than exceptional, and the document that shortens them is an International Driving Permit carried alongside your own licence.

Traffic keeps to the right. Default limits are 50 km/h in built-up areas, 80 km/h on the open road and 100 km/h where signed. The blood alcohol limit is 0.08%.

Emergency Numbers in Togo

Police: 117 | Ambulance: 8200 | Fire: 118

Save these numbers before you start driving. In Togo, emergency calls are free from any phone.

Speed Limits in Togo

The defaults for passenger cars are 50 km/h in built-up areas, 80 km/h on the open road, and 100 km/h where a road is specifically signed for it. Togo has no motorway network, so the 100 figure is the legal ceiling rather than a limit you will meet often — most of the RN1 is an ordinary two-lane road.

Trucks and vehicles over 3.5 tonnes run lower: 50 km/h urban, 70 km/h rural, 80 km/h on the fastest sections.

Important: Posted signs always override defaults. Speed humps appear without much warning on the approach to villages along the RN1, and they are the reason most visitors slow down long before any sign tells them to.

Traffic Rules and Regulations

Drive on the right side of the road. Overtake on the left. At roundabouts, enter counter-clockwise and yield to traffic already circulating.

Seatbelts are mandatory for all occupants. Children must use appropriate restraint systems based on their age and height.

Using a hand-held phone while driving is prohibited. Hands-free systems are permitted.

Use headlights in poor visibility and at night. Mopeds and motorcycles — the dominant traffic in Lomé — frequently run without lights after dark, which is the strongest argument against night driving here.

Priority at intersections follows posted signs. When no signs are present, yield to traffic from the right.

Drink-Driving Laws and Alcohol Limits

The legal blood alcohol limit in Togo is 0.08% BAC. Exceeding it brings fines, licence measures and possible criminal charges. Novice and professional drivers can face stricter limits.

The safest approach is simply not to drink before driving. Alcohol affects reaction time and judgement regardless of where the legal line sits.

Tyre Requirements and Regulations

Togo is tropical from the coast to the northern border, and no part of it gets cold enough for a winter tyre question. There is no winter tyre requirement, and studded tyres are not a regulated category in Togolese law — they are simply absent from it.

The legal minimum tread depth is 1.6 mm.

What actually matters is the rainy season. Deep tread is what clears water from under the tyre, and a road that has been baking all morning turns greasy in the first minutes of a downpour. Check tread and pressures before the wet months rather than during them.

For detailed tyre law information, see our Tyre Laws in Togo guide.

Driving Licence and Documents

Always carry your original driving licence — photocopies are not accepted — with an International Driving Permit, the vehicle registration, the insurance certificate and your passport. Rental drivers should add the rental agreement.

Parking and Fuel

Parking rules vary by city. Look for designated parking areas and always check signs for time limits and payment requirements.

Fuel is easy enough to find in Lomé and the larger towns along the RN1; card acceptance is patchy outside the capital, so carry CFA francs and keep the tank above half on the northern stretches.

Seasonal Driving Conditions

Togo has a tropical climate with distinct rainy seasons — two in the south, one long wet season in the north. Heavy rainfall is the main hazard: roads flood quickly, visibility collapses during a downpour, and unsurfaced side roads turn to mud for days. Reduce speed in rain, never drive into standing water of unknown depth, and expect surfaces to deteriorate as the wet season goes on.

The Harmattan, the dry dusty wind off the Sahara, does the opposite between December and February — visibility drops in the haze, particularly in the north.

Practical Driving Tips for Togo

• Download offline maps of Togo before your trip — mobile signal can be unreliable on rural roads.
• Plan to arrive before dark. Unlit motorcycles, pedestrians and livestock make night driving the highest-risk part of any Togolese itinerary.
• Take a break every 2 hours on long drives. Fatigue is a leading cause of road accidents.
• Use our interactive tools on this page — compare rules with your home country and calculate potential fines before you set off.