International Driving Permit in Monaco

🗓 Facts checked against Monaco's road-traffic law and official sources. Research last updated: 30 October 2026. You may copy this information only if you provide a link back to this page.

⚠ This page is general information about driving rules, not legal advice. Rules change, and each authority applies its own — confirm your case with the relevant authority before you drive.

ℹ We are a private company. We are not a government body, a licensing or issuing authority, or a treaty organisation, and we are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting for any of them. The International Driver's Document we sell is a translation of your national driving licence: it is not a driving licence, and it is not a government-issued document.

• Driving in Monaco: key facts
• Do you need an International Driving Permit in Monaco?
• What side of the road does Monaco drive on?
• How long can you drive in Monaco with a foreign licence?
• Is Monaco a party to the 1949 or 1968 Road Traffic Convention?
• Why acceptance of your licence varies from place to place
• Can you drive in Monaco with your country's licence?
• Where to get an International Driving Permit
• Moving to Monaco? Rules for new residents
• Driving rules in Monaco tourists get fined for
• Read more about driving in Monaco
• Sources

Driving in Monaco: key facts

Do you need an International Driving Permit in Monaco?

Monaco is a contracting party to both road-traffic conventions: 1949 Geneva (accession 3 Aug 1951) and 1968 Vienna (accession 6 Jun 1978), per the UN Treaty Collection participant tables. Monaco's Code de la route, as recast by Ordonnance Souveraine n° 11.966 du 18 juin 2026, recognises as valid any licence regularly issued by a state that has ratified the international Convention on Road Traffic, by an EU member state, by a party to the European Economic Area or by a state that has a reciprocity agreement with Monaco, provided the licence is valid when used, until one year after its holder takes up normal residence in Monaco (art. 116-1). The article sets no IDP condition, so an IDP is not legally required with such a licence. It does not say which of the two conventions it means (the ordinance that created it cites only the 1968 Vienna Convention) and it does not list the reciprocity states, so it settles only licences from EU and EEA states and from states party to both conventions. For a licence from a state party to only one of them, from a territory that issues its own licences or from any other state, whether it is recognised in Monaco is not established: check with the Monaco authorities before you travel. The ministerial order on the IDPs Monaco issues, which applies the 1968 Vienna Convention, states that an IDP is not required for driving in the states party to that convention (Arrêté ministériel n° 2026-336 du 18 juin 2026, art. 1 and 2). UK FCDO travel advice nonetheless says, verbatim: "You'll need to have both the 1968 version of the international driving permit (IDP) and your UK driving licence with you in the car." Rental firms may also ask for an IDP, so carrying one with the licence is a sensible precaution.

• Tourists and short-term visitors: carry your national licence together with the document named in the row for your country of issue, in the table below — for most origin licences that document is not an IDP, so read your own answer rather than assuming one.
• Car renters: Carry your national licence, the vehicle registration certificate, the rental contract if the car is rented and a valid insurance certificate: the driver must show them to officers on request (Code de la route, art. 130). Carry your passport too. Monaco's law asks for no IDP, but GOV.UK tells UK licence holders, verbatim: "You'll need to have both the 1968 version of the international driving permit (IDP) and your UK driving licence with you in the car".
• EU / EEA licence holders: no IDP needed — Monaco is not an EU or EEA member, but its Code de la route recognises licences issued by EU member states and EEA parties (art. 116-1).

Driving without the required document is punishable under Code de la route, art. 116, first paragraph, and art. 207 with a fine of EUR 200 to 600.

What side of the road does Monaco drive on?

Monaco drives on the right-hand side of the road, and overtaking is done on the left. Cars in Monaco are left-hand drive.

How long can you drive in Monaco with a foreign licence?

A licence from a road-traffic convention state, an EU or EEA state or a reciprocity state is recognised while valid, until one year after its holder takes up normal residence in Monaco (Code de la route, art. 116-1). Separately, visa-exempt visitors may stay in the Schengen area, which includes Monaco, for up to 90 days in any 180-day period; that is an immigration limit, not a limit on the licence. (GOV.UK Monaco entry requirements, verbatim: "You can travel without a visa to the Schengen area, which includes Monaco, for up to 90 days in any 180-day period.")

Planning to move to Monaco? Different rules apply once you become a resident — see the residents section below.

Is Monaco a party to the 1949 or 1968 Road Traffic Convention?

Monaco is a Contracting Party to both United Nations Conventions on Road Traffic — the Geneva Convention of 19 September 1949 and the Vienna Convention of 8 November 1968. International Driving Permits of both the 1949 and the 1968 type are therefore issued against its framework; which types Monaco accepts from visitors is shown in the table above.

• 1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic: accession on 3 Aug 1951.
• 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic: accession on 6 Jun 1978.

Why acceptance of your licence varies from place to place

Whether a foreign country accepts your driving licence hangs on a tangle of variables: three different road-traffic conventions signed decades apart (1926, 1949, 1968) — the oldest predates the United Nations itself, and only the latter two were concluded under it — countries at different stages of joining each (signed vs. accepted vs. ratified), licences printed in alphabets local police can't read, vehicle-category systems that don't line up between countries, document generations that may not meet a convention's format even when the country is a member, bilateral deals between individual states, and local laws that are looser in one place and stricter in the next. The same licence can be fine at one border and rejected at the next — even at the next rental desk. The International Driving Permit exists to cut through most of it: a standardized, multilingual presentation of your existing licence, with harmonized category symbols, that most officials can read at a glance. It doesn't replace your national licence or grant new rights — you carry both — and it doesn't guarantee acceptance: a handful of destinations still require a local permit alongside or instead of it, but for most it meaningfully improves your odds.

Can you drive in Monaco with your country's licence?

This table is for tourists and temporary visitors. Moving to Monaco as a resident? Different rules apply — see the residents section below. Find your licence's country of issue below. Monaco is a contracting party to both the 1949 Geneva and the 1968 Vienna road-traffic conventions. Its Code de la route recognises a valid licence issued by a state that has ratified the international Convention on Road Traffic, by an EU member state, by an EEA party or by a state that has a reciprocity agreement with Monaco, with no IDP condition, until one year after its holder takes up normal residence in Monaco (art. 116-1). The article does not name the convention or list the reciprocity states, so only licences from EU and EEA states and from states party to both conventions are settled; for any other licence the answer is not established, so check before you travel. The UK FCDO nonetheless tells UK licence holders to carry a 1968 IDP alongside the licence. Rules change — confirm with official sources before you travel. Last verified: October 2026.

Legend: "1949" — Geneva Convention on Road Traffic (IDP valid up to 1 year); "1968" — Vienna Convention (IDP valid up to 3 years).

What the Status column means on this page:

• National licence OK — the destination lets a visitor drive on the national licence itself. The row for your country of issue, in the table below, gives the basis, and any period or condition that qualifies it.
• National licence OK — IDP advised — the destination does not require an IDP for this licence, but carrying one is advised. The row for your country of issue, in the table below, gives the reason and any conditions attached.
• Not established — the record does not settle whether you may drive here on this licence; confirm with the destination's licensing authority before you rely on it. The row for your country of issue, in the table below, says what could not be confirmed.

Sources and notes for the table above

[1] Code de la route (Ordonnance Souveraine n° 1.691 du 17 décembre 1957, consolidated text of 4 July 2026), art. 116-1, created by Ordonnance Souveraine n° 11.966 du 18 juin 2026

[2] Code de la route, art. 116-1, 2° and 3°: licences issued by EU member states and EEA parties are recognised as valid in Monaco

[3] Code de la route (Ordonnance Souveraine n° 1.691 du 17 décembre 1957), art. 116-1, created by Ordonnance Souveraine n° 11.966 du 18 juin 2026

[a] Licence categories do not follow the convention A–E scheme — rental staff may ask for an IDP to map them.

Where to get an International Driving Permit

An International Driving Permit must be obtained before you travel, and only certain countries may issue one to you — you cannot buy an official IDP from an unrelated country. Under the 1968 Vienna Convention it may be issued only by the Contracting Party where you normally reside and which issued or recognizes your licence — by that Party's competent authority or by an association it has duly empowered. Under the 1949 Geneva Convention it is issued by the competent authority of a Contracting State, or by an association that authority has duly empowered. Which body that is varies by country: a government agency in some, an authorized motoring club in others.

• Travelling from Monaco? Monaco's official IDPs are issued by Driver and Vehicle Licensing Office (Service des Titres de Circulation). Official site.
• Travelling from another country? Ask that country's driving-licence authority which body it authorizes to issue IDPs — a government agency in some countries, an authorized motoring club in others.

Separately, IDA offers a digital International Driver's Document — a translation of your national licence that you carry alongside it. It is not an International Driving Permit issued under the 1949 or 1968 conventions by the body your country authorizes for that purpose, and it is not a certified, sworn or otherwise official translation: no authority certifies it, and where a country requires an official or certified translation by law, our document does not satisfy that requirement. It is a private translation meant to make your national licence readable at rental desks and roadside checks.

Moving to Monaco? Rules for new residents

A person whose normal residence is in Monaco may drive only on a Monegasque licence, obtained by exchanging a foreign licence or by passing the driving tests (Code de la route, art. 116-2). Normal residence means living in Monaco at least 185 days per calendar year; a residence-card holder acquires it on the 186th day after arrival (art. 116-3). A foreign licence must be exchanged within one year of acquiring normal residence; after that it ceases to be valid, its holder loses all right to drive in Monaco, and an exchange is possible only after a driving-skills check (art. 116-4). The competent authority is the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Office (Service des Titres de Circulation), part of the Ministry of Public Works, the Environment and Urban Development. According to gouv.mc, the Office's driving-licence and road-safety section (Section Permis de conduire et sécurité routière) handles licence-exchange applications ("est chargée du traitement des demandes d'échange de permis de conduire"). Official source.

Driving rules in Monaco tourists get fined for

• Mandatory equipment: Children under 10 may not sit in the front seats (Code de la route, art. 3 bis). France, which you drive through to reach Monaco, requires a high-visibility vest and a warning triangle in every car and the seat belt to be worn in every seat that has one, so carry both items and wear your belt in Monaco as well.
• Drink-driving: Driving with 0.5 g/l or more of alcohol in the blood, or 0.25 mg/l or more in exhaled breath, is an offence (Code pénal, art. 419, 12°). At 0.8 g/l or more in the blood or 0.4 mg/l or more in the breath, or when visibly drunk, it becomes a more serious offence punishable by prison (art. 391-13). Treat zero alcohol as the safe rule. Driving at 0.5 g/l or more (0.25 mg/l of breath) is fined 200 to 600 euros (Code pénal, art. 419, 12°, and art. 29). At 0.8 g/l or more (0.4 mg/l of breath), or when visibly drunk, the penalty is one month to two years in prison and a fine of 2,250 to 9,000 euros, or either one; refusing a breath test carries the same penalties (art. 391-13, art. 391-14 and art. 26). For these offences the court may also suspend the licence for up to two years, cancel it, bar the holder of a foreign licence from driving in Monaco for up to five years, and immobilise the vehicle for up to six months (art. 391-16).
• Speed limits: The limit is 50 km/h throughout Monaco; signs may set 30 km/h or 70 km/h on particular sections (Code de la route, art. 11). Exceeding the limit by less than 30 km/h is fined 75 to 200 euros, by 30 km/h or more but less than 50 km/h 200 to 600 euros, and by 50 km/h or more 600 to 1,000 euros (Code de la route, art. 207; Code pénal, art. 29). At 50 km/h or more over the limit the court may also suspend the licence for up to two years or bar a foreign licence holder from driving in Monaco for up to five years (Code pénal, art. 391-16).
• Carry your national licence, the vehicle registration certificate, the rental contract if the car is rented and a valid insurance certificate: the driver must show them to officers on request (Code de la route, art. 130). Carry your passport too. Monaco's law asks for no IDP, but GOV.UK tells UK licence holders, verbatim: "You'll need to have both the 1968 version of the international driving permit (IDP) and your UK driving licence with you in the car".
• Drive on the right. Expect dense traffic, steep gradients, tunnels, heavy pedestrian and scooter traffic, controlled access and strict parking enforcement in a 2 km2 city-state.
• Confirm France transit and rental requirements: Monaco's only land border is with France, so essentially every road journey enters and leaves through French territory and French road rules apply on the approach.
• UK visitors cannot buy an IDP abroad. GOV.UK, verbatim: "You cannot buy an IDP outside the UK, so get one before you travel".

Read more about driving in Monaco

• 10 Interesting Facts About Monaco

Watch what driving in Monaco looks like

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Sources

1. GOV.UK Monaco entry requirements, verbatim: "You can travel without a visa to the Schengen area, which includes Monaco, for up to 90 days in any 180-day period."
2. Resident licence conversion rule
3. UN Treaty Collection — 1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic: Monaco accession 3 Aug 1951
4. UN Treaty Collection — 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic: Monaco accession 6 Jun 1978
5. UK FCDO Monaco travel advice — road travel, 1968 IDP advice for UK licence holders (contains no fine or BAC content)
6. UK FCDO Monaco — getting help: emergency numbers 112 and 18
7. Monaco Government — Service des Titres de Circulation, competent for foreign-licence exchange
8. Legimonaco (Monaco Government legal portal) — Code de la route (Ordonnance Souveraine n° 1.691 du 17 décembre 1957), consolidated text of 4 July 2026: art. 3 bis, 11, 116 to 116-5, 118, 130 and 207
9. Legimonaco (Monaco Government legal portal) — Code pénal, consolidated text of 22 November 2025: drink-driving (art. 391-13, 391-14, 391-16 and 419) and fine bands (art. 26 and 29)
10. Legimonaco (Monaco Government legal portal) — Arrêté ministériel n° 2026-336 du 18 juin 2026 relatif aux permis de conduire: the IDP Monaco issues (art. 1 and 2), seat belts in driving lessons and tests (art. 23)
11. Monaco Government service directory — Corps des Sapeurs-pompiers de Monaco: emergency numbers 18 or 112
12. Service-Public.fr (French Government) — compulsory equipment in a car in France: high-visibility vest and warning triangle
13. Service-Public.fr (French Government) — seat belts and child seats in France
14. Driver and Vehicle Licensing Office (Service des Titres de Circulation) — authorized IDP issuer in Monaco
15. UN Treaty Collection — 1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic
16. UN Treaty Collection — 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic