International Driving Permit in Tanzania

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

Driving in Tanzania: key facts

Do you need an International Driving Permit in Tanzania?

Tanzania has acceded to neither the 1949 Geneva nor the 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic (per the UN depositary status lists: 1949 = 103 parties, 1968 = 91 parties, Tanzania absent from both; it is likewise absent from the 1926 list). The UK's official IDP table does not list Tanzania. Tanzania's own Road Traffic Act nevertheless recognises a valid international driving licence, or a foreign national licence issued in accordance with the 1949 Geneva Convention or the 1968 Vienna Convention, as valid (Cap. 168 R.E. 2023, s. 30(5)), so an IDP of either edition is accepted. An international driving licence recognised this way is deemed no longer valid once it expires or once your stay in Tanzania exceeds six months (s. 30(6)). UK FCDO says a UK licence may be used for up to 6 months and that an IDP 'is required' for longer stays, although the Act gives an IDP no validity beyond six months' stay. The Act does not say whether a foreign national licence is limited to six months in the same way: check with the authorities before a longer stay. Canadian government advice says 'You must carry an international driving permit alongside your Canadian driver's licence.' Carry an IDP alongside (never instead of) the original licence. UK FCDO advice is that Zanzibar additionally requires its own local driving permit.

• 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 the original licence at all times, plus passport, vehicle registration, insurance and rental paperwork. Carry an IDP alongside the original licence — Canadian government advice states it must be carried with the national licence. The Road Traffic Act recognises an IDP of either the 1949 or the 1968 edition, but only until it expires or your stay exceeds six months (Cap. 168 R.E. 2023, s. 30(5) and (6)); the Act does not say whether your national licence alone stays valid for a longer stay, so check with the authorities before staying more than six months.

No specific penalty for driving without the required document was verified from an authoritative source.

What side of the road does Tanzania drive on?

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

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

An IDP recognised under the Road Traffic Act lapses when it expires or once your stay exceeds six months; whether a foreign national licence is limited the same way is not established (Cap. 168, s. 30(5) and (6)). The Act recognises a valid IDP or a foreign licence issued under the 1949 or 1968 Convention (s. 30(5)), but its six-month limit names only the IDP (s. 30(6)), so check with the authorities before a stay of more than six months on a national licence. UK FCDO states a UK driving licence may be used in Tanzania for up to 6 months, with an IDP required for longer stays, although the Act gives an IDP no validity beyond six months' stay. Canadian government advice tells its citizens to carry an IDP with the national licence from the outset. UK FCDO advice is that in Zanzibar a separate local Zanzibar driving permit is required in addition, normally arranged by the hire car company. (Road Traffic Act, Cap. 168 R.E. 2023, s. 30(5) and (6); UK FCDO Tanzania travel advice, Safety and security — Road travel)

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

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

Tanzania is party to neither the 1949 Geneva Convention nor the 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic. An official convention IDP cannot be issued in Tanzania, and convention rules do not bind it — licence acceptance is governed purely by local law and bilateral arrangements.

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 Tanzania with your country's licence?

This table is for tourists and temporary visitors. Moving to Tanzania as a resident? Different rules apply — see the residents section below. Find your licence's country of issue below. Tanzania has acceded to neither the 1949 Geneva nor the 1968 Vienna road-traffic convention, but its Road Traffic Act recognises a valid international driving licence, or a foreign national licence issued in accordance with either convention, and an international driving licence is deemed no longer valid once it expires or the holder's stay exceeds six months (Cap. 168 R.E. 2023, s. 30(5) and (6)). The Act does not say whether that limit also applies to a foreign national licence, or whether a licence that neither convention is established to cover qualifies: check with the authorities before you travel. UK guidance allows a UK licence for up to six months and asks for an IDP beyond that, although the Act gives an IDP no validity beyond six months' stay; Canadian guidance tells drivers to carry an IDP with the national licence from day one. UK guidance adds that Zanzibar requires a separate local driving permit, normally arranged through the hire car company. 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] Road Traffic Act, Cap. 168 R.E. 2023, s. 30(5) and (6)

[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 Tanzania? Tanzania's IDPs are issued by Automobile Association of Tanzania (AA Tanzania). Official site. Tanzania is party to neither road-traffic convention, so the permit is issued outside the UN convention framework and is not an official convention IDP — check that your destination accepts it.
• 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 Tanzania? Rules for new residents

An international driving licence is deemed no longer valid once your stay in Tanzania exceeds six months (Road Traffic Act, Cap. 168 R.E. 2023, s. 30(6)). The Act does not say whether a foreign national licence recognised under s. 30(5) is limited the same way, and it sets no deadline tied to residence, so before a stay of more than six months check with the authorities whether you need a Tanzanian driving licence. UK FCDO advice is that a UK licence may be used for up to 6 months. Official source.

Driving rules in Tanzania tourists get fined for

• Mandatory equipment: Wear seat belts; helmets for riders. Carrying a warning triangle, fire extinguisher, first-aid kit, spare tyre and basic tools is standard practice for hire and private vehicles, though the Road Traffic Act (Cap. 168) itself lists no such items and leaves vehicle equipment to regulations. Keep water and full documentation in the vehicle.
• Drink-driving: The legal limit is 80 mg of alcohol per 100 ml of blood, which is 0.8 g/l (Road Traffic Act, Cap. 168 R.E. 2023, s. 60). Above 150 mg of alcohol per 100 ml of blood, the penalty is a fine of 10,000 to 30,000 Tanzanian shillings or two to five years' imprisonment, and a first conviction cancels the licence for at least three years. Above the legal limit but not above 150 mg, it is a fine of 10,000 to 20,000 Tanzanian shillings or two to four years' imprisonment, and a first conviction suspends the licence for six months to one year (Road Traffic Act, Cap. 168 R.E. 2023, s. 75(2)(i) and s. 33(1)(h)).
• Speed limits: Traffic drives on the left. Unless a traffic sign says otherwise, the limit is 50 km/h in built-up areas and 80 km/h for vehicles over 3,500 kg maximum permissible weight; outside built-up areas, limits are set by traffic signs and road markings (Road Traffic Act, Cap. 168 R.E. 2023, s. 62(8)). Expect pedestrians, livestock, speed humps in and around villages, and poor visibility at night.
• Carry the original licence at all times, plus passport, vehicle registration, insurance and rental paperwork. Carry an IDP alongside the original licence — Canadian government advice states it must be carried with the national licence. The Road Traffic Act recognises an IDP of either the 1949 or the 1968 edition, but only until it expires or your stay exceeds six months (Cap. 168 R.E. 2023, s. 30(5) and (6)); the Act does not say whether your national licence alone stays valid for a longer stay, so check with the authorities before staying more than six months.
• Zanzibar: UK FCDO advice is that you need a local Zanzibar driving permit in addition to your own licence: 'To drive in Zanzibar, you'll also need a local Zanzibar driving permit (which you can get through your hire car company).' Also carry several copies of your licence, permits and insurance documents.
• There is no breakdown safety net. UK FCDO states verbatim: 'There are no roadside rescue or breakdown services.' Use a reputable hire firm, inspect the vehicle before accepting it, and carry a spare tyre, tools, water and a charged phone. Roads deteriorate in the rainy seasons and a 4x4 is often necessary in national parks.
• Police checkpoints are common throughout the country; Canadian government advice notes that only national police officers have authority to establish them. Keep documents accessible and expect to present them.
• Avoid driving outside major towns and cities after dark. UK FCDO warns that road users often drive dangerously and that accidents causing death and serious injury are common; Canadian advice cites potholes, stray animals, heavy motorcycle and bicycle traffic, missing signage and pedestrians in the roadway.

Read more about driving in Tanzania

• 10 Interesting Facts About Tanzania
• Best Places to Visit in Tanzania

Watch what driving in Tanzania looks like

A few minutes of real POV footage is the fastest way to feel confident before your first drive in Tanzania:

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Sources

1. Road Traffic Act, Cap. 168 R.E. 2023, s. 30(5) and (6); UK FCDO Tanzania travel advice, Safety and security — Road travel
2. Resident licence conversion rule
3. UN depositary status, 1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic — 103 parties; Tanzania not listed
4. UN depositary status, 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic — 91 parties; Tanzania not listed
5. Official UK IDP country table — Tanzania is not listed, consistent with non-party status
6. Government of Canada Tanzania advice — IDP must be carried with the national licence; vehicles drive on the left; dial 112; police checkpoints
7. UK FCDO Tanzania — emergency number 112 for ambulance, fire and police
8. Road Traffic Act, Cap. 168, Revised Edition 2023, as published by the Tanzania Revenue Authority — s. 30(4) to (6): minimum ages, recognition of international and convention licences, six-month limit; s. 33 and s. 75: penalties; s. 60: alcohol limit; s. 62(8): speed limits
9. Automobile Association of Tanzania (AA Tanzania) — authorized IDP issuer in Tanzania
10. UN Treaty Collection — 1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic
11. UN Treaty Collection — 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic