China licence 
EritreaCan you drive in Eritrea with a China license?
Short answer: you cannot drive in Eritrea on a China license or an International Driving Permit alone — Eritrea requires a local or temporary licence.
An International Driving Permit is not sufficient to drive in Eritrea. Eritrea does not accept the IDP for foreign visitors — a local or temporary licence is required. Always confirm the current rule before you travel.
Mainland China is not party to the IDP conventions, so Chinese drivers typically obtain a temporary local licence in the destination country. Your International Driving Permit is a certified multilingual translation of your existing licence, prepared in the Local rules format and carried alongside your national licence.
What driving in Eritrea is like
The hairpin descent from highland Asmara down the escarpment to the Red Sea port of Massawa is one of the country's most spectacular drives. For most visitors the real draw is the freedom to reach places trains and tours don't, on your own schedule, with the open road generally capped around 80 km/h highways. Getting behind the wheel is the easy part: your International Driving Permit is a certified translation of your China licence, carried alongside it, so rental staff and officials in Eritrea can read your credentials at a glance.
What applies to China licence holders in Eritrea
| China licence in Eritrea | |
|---|---|
| Do you need an IDP? | An IDP is not sufficient here |
| IDP format required | Local licensing rules apply |
| Your China licence script | Not in the Roman alphabet — an IDP translation is expected |
| China is party to | Neither IDP convention |
| Drives on the | Right-hand side |
| Minimum driving age | 18 |
| Emergency number | 113 (police) |
| Top speed limit | 80 km/h highways |
| Currency | ERN |
Driving rules in Eritrea you should know
- Drive on the right.
- Travel permits required outside Asmara.
- 0.05% alcohol limit.
- Carry passport, IDP and home licence.
Local driving facts in Eritrea
Emergency number: 113 (police) (112 also connects from most mobiles). Typical maximum for cars on the fastest road class: 80 km/h highways. Posted limits always take precedence.
Tolls & road charges in Eritrea
Eritrea has no toll roads, vignette or electronic toll system, so no toll charges apply to tourists.
Parking in Eritrea
Parking in Asmara is mostly free, on-street and informal with no colour-coded paid zones; central areas can be congested, so use hotel or guarded lots where available.
Penalties & enforcement in Eritrea
Speeding, phone use and seatbelt violations draw fines often settled in cash at checkpoints; photography of roads and infrastructure is restricted and can cause detention, so avoid it.
If you have an accident in Eritrea
Stop, do not move the vehicles, and report to the police immediately; a police report is mandatory for any rental or insurance claim and leaving the scene is illegal.
City driving in Eritrea
Beyond Asmara and Zoba Maekel, foreigners need a government travel permit obtained in advance from the Department of Protocol, and military checkpoints stop drivers to inspect it.
Winter driving in Eritrea
No winter-tyre rules - tropical/highland climate with no snow regulations.
Fuel in Eritrea
Petrol and diesel are sold attended-service only; fuel is frequently rationed and scarce, so always fill up in Asmara or major towns and carry cash (nakfa) as cards are not accepted.
Sources: internationaldriversassociation.com, driverabroad.com, africatourvisa.com