Can you drive in Moldova with a Nigeria license?
Short answer: to drive in Moldova with a Nigeria license you need an International Driving Permit in the 1968 Vienna format, carried together with your Nigeria license.
Yes — to drive in Moldova on a Nigeria licence you should carry an International Driving Permit together with your Nigeria licence. Moldova expects foreign drivers to hold an IDP.
Nigerian drivers should carry an International Driving Permit alongside their national licence when driving abroad. Your International Driving Permit is a certified multilingual translation of your existing licence, prepared in the 1968 Vienna format and carried alongside your national licence.
What driving in Moldova is like

The drive to the cliff-top Orheiul Vechi cave monastery complex above the Raut river is Moldova's signature scenic route. 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 90 km/h open roads. Getting behind the wheel is the easy part: your International Driving Permit is a certified translation of your Nigeria licence, carried alongside it, so rental staff and officials in Moldova can read your credentials at a glance.
What applies to Nigeria licence holders in Moldova
| Nigeria licence in Moldova | |
|---|---|
| Do you need an IDP? | Yes — carry one alongside your licence |
| IDP format required | 1968 Vienna |
| Your Nigeria licence script | Roman (Latin) alphabet |
| Nigeria is party to | 1949 Geneva and 1968 Vienna |
| Drives on the | Right-hand side |
| Minimum driving age | 18 |
| Emergency number | 112 |
| Top speed limit | 90 km/h open roads |
| Currency | MDL |
Driving rules in Moldova you should know
- Drive on the right.
- Headlights on outside towns.
- Zero-tolerance alcohol policy.
- Carry passport, IDP and home licence.
Local driving facts in Moldova
Emergency number: 112 (112 also connects from most mobiles). Typical maximum for cars on the fastest road class: 90 km/h open roads. Posted limits always take precedence.
Tolls & road charges in Moldova
There are no electronic toll motorways. Foreign-registered vehicles pay a road-use vignette on entry (about EUR 4 for up to 7 days), bought at the border and displayed on the windscreen.
Parking in Moldova
In Chisinau use marked paid zones and central car parks; metered/app or attendant payment is common and unofficial 'parking helpers' may approach. Avoid blocking courtyards and tram lanes, where towing occurs.
Penalties & enforcement in Moldova
Speeding fines commonly run from roughly EUR 30 up to EUR 60+ for serious excess, with phone and seatbelt offences also penalised; police may issue on-the-spot fines payable to the state, never directly in cash to the officer. Rentals pass camera/police fines back to the renter.
If you have an accident in Moldova
Call 112 for police and ambulance. Do not move vehicles before police document the scene; an official police report (proces-verbal) is mandatory for any insurance or rental claim.
City driving in Moldova
Chisinau has heavy rush-hour congestion, aggressive lane changing and many unmarked or worn road markings. Watch for trolleybuses and give way at the city's large unsignalled intersections.
Winter driving in Moldova
Winter tyres on all wheels are mandatory from 1 December to 1 March, including for foreign-registered cars.
Fuel in Moldova
Petrol (95/98), diesel and LPG are widely sold; stations are plentiful on main routes but sparse in rural wine regions, so fill up before heading to Orhei. Cards are accepted at branded stations; prices are set within a regulated band.
Sources: rac.co.uk, tollguru.com, tyremap.com, internationaldriversassociation.com