UK licence 
PalauCan you drive in Palau with a UK license?
Short answer: you cannot drive in Palau on a UK license or an International Driving Permit alone — Palau requires a local or temporary licence.
An International Driving Permit is not sufficient to drive in Palau. Palau does not accept the IDP for foreign visitors — a local or temporary licence is required. Always confirm the current rule before you travel.
UK drivers should carry an International Driving Permit with their licence; some countries recognise the 1949 version and others the 1968 version. 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 Palau is like
The compact-car drive across the Koror-Babeldaob Bridge and up the paered (paved) ring road of Babeldaob to the capital Ngerulmud and Ngardmau Waterfall is the island's standout 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 25 mph (40 km/h) national cap. Getting behind the wheel is the easy part: your International Driving Permit is a certified translation of your UK licence, carried alongside it, so rental staff and officials in Palau can read your credentials at a glance.
What applies to UK licence holders in Palau
| UK licence in Palau | |
|---|---|
| Do you need an IDP? | An IDP is not sufficient here |
| IDP format required | Local licensing rules apply |
| Your UK licence script | Roman (Latin) alphabet |
| United Kingdom is party to | 1949 Geneva and 1968 Vienna |
| Drives on the | Right-hand side |
| Minimum driving age | 21 |
| Emergency number | 911 |
| Top speed limit | 25 mph (40 km/h) national cap |
| Currency | USD |
Driving rules in Palau you should know
- Drive on the right.
- Low speed limits across the islands.
- 0.08% alcohol limit.
- Seatbelts mandatory.
Local driving facts in Palau
Emergency number: 911 (112 also connects from most mobiles). Typical maximum for cars on the fastest road class: 25 mph (40 km/h) national cap. Posted limits always take precedence.
Tolls & road charges in Palau
Palau has no toll roads, vignettes or electronic toll systems; all public roads, including the Koror-Babeldaob (KB) Bridge, are free to use.
Parking in Palau
Parking is informal and free in Koror with no paid-zone meters or colour-coded systems; park sensibly off the carriageway, as space near the main downtown shops and markets is limited.
Penalties & enforcement in Palau
The national speed limit is just 25 mph (about 40 km/h) and is enforced; fines for speeding, no seatbelt or drink-driving are issued by Koror police, and rental firms pass any citations back to the renter's card on file.
If you have an accident in Palau
Dial 911 for police and ambulance (Koror police: 680-488-2423); do not move vehicles after an injury crash and wait for officers, as a police report is needed for any insurance or rental claim.
City driving in Palau
Koror's single main road through downtown is the chief bottleneck, and a quirk to watch is that imported Japanese cars are right-hand-drive even though traffic keeps to the RIGHT, so overtaking sightlines differ from what you expect.
Winter driving in Palau
No winter-tyre rules - tropical climate.
Fuel in Palau
Petrol and diesel are sold at a handful of attended (full-service) stations in Koror; pumps are calibrated in US gallons and prices are in US dollars (Palau uses the USD), typically among the higher Pacific prices due to import costs. Major cards are accepted at main stations but carry cash for outer areas.
Sources: travel.state.gov, smartraveller.gov.au, ireland.ie, islandtimes.org