Australia licence 
ParaguayCan you drive in Paraguay with an Australia license?
Short answer: to drive in Paraguay with an Australia license you need an International Driving Permit in the 1968 Vienna format, carried together with your Australia license.
Yes — to drive in Paraguay on an Australia licence you should carry an International Driving Permit together with your Australia licence. Paraguay expects foreign drivers to hold an IDP.
Australian drivers should carry an International Driving Permit (1949 Convention) alongside their state 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 Paraguay is like
Route 1 from Asuncion southeast to Encarnacion, passing the Jesuit mission ruins of Trinidad and Jesus, is the most popular scenic drive. 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 110 km/h rural highways. Getting behind the wheel is the easy part: your International Driving Permit is a certified translation of your Australia licence, carried alongside it, so rental staff and officials in Paraguay can read your credentials at a glance.
What applies to Australia licence holders in Paraguay
| Australia licence in Paraguay | |
|---|---|
| Do you need an IDP? | Yes — carry one alongside your licence |
| IDP format required | 1968 Vienna |
| Your Australia licence script | Roman (Latin) alphabet |
| Australia is party to | 1949 Geneva |
| Drives on the | Right-hand side |
| Minimum driving age | 18 |
| Emergency number | 911 |
| Top speed limit | 110 km/h rural highways |
| Currency | PYG |
Driving rules in Paraguay you should know
- Drive on the right.
- Headlights on highways during the day.
- 0.0% alcohol tolerance.
- Carry passport, IDP and home licence.
Local driving facts in Paraguay
Emergency number: 911 (112 also connects from most mobiles). Typical maximum for cars on the fastest road class: 110 km/h rural highways. Posted limits always take precedence.
Tolls & road charges in Paraguay
National routes have toll plazas (peajes) run by the MOPC, including Ypacarai between Asuncion and Caacupe and the Remanso and Ybyrarobana booths around the capital; pay the modest fee in Guaranies cash.
Parking in Paraguay
Central Asuncion uses paid on-street parking and attended lots; illegally parked cars in the microcentro can be towed, so prefer guarded estacionamientos.
Penalties & enforcement in Paraguay
Transit police (Policia Caminera) fine speeding, no seatbelt and phone use, sometimes expecting payment on the spot; rental firms charge any unpaid or camera fines back to the driver.
If you have an accident in Paraguay
Call 911 for police and the SEME ambulance service on 141; leave the vehicles in place for a serious crash until the Policia Nacional/Caminera files a report, which is required for insurance and rental claims.
City driving in Paraguay
Asuncion's road network is congested and many junctions lack working signals, so right-of-way is negotiated; the metropolitan toll booths (Remanso/Ybyrarobana) back up at peak times.
Winter driving in Paraguay
No winter-tyre rules - subtropical climate; the seasonal hazards are heavy summer rain and the occasional dense fog rather than snow or ice.
Fuel in Paraguay
State firm Petropar and private chains sell Nafta (Kape 88, Oikoite 93, Aratiri 97) and Diesel (Pora and Mbarete), with regular petrol around USD 1.09/litre; cards are widely accepted in cities.
Sources: petropar.gov.py, globalpetrolprices.com, internationaldriversassociation.com, internationaltravelpermits.com