UK licence 
TanzaniaCan you drive in Tanzania with a UK license?
Short answer: to drive in Tanzania with a UK license you need an International Driving Permit in the 1949 Geneva format, carried together with your UK license.
Yes — to drive in Tanzania on a UK licence you should carry an International Driving Permit together with your UK licence. Tanzania expects foreign drivers to hold an IDP.
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 1949 Geneva format and carried alongside your national licence.
What driving in Tanzania is like
The drive from Arusha up to the Ngorongoro Crater rim and across to the Serengeti is Tanzania'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 110 km/h highways. 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 Tanzania can read your credentials at a glance.
What applies to UK licence holders in Tanzania
| UK licence in Tanzania | |
|---|---|
| Do you need an IDP? | Yes — carry one alongside your licence |
| IDP format required | 1949 Geneva |
| Your UK licence script | Roman (Latin) alphabet |
| United Kingdom is party to | 1949 Geneva and 1968 Vienna |
| Drives on the | Left-hand side |
| Minimum driving age | 18 |
| Emergency number | 112 or 999 |
| Top speed limit | 110 km/h highways |
| Currency | TZS |
Driving rules in Tanzania you should know
- Drive on the left.
- Wildlife and pedestrians on roads.
- 0.08% alcohol limit.
- Police speed checks are routine.
Local driving facts in Tanzania
Emergency number: 112 or 999 (112 also connects from most mobiles). Typical maximum for cars on the fastest road class: 110 km/h highways. Posted limits always take precedence.
Tolls & road charges in Tanzania
Tanzania has no electronic toll-tag system but levies cash road tolls at booths on some trunk roads, payable in Tanzanian shillings; carry small cash as cards are not accepted at toll points or most fuel stations.
Parking in Tanzania
In Dar es Salaam designated parking zones operate with attendant- or city-collected fees; parking on pedestrian walkways or blocking driveways risks fines or towing, so use marked bays or hotel parking.
Penalties & enforcement in Tanzania
Speed limits are 50 km/h urban and 80 km/h on highways, with radar guns and growing speed-camera use; phone-use and seatbelt offences and speeding draw immediate on-the-spot fines, and rental firms pass camera fines to the hirer.
If you have an accident in Tanzania
Stop and remain at the scene; call police (general emergency 112, or 111/115) and obtain a police report, which is required for insurance and for the rental company. Do not move vehicles where there are injuries.
City driving in Tanzania
On Zanzibar a local Zanzibar driving permit is frequently demanded at checkpoints even with an IDP, so obtain one on arrival at the airport or port; Stone Town's narrow lanes are largely impassable by car.
Winter driving in Tanzania
No winter-tyre rules - tropical climate.
Fuel in Tanzania
Petrol and diesel are widely sold in cities (around USD 1.20 per litre in early 2025) but stations thin out on rural and safari routes; fill up before long drives and carry cash, as card acceptance is unreliable.
Sources: carrentaltz.com, automag.tz, zanzibartanzania.co.tz, idp-usa.com