Ethiopia Somalia
Ethiopia 
SomaliaLast reviewed July 2026
Crossing the border
Ethiopia and Somalia share a land border you can cross by car. Keep your passport, national driving licence and International Driving Permit together, and check opening hours and any toll or vignette requirements before you travel.
Driving rules in Somalia
- Drive on the right.
- Numerous security checkpoints.
- Alcohol is prohibited.
- Carry passport, IDP and home licence.
Once you're driving in Somalia
Destination-specific detail sourced from national road authorities, motoring clubs and rental policies — the things that catch cross-border drivers out.
Driving on a foreign licence
Foreign drivers are expected to carry both a valid national licence and an International Driving Permit, but in practice Somalia is under a Level 4 'Do Not Travel' advisory and independent self-driving by foreigners is strongly discouraged regardless of paperwork.
Tolls & road charges
There is no functioning national toll or vignette system; informal checkpoints run by police, military or militia are common along main routes and may demand cash payments.
Parking in the cities
Formal parking regulation is minimal; in Mogadishu vehicles are kept within guarded compounds or secure zones, and street parking carries real security risk rather than a fee or ticket.
Fines & camera enforcement
Traffic laws are loosely enforced and the practical risk to foreign drivers is extortion at checkpoints and crime rather than formal fines; security, not traffic citations, is the governing concern.
If you have an accident
There is no dependable nationwide emergency response; after any incident the recommended action is to reach your security detail or local contacts immediately rather than rely on police, and movement after a crash can itself be hazardous due to crime and checkpoints.
Driving in the capital
In Mogadishu foreign movement is typically restricted to secure areas, often in armoured vehicles with armed escort; checkpoints, blast-wall chicanes and the risk of IEDs mean ordinary city driving by visitors is not realistic.
Sources: travel.state.gov · so.usembassy.gov · smartraveller.gov.au · idaservice.org