This information may change. Always check the official source.Last verified: August 2026 by Ondřej Kadlec
Driving in Bolivia: the three basics
Drives on the
right
The driver sits on the left and overtakes on the left. Roundabouts turn anticlockwise.
Your licence
Licence plus an IDP
Your own licence works with an International Driving Permit beside it. Get the permit at home before you fly - no country issues one for another country's licence.
Motorways
Tolls by distance
Motorways charge for the distance driven, at barriers or by camera. Budget for it on a long drive; it is rarely trivial.
Bolivian roads are tolled in places, altitude and blockades shape any itinerary, and the mountain roads earn their reputation.
Some tolls, extreme altitude, and roadblocks as a normal part of political life.
Blockades close intercity roads for days during protests, without warning and with no way around them. Any Bolivian itinerary needs slack.
Altitude is extreme. La Paz sits at 3,600 m and the altiplano roads run above 4,000; engines and people both lose power.
The old Yungas road - the "Death Road" - is now a cycling route, and the replacement highway is paved and safe.
The alcohol limit is 0.05 % for private drivers.
Night driving is avoided: unlit vehicles, animals and unbarriered drops on the mountain routes.
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