First Day Abroad

Driving in Cambodia: licence, roads and tolls

Part of the Cambodia arrival guide.

This information may change. Always check the official source.Last verified: August 2026 by

Driving in Cambodia: 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.

Cambodia recognises an International Driving Permit, but a car with a driver is the normal arrangement and motorbike hire is where insurance fails.

A permit is recognised; a driver is the usual arrangement, and the scooter question decides your insurance.

  • A car with a driver is standard and inexpensive - the way most visitors cover Phnom Penh to Siem Reap or the coast.
  • Motorbike hire without the correct licence class voids travel insurance, and Cambodia has one of the highest road fatality rates in the region.
  • The alcohol limit is 0.05 % with roadside checks in Phnom Penh at night.
  • Traffic drives on the right, and right of way is negotiated rather than given, including at roundabouts.
  • Rural roads are unlit and shared with everything - livestock, unlit motorbikes, ox carts - so intercity driving after dark is avoided.
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Sources (1)

What this guide was checked against. Rules and prices change — follow the official link before you rely on a detail.