First Day Abroad

Driving in Laos: licence, roads and tolls

Part of the Laos arrival guide.

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

Driving in Laos: 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.

Laos accepts an International Driving Permit, the main roads are slow and mountainous, and motorbike hire is the common way to get hurt.

A permit is recognised, the roads are mountainous and slow, and the motorbike is the risk.

  • Route 13 is the country's spine and is a two-lane mountain road for much of its length: Vientiane to Luang Prabang is 340 km and most of a day.
  • Motorbike hire without the right licence class voids travel insurance, and hire shops routinely keep your passport as deposit, which is worth refusing.
  • The alcohol limit is 0.05 %.
  • Traffic drives on the right and unlit vehicles after dark are normal outside the towns.
  • The China-Laos railway now covers the Vientiane-Luang Prabang-Boten corridor in a couple of hours, which removes the main reason to drive it.
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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.