First Day Abroad

Driving in Nepal: licence, roads and tolls

Part of the Nepal arrival guide.

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

Driving in Nepal: the three basics

Drives on the
left

The driver sits on the right and overtakes on the right. Roundabouts turn clockwise.

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
Free

There is no motorway charge for a car.

Nepal accepts an International Driving Permit, but the roads make hiring a car with a driver the sensible answer.

Legal to self-drive with a permit; almost nobody does, and for good reasons.

  • A car with a driver costs barely more than the car and is what visitors and residents alike use for anything outside Kathmandu.
  • The mountain roads are the reason. Landslides, single-lane sections above drops, buses that overtake on bends, and journeys where 200 km takes eight hours.
  • Traffic drives on the left.
  • The alcohol limit is zero and checkpoints in Kathmandu at night are routine.
  • Fuel shortages happen during political disruption, and queues at pumps can last a day.
  • An International Driving Permit is required alongside your own licence, and it must be obtained before you fly - Nepal does not issue one for a foreign licence.
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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.