This information may change. Always check the official source.Last verified: August 2026 by Ondřej Kadlec
Driving in Peru: 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.
Peruvian toll booths are frequent, Lima traffic is severe, and the altitude affects the car as much as the driver.
Frequent peajes on the Panamericana, hard city traffic, and roads that climb above 4,000 m.
Toll booths are frequent on the coastal highway and take cash and cards.
Lima traffic is among the worst in the Americas and the informal buses make lane discipline theoretical.
Altitude affects engines as well as people. Naturally aspirated cars lose power above 3,500 m, and the passes to Huaraz and Cusco go higher than that.
The alcohol limit is 0.05 %, and penalties above it are severe.
Night driving between cities is discouraged by the official advice: unlit vehicles, fog on the passes and robbery on some routes.
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