First Day Abroad

Driving in Saudi Arabia: licence, roads and tolls

Part of the Saudi Arabia arrival guide.

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

Driving in Saudi Arabia: 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
Free

There is no motorway charge for a car.

Saudi roads are free and fast, radar enforcement is total, and any alcohol at the wheel is a criminal matter.

Free roads, automated speed enforcement everywhere, and an absolute prohibition on alcohol.

  • Saher cameras cover the highways and the cities and issue fines automatically; hire companies pass them on with a fee.
  • Alcohol is illegal in the country, so the question of a limit does not arise - any trace at the wheel is a criminal offence.
  • Women have been able to drive since 2018 and hire cars are rented to women on the same terms.
  • Roads are free and the intercity highways are wide, fast and long: Riyadh to Jeddah is 950 km.
  • Camels on the road at night are a genuine and frequently fatal hazard on the desert routes.
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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.