Driving Permit for Paraguay
Driving in Paraguay with a foreign licence? Learn when you need an IDP, Paraguay's 0.00% alcohol limit, police checkpoint rules, rental requirements and which side of the road to drive on.
- Drive on
- Right
- Convention
- 1949 Geneva
- IDP validity
- Duration of tourist stay
- Processing time
- 24-48 hours
Do you need an IDP to drive in Paraguay?
Paraguay drives on the right, and visiting drivers are expected to carry more paperwork than in much of South America. The country is a contracting party to the 1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic (it acceded on 18 October 1965) and is not a party to the 1968 Vienna Convention, so the 1949-format International Driving Permit is the correct companion document for your home licence — the UK government lists Paraguay as a 1949-IDP country, and Canadian government travel advice tells visitors plainly that they must carry an IDP. UK advice adds a local twist: keep your driving licence and your passport showing the Paraguay entry stamp with you in the car.
At the rental desk — most international and local firms operate out of Asunción and Silvio Pettirossi Airport — your home licence plus an IDP and a credit card is the standard package, and official advice is to rent from a reputable company and check that the signed contract actually includes insurance. Once on the road, police regularly stop cars to check vehicle and driving documents, and breathalyser tests are routine: Paraguay's legal blood-alcohol limit is 0.00%, and a suspected drink-driver's licence can be confiscated on the spot.
Conditions demand patience. Large potholes are a hazard on most roads, including in Asunción; minor and rural roads are largely unpaved and can become impassable in the December–April rainy season; and local drivers often ignore stop signs, traffic lights and speed limits, with motorbike accidents especially common. Licences from neighbouring MERCOSUR countries are generally accepted under regional agreements, but visitors from outside Latin America should treat the IDP as essential kit.
Paraguay recognises the IDP under the 1949 Geneva Convention.
Paraguay is a signatory to the 1949 Geneva Convention. In practice, an IDP issued by another signatory country is recognised for your permitted visitor stay — in Paraguay, plan on duration of tourist stay.
What you need to drive in Paraguay
Have these ready before you pick up the keys.
Valid home-country driving licence, carried at all times in the vehicle
International Driving Permit (1949 convention) — Canadian government advice states visitors must carry one
Passport showing your Paraguay entry stamp, kept in the car (UK government advice)
Minimum driving age is 18; rental companies typically require drivers to be 21+ with a credit card
Paraguay acceded to the 1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic on 18 October 1965 and is not listed as a party to the 1968 Vienna Convention (UN Treaty Collection), so the 1949-format IDP applies.
The legal blood-alcohol limit is 0.00% — zero tolerance — and police run regular breathalyser checks.
UK government advice: carry your driving licence and your passport showing the entry stamp with you in the car.
Minor and rural roads are mostly unpaved and are often impassable during the December–April rainy season.
Large potholes are a hazard on most roads, including in central Asunción.
The Touring y Automóvil Club Paraguayo (TACPy), the FIA-affiliated national automobile club, issues IDPs to Paraguayan licence holders.
What to know before you turn the key
Paraguay drives on the right — the driver sits on the left, and roundabouts flow anti-clockwise.
Carry your IDP and your original license together — rental desks and police checks will ask for both documents.
Rent from a reputable company and make sure the signed contract includes insurance; official advice is to avoid driving at night.
Zero-tolerance drink-driving: the blood-alcohol limit is 0.00% and breathalyser checkpoints are routine.
Licences from neighbouring MERCOSUR countries are generally accepted under regional agreements; visitors from outside the region should carry an IDP.
Paraguay enforces a zero-tolerance 0.00% blood-alcohol limit: police run regular breathalyser checkpoints, and officers can confiscate your licence immediately for suspected drink-driving, alongside heavy fines. Document checks are routine, so driving without your licence, IDP or stamped passport can mean fines and delays at police stops.
Local rules to watch in Paraguay
Low-emission zones, tolls, and city-specific rules that catch visiting drivers out.
Asunción: expect potholes even on main avenues, heavy motorbike traffic and drivers who routinely ignore signals — drive defensively.
Ciudad del Este: the Friendship Bridge crossing to Foz do Iguaçu (Brazil) is heavily congested; allow extra time and keep your documents handy for border-area checks.
Trans-Chaco highway (Ruta 9): services and fuel stops are sparse across the Chaco — fill up whenever possible and avoid driving after dark.
Signs you'll meet on the road
Eight internationally recognised signs — including which side of the road Paraguay keeps.
Common questions about driving in Paraguay
Drive Paraguay, confidently.
Apply online in minutes and get instant digital access to your IDP translation — with an IDP PVC card option if you want one in your wallet.