Driving Permit for Romania

Romania is a contracting party to the 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic and recognises International Driving Permits issued under both the 1949 and 1968 conventions. Driving licences issued in EU and EEA countries are accepted as they stand, with no IDP needed. For visitors from further afield the position is friendlier than many expect: the UK's RAC notes that IDPs are recognised but not strictly required, and the U.S. Embassy in Bucharest confirms that a valid U.S. state licence can be used for up to six months without an IDP under Government Decision 795 of September 2025. Even so, carrying a 1968-format IDP alongside your original licence is the safest approach — and effectively essential if your licence is not printed in Latin script.

Traffic drives on the right and overtakes on the left. At the rental desk, EU-licence holders need only their licence and passport; non-EU renters are often asked for an IDP as a certified translation of their home licence, so having one smooths both pick-up and any police stop. Every vehicle on Romania's national roads and motorways must carry a valid rovinieta, an electronic road-use vignette enforced by camera network — short-duration versions cost only a few euros and are sold online, at border crossings and at petrol stations. Drivers of foreign-registered cars should also carry a Green Card proving their insurance covers Romania.

Local rules are strict where it counts. Romania applies a zero-tolerance drink-driving limit of 0.00% for private drivers, and cars must carry a reflective jacket, warning triangle, fire extinguisher and first-aid kit. Winter tyres are mandatory whenever road conditions require them, with snow chains advisable in the Carpathians. Standard limits are 50 km/h in towns, 90–100 km/h on open roads and 130 km/h on motorways — and famous mountain passes like the Transfăgărășan close entirely in winter.