Driving Permit for Uzbekistan
Driving in Uzbekistan requires a 1968-convention IDP alongside your national licence. Traffic drives on the right. Rules, checkpoints, rental ages and how to get your IDP for Uzbekistan fast.
- Drive on
- Right
- Convention
- 1968 Vienna
- IDP validity
- 30 days
- Processing time
- 24-48 hours
Do you need an IDP to drive in Uzbekistan?
Uzbekistan is a party to the 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic, having acceded on 17 January 1995, and for foreign visitors an International Driving Permit is genuinely required rather than merely recommended. The UK Foreign Office states that you need the 1968 version of the IDP alongside your national licence for your first 30 days of driving, and the Government of Canada is blunter still: a Canadian driver's licence alone is not acceptable in Uzbekistan. Carry both your original licence and your IDP whenever you drive.
Traffic drives on the right. The minimum driving age is 18, though rental agencies commonly require drivers to be at least 21. Traffic police stop vehicles frequently — for minor violations or simple document checks — so having your licence and IDP in a form officers can read matters: UK guidance recommends a Russian or Uzbek translation to smooth interactions, a role the IDP's standardized translations largely fill. Speed cameras are widespread and violations draw substantial fines.
On the road, seatbelts are mandatory for all occupants and using a mobile phone while driving is prohibited. Road quality varies sharply: Tashkent's surfaces are generally acceptable, but rural and mountainous routes suffer large potholes, poor lighting and inadequate signage, so avoid driving at night. Watch for one local peculiarity — vehicles entering a roundabout have priority over those already on it. Driving standards can be erratic, so drive defensively, and never drink and drive. If you bring your own foreign-registered car, you can drive it duty-free for up to 90 days provided you declare it at the border.
Uzbekistan recognises the IDP under the 1968 Vienna Convention.
Uzbekistan is a signatory to the 1968 Vienna Convention. In practice, an IDP issued by another signatory country is recognised for your permitted visitor stay — in Uzbekistan, plan on 30 days.
What you need to drive in Uzbekistan
Have these ready before you pick up the keys.
Valid national driving licence — carry the original at all times
1968-convention International Driving Permit (IDP), required per UK and Canadian government guidance
Minimum driving age 18; rental agencies commonly require 21+
Seatbelts for all occupants; handheld mobile phone use while driving is prohibited
Uzbekistan acceded to the 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic on 17 January 1995; its vehicle distinguishing sign is UZ
UK FCDO guidance: the 1968-convention IDP is needed alongside your licence for the first 30 days of driving, and it must be obtained before you travel
Minimum driving age is 18, but many rental agencies require drivers to be at least 21
Foreign-registered private vehicles can be driven duty-free for up to 90 days if declared to customs on entry
Vehicles entering a roundabout have priority over traffic already circulating
Mobile phone use while driving is prohibited, and speed cameras enforce limits with substantial fines
What to know before you turn the key
Uzbekistan 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.
Traffic police checkpoints are frequent; a Russian or Uzbek translation of your documents — which an IDP effectively provides — makes stops much easier
Roads in Tashkent are generally acceptable, but rural and mountain routes have potholes, poor lighting and sparse signage — plan daylight driving
Local quirk: vehicles entering a roundabout have priority over traffic already circulating — the opposite of most European rules
Exact fine amounts are not reliably published in English, but Canadian government guidance warns that speed cameras issue substantial fines and police stop drivers even for minor violations; driving without your national licence and IDP risks trouble at frequent checkpoints and can invalidate insurance, and drink-driving is treated severely — do not drive after drinking.
Local rules to watch in Uzbekistan
Low-emission zones, tolls, and city-specific rules that catch visiting drivers out.
Tashkent: road surfaces are generally acceptable, but enforcement is heavy — expect speed cameras and frequent traffic-police stops
Rural and mountainous areas: large potholes, poor lighting and sparse signage make night driving hazardous — schedule intercity drives in daylight
Border crossings: declare a foreign-registered vehicle on arrival to drive it duty-free for up to 90 days
Signs you'll meet on the road
Eight internationally recognised signs — including which side of the road Uzbekistan keeps.
Common questions about driving in Uzbekistan
Drive Uzbekistan, 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.