Destinations / Belgium
Driving in Belgium as a visitor
Often required, depending on where your licence was issued. Belgium drives on the right and honours both driving conventions; non-EU visitors should carry an IDP, and the famous priority-to-the-right rule trips up newcomers.
Reviewed July 2026 · A translation of your own licence, carried with it. Not a government permit.
What Belgium expects
| Driving document | Depends on licence issuer, script and rental policy |
|---|---|
| Convention format | 1949 Geneva & 1968 Vienna |
| Valid for | Up to 3 years |
| Drives on the | Right |
| Emergency number | 112 |
| Top speed limit | 120 km/h motorways |
What the rental desk will ask you for
| Your own licence | The original card. A photo of it, or a photocopy, gets turned away. |
|---|---|
| Licence translation | Check the desk policy for your issuing country and licence script. A translation accompanies the licence and never replaces an official permit. |
| Booklet format they know | 1949 Geneva & 1968 Vienna |
| Minimum age | 18. Under 25 usually pays a young-driver surcharge. |
| Deposit | A credit card in the driver's name. The hold is taken in EUR. |
Rules that catch visitors out
| Right of way | Priority to the right at unmarked junctions. |
|---|---|
| In the car | Reflective vest and warning triangle required. |
| Alcohol | 0.05% alcohol limit. |
| City zones | Low-emission zones in Brussels, Antwerp and Ghent. |
On the road in Belgium
At the pump
Stations sell 95 (E10) and 98 unleaded petrol, diesel and LPG; most are self-service with card-only automated pumps common after hours, and prices run roughly 1.60-1.80 euros per litre.
After a crash
Dial 112 for police/ambulance. Complete the European Accident Statement (constat amiable) with the other driver - the Belgian insurers' Crashform app can file it electronically - and call police if there are injuries, disputes or a foreign/uninsured vehicle.
Sources: theaa.com · parking.brussels · 112.be · eccbelgium.be
Common questions
Do you need an International Driving Permit in Belgium?
Often required, depending on where your licence was issued. Belgium drives on the right and honours both driving conventions; non-EU visitors should carry an IDP, and the famous priority-to-the-right rule trips up newcomers.
Which translation format is used for Belgium?
Belgium uses the 1949 Geneva & 1968 Vienna convention format. A Vialy translation is prepared in that format but is not a government-issued permit.
Will a rental desk in Belgium ask for a translation?
Brussels desks request an IDP for licences issued outside the EU/EEA.
How fast can Vialy prepare one for Belgium?
The exact delivery moment is quoted before you pay, 30 minutes as standard and 5 with Express.
Also in Europe
Driving on to another country on the same trip? Each page states what that destination expects.