Destinations / Yemen
Driving in Yemen as a visitor
Usually yes. Yemen expects visiting drivers to carry an International Driving Permit alongside their national licence, and rental desks ask for one. It matters most when your licence is not printed in the Latin alphabet.
Standard delivery included. Need it sooner? Express lands by for $25 more.
Reviewed July 2026 · A translation of your own licence, carried with it. Not a government permit.
What Yemen expects
| Permit needed | Expected |
|---|---|
| Convention format | 1949 Geneva |
| Valid for | 1 year |
| Drives on the | Right |
| Emergency number | 194 (police), 191 (ambulance) |
| Top speed limit | 100 km/h highways |
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 | Expected. Hand it over with the licence, never instead of it. |
| Booklet format they know | 1949 Geneva |
| 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 YER. |
Rules that catch visitors out
| Local practice | Frequent checkpoints. |
|---|---|
| Documents | Carry passport, IDP and home licence. |
| Roads | Drive defensively on intercity roads. |
On the road in Yemen
At the pump
Petrol and diesel are sold but chronically scarce, especially in Houthi-held north including Sana'a, where stations run dry and supply shifts to the black market at sharply inflated prices. Expect hours-long queues, cash-only payment in Yemeni rial, and carry jerry cans of spare fuel on any long trip.
After a crash
Stop and do not move the vehicles; there is no reliable single emergency line nationwide, so contact local police or the nearest checkpoint/military post, which often handle incidents. Obtain whatever written report you can for insurance, and be aware that injury crashes can trigger tribal blood-money (diya) claims that are settled locally.
Sources: gov.uk · travel.state.gov · middleeasteye.net · internationaldrivingpermit.org
Common questions
Do you need an International Driving Permit in Yemen?
Usually yes. Yemen expects visiting drivers to carry an International Driving Permit alongside their national licence, and rental desks ask for one. It matters most when your licence is not printed in the Latin alphabet.
Which IDP format does Yemen accept?
Yemen recognises the 1949 Geneva format. Your permit is prepared in that format.
Will a rental desk in Yemen ask for one?
Self-drive is rare; an IDP and passport are expected where rental exists.
How fast can you get one?
Express orders are emailed within 5 minutes. The exact delivery moment is quoted before you pay and the order is refundable for 30 days.