International Driver's License for Uzbekistan

It is strongly recommended. While Uzbekistan may accept a foreign license for short stays, an International Driver's License removes any doubt, because it translates your home license into a form local traffic police, rental agencies and insurers can read. Since much official documentation is in Uzbek and Russian, an IDL is especially useful. You apply online through E-ITA and receive your copy within minutes, and you always carry it alongside your national license.

In the context of Uzbekistan, an IDP — also called an IDL — is a multilingual translation of the national license you already hold. It does not authorise you to drive on its own; it exists so that Uzbek traffic police and rental staff can understand your existing credentials. You must present both the IDP and your home license together.

Uzbekistan drives on the right, with overtaking on the left. Roads range from good highways between Tashkent, Samarkand and Bukhara to rougher rural routes, so drive defensively and keep to the right except when passing.

* Drive on the right side of the road.

* The minimum age to drive a car is 18; rental companies typically require drivers to be at least 25.

* Seat belts are required by law — wear one whenever fitted.

* Mobile-phone use while driving is prohibited, and even hands-free use is not permitted, so avoid using your phone entirely while driving.

* Helmets are mandatory for motorcycle and scooter riders and passengers; child passengers under 12 are not allowed on a motorcycle.

* The legal blood-alcohol limit is 0.00% — a strict zero-tolerance rule. Do not drink and drive.

* Typical speed limits are about 70 km/h (43 mph) in urban areas and 100 km/h (62 mph) on rural roads, varying by area.

Yes — unlike many countries, Uzbekistan's rule prohibits hands-free phone use as well as handheld. The safest approach is to set your route before you set off and not touch your phone while the car is moving. An IDL does not change this; the rule applies to every driver.

Most car-hire and self-drive agencies in Uzbekistan prefer to see an International Driver's License with your home license, particularly because your national license may be in an unfamiliar script. Many rental firms also apply a higher minimum age — often 25 — than the legal driving age of 18, so check the operator's terms when you book.

For a tourist visit you can generally drive on your valid home license together with an International Driver's License. If you settle in Uzbekistan longer-term you would need to deal with the local licensing authorities about a national license. For ordinary travel, your home license plus the IDL is the combination officials expect.

Ideally you organise it before departure, but E-ITA's application is entirely online, so you can still apply after reaching Uzbekistan and receive your document digitally within minutes. Carrying the printed booklet remains best practice, so apply ahead of time whenever possible.

Very. Uzbekistan sets the blood-alcohol limit at 0.00%, so no drinking before driving is acceptable. Combined with active police checks, this makes it simplest to avoid alcohol entirely when you plan to drive. Your IDL is irrelevant to enforcement here.