Rides
With its picturesque Baltic coastal towns, sprawling forests and cosmopolitan capital Riga, Latvia has its fair share of must-see sights. It’s ideal for exploring by car, and driving conditions are generally pretty good.
Requirements
| Carnet de Passage | no requirements |
| Insurance | UK issued Green Card |
| International driving permit | not required |
| Travel Visa | no requirements, 90 days within a 180 day period |
Riding in Slovenia
You need understandable documents.
As a tip, it is to laminate all of your key documents or otherwise waterproof them. It is also highly recommended to scan all your original documents and email them to an easily accessible email address.
It is also worth printing off the Constat Amiable D’accident Automobile, which is used across numerous and other countries (the downloadable one on our website has English as well as French).
Documents for riding in Latvia
- A valid, full UK driving licence (you must also be 18 or over)
- Your motor insurance certificate
- The V5 registration document for your own car or the hire car paperwork for a rental
Do I need a GB or UK sticker for riding in Latvia?
Since 28th September 2021, the distinguishing mark (or national identifier) displayed on vehicles registered in the United Kingdom that are driven abroad has changed from GB to UK.
This means that vehicles registered in the UK must display the letters “UK” when driven in Latvia.
The identifier can be incorporated in vehicle number plates (along with the Union Flag) or as a separate sticker. Note that vehicles featuring the letters GB together with the Council of Europe golden stars are no longer valid for driving abroad.
If your vehicle does not have the UK identifier within the number plate, you will require a UK sticker when driving in Italy. GB stickers will no longer be valid from the end of September.
Riding in Latvia packing checklist
Aside from the documents above, there are some legally-required items you must bring with you to drive in Latvia.
Unless your headlights can be adjusted, it’s a legal requirement to carry headlamp converters (stickers for your headlights when driving on the right, so your lights don’t dazzle motorists coming the other way).
A warning triangle is also compulsory to carry in vehicles in case of a breakdown.
It’s also recommended to have:
A Green Card (this is no longer a requirement, but it could be useful to back-up your insurance documents and show you’ve got the minimum legal level of cover. To find out more, contact your insurance company)
Spare bulbs for your car’s external lights
A fire extinguisher
A first-aid kit
A reflective jacket
Rules of the road in Latvia
The drink-drive limit is 0.05%. For novice drivers with less than 2 years’ experience, the limit is lower, at 0.02%. Police can test any driver suspected of being over the limit, and refusing to take a test could see you fined
In Latvia, you drive on the right and overtake on the left. Vehicles from the right and emergency vehicles have priority
There are no motorways in Latvia, but there are dual carriageways that run from Riga to other cities. You won’t have to pay a toll to use the roads
If you’re caught committing a motoring offence while driving through Latvia, you could be given an on-the-spot fine. The police can issue the fines, but they can’t collect them. You must pay or lodge an appeal within 30 days
Latvian speed limits
The speed limit is usually 50km/h in built-up areas unless otherwise indicated (in residential areas it’s 20km/h). On country roads, the limit is 90km/h, while on dual carriageways, it’s 100km/h
You are not allowed to use radar detectors or anything that interferes with police equipment
Maps
Europe £14.86
Please note, this page was correct when written in February 2025.
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