Belarus is emerging as a destination of choice for lovers of art and architecture, with impressive fortresses and castles and a breadth of history.
Please note, the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) currently advises British nationals against all travel to Belarus.
Requirements
| Carnet de Passage | no requirements |
| Insurance | UK issued Green Card |
| International driving permit | yes 1968 |
| Travel Visa | visitor visa (unless you are entering via Minsk airport), 30 days |
Riding in Belarus
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 Belarus
- A valid, full UK driving licence
- A UK sticker – all temporarily imported vehicles must bear the distinguishing sign of their country of registration
- Your motor insurance certificate and V5 registration document or hire car paperwork – only original documents are accepted
- A visitor visa (unless you are entering via Minsk airport), 30 days
- A 1968 International Driving Permit (IDP), which you can only get from the Post Office in the UK before you travel. From 28 March 2019 the 1948 IDPs are no longer valid in Belarus
- Valid medical insurance – you can buy in advance or at the border. This only applies if you arrive via road, not if you arrive via Minsk airport. However, a relaxing of visa regulations is currently being discussed, so check before you travel
Riding in Belarus packing checklist
Aside from the documents above, there are some legally-required items you must bring with you to ride in Belarus.
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 Belarus
If you’re caught committing an offence while driving through Belarus, you could be given an on-the-spot fine. Driving offences include speeding, not wearing a seatbelt and using a mobile phone while driving.
Winter tyres – compulsory if you’re driving between 1 November to 1 March. If you use spiked tyres you must use a sign to warn drivers behind you to keep a safe distance
Wear a crash helmet if you’re riding a motorcycle
As a visiting motorist, you always declare the temporary importation of their car on the customs form they complete when crossing the border
In Belarus, you drive on the right and overtake on the left. Vehicles from the right and emergency vehicles have priority. In the capital Minsk, the right-hand lane is used by trolleybuses.
Police checkpoints are common on the roads in Belarus. You may be asked to stop and present your papers. Only make official payments.
If you’re involved in a road accident in Belarus, you should wait until the police arrive.
Unleaded petrol and diesel are readily available, as is LPG. Payment is made in cash or credit card.
- There is a zero-tolerance to drink-driving in Belarus and the legal limit for all drivers is 0.00%. Police can test any driver suspected of being over the limit.
Belarusian speed limits
Speed limits vary across Belarus, so always check the signposts for maximum speeds. The limit is usually 60km/h outside of residential areas (which are often 20km/h). On national roads it’s 90km/h and motorways 110km/h.
If you have been driving for under 2 years you can only drive a maximum speed of 70km/h.
Radar detectors are illegal in Belarus, so if your car is fitted with one it must be disconnected at the border.
Maps
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Please note, this page was correct when written in February 2025.
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