Driving in Ireland as an American
In Ireland you drive on the left, the opposite of the United States, so the steering wheel is on the right and you go clockwise around roundabouts. With an American license you also need an International Driving Permit. At junctions without signs or road markings, traffic from your right goes first, even from a small side street. You can't turn left on a red light, even after stopping.
Unless signposted otherwise, the limits are 50 km/h in towns, 80 on country roads and 120 on freeways, or about 31, 50 and 75 mph. Watch for fixed, mobile and average speed cameras. The alcohol limit is 0.05, lower than the 0.08 at home.
Ireland and the United States side by side
The rows in yellow are different from home.
| Rule | Ireland | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Drive on the | Left | Right |
| Speed units | km/h | mph |
| Alcohol limit | 0.05 | 0.08 |
| Holding a phone | Banned | Banned |
| Turn on red | No | Yes, after stopping |
| Unmarked junctions | Traffic from the right | First to arrive |
| Roundabouts go | Clockwise | Counterclockwise |
| Daytime headlights | Not required | When visibility is poor |
| Passing on the inside | Only in slow traffic | Allowed |
The rules that catch Americans out
The most important first.
You need an International Driving Permit
With an American license, you need an International Driving Permit (IDP) as well as your license. US licenses are not on Ireland's list of recognized states. Visitors can drive for up to 12 months only if they also hold an International Driving Permit from the US.
Drive on the left
Traffic in Ireland drives on the left and passes on the right. Rental cars have the steering wheel on the right. Take extra care when pulling out of junctions and parking lots, and at roundabouts. At home you drive on the right.
Speed limits depend on the road number
Limits are in km/h. Unless a sign says otherwise, freeways (M) are 120, national roads (N) are 100, regional roads (R) are 80 and local roads (L) are 60. Built-up areas are 50, and more and more town streets are 30. The road number is on direction signs.
The sign with diagonal lines means 60 km/h
A white disc with black diagonal lines and a Go Mall / SLOW plate does not mean the end of restrictions. In Ireland it sets a 60 km/h limit on narrow local roads. It shows no number so that drivers judge a safe speed, which on these roads is often much lower.
Narrow country roads
Many local roads are very narrow, with no shoulder, and some have room for only one vehicle. Expect tractors and animals on rural roads, and drive slowly and carefully.
Roundabouts go clockwise
Turn left to enter a roundabout and go round clockwise. Yield to traffic already on the roundabout, which comes from your right. At home you go counterclockwise.
Lower drink-drive limit for new drivers
The limit is 50 mg of alcohol per 100 ml of blood. It is 20 mg for learner drivers, drivers in their first 2 years and professional drivers. Gardaí run random breath tests, and every offense brings a ban of at least 3 months. The blood alcohol limit is 0.05, and 0.02 for learner drivers, and drivers in the first 2 years after getting their first full license. That's lower than the 0.08 at home.
Yield to the right at unmarked junctions
Where two roads meet with no signs and neither is a major road, yield to traffic approaching from your right. If your road ends at the junction, yield to traffic on the other road. Think of it as a four-way stop with no signs, where the car on your right always goes first, even if you got there first.
No turning on red
You may not turn left on a red light. Only a green filter arrow lets you go while the main light is red. At home you can, so it's an easy habit to bring with you.
6 more rules worth knowing
Cameras in published places
Marked GoSafe vans check speeds in more than 1,900 zones, and static, average speed and level crossing cameras cover other places. The Gardaí publish the zones and sites on garda.ie. Camera notices for rental cars are passed on to the driver.
Signs in Irish only in the Gaeltacht
Direction signs show Irish above English. In Gaeltacht areas, signs are in Irish only and show only the Irish place name, so learn the Irish name of where you are going.
Northern Ireland uses miles per hour
Northern Ireland is part of the UK. Its speed limit signs are in miles per hour, while the Republic uses km/h. If you take a rental car across the border, check that its insurance covers Northern Ireland.
Speeds are in km/h
Speed signs and your speedometer's main scale are in kilometers per hour. 50 km/h is about 31 mph, 80 km/h is about 50 mph, 120 km/h is about 75 mph.
Speed limits
Towns are 50 km/h (about 31 mph) here, faster than the 25 mph at home.
Toll roads
Most toll roads have barrier plazas where you pay by cash or card. The M50 around Dublin has a barrier-free toll that you pay online, by phone or in a shop by 8pm the next day. The M50 toll point is between Junction 6 (N3 Blanchardstown) and Junction 7 (N4 Lucan) and charges in both directions. Cameras on an overhead gantry read your license plate, and there is nowhere to pay at the roadside. Purple overhead signs marked Toll show where the M50 toll applies. A late €3.80 toll becomes €7.80 and can grow to €186.80.
Open Ireland in the app, set to an American licence, and keep all of this with you offline.
Open it in the appSpeed limits compared with home
Signs here are in km/h. The black marks show your limits at home, converted.
Who goes first
Priority to the right
Roundabouts go clockwise
Signs that look different from home
Yield
Yield to traffic on the major road ahead.
Speed limit
The maximum speed in km/h from this point.
Roundabout ahead
A roundabout is ahead.
Speed camera ahead
A speed camera is ahead at the distance shown.
Level crossing with lights
A railway level crossing with flashing red lights is ahead.
Cattle or farm animals
Farm animals may be on the road.
School ahead
A school is ahead.
Signs you won't know from home
Your average speed is measured between two cameras.
You are at a mini roundabout.
A residential area with a 30 km/h limit.
A toll road starts at the distance shown.
Directions on a freeway (M road).
Directions on a national road (N road).
Directions on regional (R) and local (L) roads.
A crossroads is ahead.
The road gets narrower ahead.
Speed cameras
Marked GoSafe vans check speeds in more than 1,900 published zones. There are also nine static cameras, average speed cameras on five roads and cameras at two railway level crossings. The Gardaí publish the van zones and the static and average speed sites on garda.ie, with a map. Camera notices go to the registered owner, which for a rental car is the rental company. The owner must name the driver within 28 days, and the notice is then sent to that driver. Points on a foreign license are kept on a separate record and move to an Irish license if you get one later.
Before you drive
- Your driving licenseThe physical card, not a photo or a digital license.
- An International Driving PermitRequired with your license. Get it before you leave home.
- Your passportRental companies and police ask for ID.
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Where Americans drive next
Ireland for drivers from elsewhere
Sources: the official Ireland sources listed on the Ireland guide, checked 15 October 2026.