Countries · Driving from the UK
Driving from the UK to Europe: what to carry and what to put on the car
Verdict
A UK licence, your V5C and insurance certificate, and a UK sticker unless your number plate already shows the UK flag.
You do not need a green card to drive in the EU, and every UK car policy gives at least the minimum third-party cover there. You do need valid insurance, a passport that meets Schengen rules, and, at Dover, Folkestone and St Pancras, a few extra minutes for the EU's new border registration.
Everything below is read from GOV.UK and the Foreign Office's travel advice, checked on 1 October 2026. Each country's own rules (vignettes, low-emission zones, winter tyres) are on the country pages and the route checklist; this page covers what is different because the car and the driver are British.
United Kingdom: your checklist before you go
Tick what you already have. Set your departure date, and anything that takes time, such as a sticker by post or an online order, shows the date to act by.
- United KingdomNeeded on the rear unless your number plate shows UK with the Union flag. A GB identifier, the Euro symbol, a national flag or no identifier needs the sticker. Spain, Cyprus and Malta want one whatever the plate shows; Ireland does not.Buy before you go
- United KingdomEvery UK policy gives the minimum third-party cover in the EU. No green card in the EU, Andorra, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Serbia or Switzerland, but you need valid insurance.Check before you go
- United KingdomCarry your UK driving licence, your V5C log book and your insurance certificate. A car hired or leased in the UK needs a VE103 certificate instead of the V5C.Pack
- United KingdomNot needed in the EU, Switzerland, Iceland or Liechtenstein. You might need one in some EU countries and in Norway with a paper licence or one issued in Gibraltar, Guernsey, Jersey or the Isle of Man. £5.50 at certain PayPoint shops.Check before you go
- United KingdomPassport issued less than 10 years before you arrive and valid at least 3 months after you leave. At Dover, Folkestone and St Pancras the EU's fingerprint and photo registration is done before you leave the UK. Free; allow extra time.Before the border
Ticks, dates and your own items are saved in this browser only, and shared with the route checklist; nothing is sent to us. On Android, use the Google Calendar link on each item.
Driving through more than one country? Build the checklist for your whole route.
What to carry in the car
You need to take your Great Britain or Northern Ireland driving licence with you. If you are taking your own vehicle, you also need to take your log book (V5C) and your insurance certificate.
For a vehicle you have hired or leased in the UK, GOV.UK asks for a VE103 certificate instead of the V5C, to show you are allowed to use it abroad. For a trip to the EU of less than 12 months, carry one or the other.
Insurance and the green card
All UK vehicle insurance provides the minimum third-party cover to drive in the EU, Ireland included. You do not need to carry a green card in the EU, Andorra, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Serbia or Switzerland. You still need valid vehicle insurance.
Third-party is the minimum. Ask your insurer what your own policy covers abroad, for how long, and what proof to carry, before you book the ferry.
The UK sticker, or a plate that makes it unnecessary
You must display the UK identifier when driving a UK-registered vehicle abroad. What your number plate shows decides whether you need a sticker.
| Your number plate has | UK sticker? |
|---|---|
| The UK identifier with the Union flag | Not needed |
| A GB identifier with the Union flag | Needed, clearly on the rear |
| A Euro symbol | Needed, clearly on the rear |
| The flag of England, Scotland or Wales | Needed, clearly on the rear |
| Numbers and letters only | Needed, clearly on the rear |
In Spain, Cyprus and Malta you must display a UK sticker whatever your number plate shows. In Ireland you need no UK sticker or identifier.
International driving permit
You do not need an international driving permit (IDP) to visit and drive in the EU, Switzerland, Iceland or Liechtenstein, nor in Ireland. You might need one in some EU countries and in Norway if you have a paper driving licence, or a licence issued in Gibraltar, Guernsey, Jersey or the Isle of Man. An IDP costs £5.50, and you can get one in person from certain shops that have PayPoint. GOV.UK's "check if you need an IDP" tool gives the answer country by country.
Passport and the border
The Foreign Office's advice for France, which follows Schengen rules, says your passport must have a date of issue less than 10 years before the day you arrive, and an expiry date at least 3 months after the day you plan to leave the Schengen area. You can travel without a visa for up to 90 days in any 180-day period, counting visits to every Schengen country.
The EU's Entry/Exit System (EES) registers fingerprints and a photo of non-EU visitors on short stays. Registration costs nothing, and you do not need to do anything before you arrive at the border. If you enter through the Port of Dover, Eurotunnel at Folkestone or Eurostar at St Pancras International, the information is taken at the border before you leave the UK. Your digital record is valid for 3 years. Allow extra time on the way out and on the way back.
If you are hiring a car
If you hire a car in the UK and take it abroad, you need the VE103. If you hire one abroad, your hire company may ask to see your driving licence information at the desk; you can share it with a licence "check code", which you can generate up to 21 days before the trip. Insurance is included in a hire, so check what you are covered for with the company. Checking that the car carries the equipment each country requires is your responsibility. Our hire car pages cover deposits, excess and the fees for crossing a border.
Caravans and trailers
Before towing a trailer over 750 kg abroad, your licence must show category BE; adding it through DVLA is free. Some trailers must be registered before they go abroad, and some countries ask for a green card or extra insurance for a trailer or caravan. GOV.UK has a check for each.
Next on the road
Sources
- GOV.UK: Driving abroad (licence, V5C, VE103, insurance, equipment, hire cars)
- GOV.UK: Driving in the EU (IDP, green card, registration documents, UK stickers and number plates)
- GOV.UK: France travel advice, entry requirements (passport rules, 90/180 days, Entry/Exit System)
We don't sell UK stickers or insurance and don't link to resellers.