🇲🇳 Drive Mongolia with Confidence
An IDP is required in Mongolia. Navigate vast steppes where GPS replaces road signs.
Do You Need an IDP in Mongolia?
Required — Legally Mandatory for Foreign Drivers
Mongolia requires all foreign drivers to carry an International Driving Permit. Traffic police in Ulaanbaatar conduct checks, and documentation may be verified at provincial border crossings.
Key Warning
Outside Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia has almost no paved roads. Driving means following tire tracks across open steppe. GPS with offline maps is absolutely essential. There are no road signs, lane markings, or guardrails outside cities.
Driving Rules in Mongolia
Drive on the Right
Mongolia officially drives on the right, though outside cities the concept is meaningless on trackless steppe. In Ulaanbaatar, traffic follows conventional rules.
No Roads
Outside Ulaanbaatar, paved roads are rare. Drivers follow parallel tire tracks across open grassland. Multiple tracks may diverge — GPS coordinates are your only reliable guide.
GPS Essential
Download offline maps before leaving the capital. Mobile phone coverage is absent across most of the countryside. A satellite communicator is recommended for remote journeys.
Speed Limits
Urban: 40–60 km/h. Where roads exist: 80 km/h. On open steppe, terrain limits speed naturally. A Russian-built UAZ or Toyota Land Cruiser is the standard.
Renting a Car in Mongolia
What you need to know before picking up your rental vehicle.
Required Documents
IDP (mandatory), valid license, passport. 4WD essential. Many agencies rent vehicle with driver, which is strongly recommended.
Typical Costs
4WD with driver: $100–180/day including fuel. Self-drive 4WD: $60–100/day. Fuel available only in aimag (provincial) capitals.
Top Rental Companies
Sixt — Ulaanbaatar (limited). Nomadic Journeys — 4WD with driver. Happy Camel — Budget-friendly local agency.
“Driving across the Gobi Desert with our GPS and RoadSeal IDP was the adventure of a lifetime. Police checked our documents leaving Ulaanbaatar. Without the IDP, we would not have been cleared.”
Get Your IDP for Mongolia — From $29
Delivered digitally in as little as 2 hours. Physical copy shipped worldwide. Valid for 1 year.
Apply Now →Mongolia IDP FAQ
Yes. An IDP is legally required for foreign drivers. Police in Ulaanbaatar check documents regularly, and provincial border checkpoints may verify documentation.
Not recommended. Outside Ulaanbaatar, nearly all driving is off-road across open steppe. A 4WD vehicle (ideally a Toyota Land Cruiser or Russian UAZ) is essential.
Absolutely. Outside Ulaanbaatar there are virtually no road signs or paved roads. Offline GPS maps are essential. Mobile coverage is absent in most rural areas.