United Kingdom

Key points for young drivers:

• Left-hand traffic, speeds in mph: motorway 70 mph (112 km/h), towns 30 mph (48 km/h), in Wales 20 mph.
• Alcohol: 0.8 ‰ in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, 0.5 ‰ in Scotland – no lower limit for young drivers, but it’s best not to drink at all.
• Holding your phone is banned, even at traffic lights.
• Passport + ETA; a Polish licence is enough – with a licence from another country, check before you travel.
• London: ULEZ and Congestion Charge; Dartford Crossing – pay online by midnight the following day.

Seat belts and child seats

Seat belts are mandatory in the front and back seats. Children travel in a child seat until they are 12 years old or 135 cm tall (whichever comes first). Rear-facing child seat – until the child is 15 months old; if you fit it in the front, switch off the airbag.

Traffic lights

Sequence: red → red and amber together → green → amber → red. You don’t turn on red – you go only when a green arrow lights up.

Helmet not compulsory

• bicycle – helmet recommended, not mandatory

Helmet compulsory

• motorcycle, scooter, moped – rider and passenger, helmet fastened
• three- and four-wheelers – helmet recommended

Compulsory equipment in the car

UK law doesn’t require a warning triangle, first-aid kit or high-visibility vest. The Highway Code advises putting out a warning triangle if you break down, but not on a motorway. Driving on through Europe? Take the equipment required in the transit countries.

Compulsory equipment on a bike

• at night: white light at the front and red at the back
• red reflector at the back

Winter tyres and snow chains

Winter tyres are not mandatory. In winter they are still worth considering in Scotland and in mountain areas.

Phone, drugs and other bans

• You must not hold your phone – not even when you are stopped at traffic lights or in a traffic jam. Only a hands-free kit or a holder that doesn’t block your view of the road is allowed.
• Private e-scooters are illegal on roads and pavements – you can only ride a rental e-scooter in towns and cities with a trial scheme.

Vignettes, tolls and low-emission zones

There are no vignettes, and almost all roads are free. Exceptions:

• M6 Toll – toll booths
• Dartford Crossing (bridge/tunnel on the M25 near London) – no toll booths, you pay online by midnight the following day: gov.uk
• London – the ULEZ operates around the clock, every day (except 25 December) in all boroughs; a car registered abroad has to be registered, even if it meets the emission standards: tfl.gov.uk

Other cities also have low-emission zones (LEZ) – check the rules before you drive in.

Documents and insurance

• A Polish driving licence is enough and you don’t need an International Driving Permit (Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs). If your licence was issued elsewhere, check with your country’s foreign ministry before you travel.
• As an EU/EEA or Swiss citizen you need a passport to enter (an ID card alone is not enough) and an electronic travel authorisation, ETA (since 2 April 2025).
• A Green Card is not mandatory, but gov.uk advises carrying one or other proof of insurance. Check with your insurer that your policy covers the UK. Comprehensive cover is also worth having.
• Borrowed car: in the UK both the driver and the car are insured, so driving someone else’s car can raise questions about insurance cover. You can use a car registered abroad for up to 6 months a year.

What to watch out for

• Left-hand traffic, and speeds in miles per hour (70 mph = 112 km/h). The 30 mph limit usually applies wherever there are street lights; in Wales it is 20 mph.
• In Scotland many roads are single-track, with passing places – don’t park in them.
• In the Highlands petrol stations are few and far between, and hardly any are open around the clock – fill up in good time.
• In London and other big cities you are better off switching to public transport – traffic jams, expensive parking and emission zones.

Sources

• GOV.UK – Speed limits
• GOV.UK – Drink-drive limit
• GOV.UK – Using mobile phones when driving
• GOV.UK – Child car seats: the rules
• GOV.UK – The Highway Code
• GOV.UK – Visiting the UK as an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen
• GOV.UK – E-scooter trials: guidance for users
• GOV.UK – Dartford Crossing charge
• Transport for London – ULEZ
• Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Odyseusz: United Kingdom (in Polish)
• Last updated: September 2026.