Driving a motorbike or car in Vietnam as a Russian: IDP, fines 2026

What licence a Russian needs for a scooter or car in Vietnam: 1968 Vienna Convention IDP, A1 and A, fines, helmets and alcohol.

The full guide is available in Russian for now. The key points:

• A Russian national licence alone is not enough: carry it together with a 1968 Vienna Convention IDP that has the right category open (A1/A for a scooter, B for a car).
• Riding without a valid licence costs VND 2-4 million (bikes up to 125cc) or 6-8 million (larger), and the bike can be impounded. No helmet: VND 400-600 thousand.
• Alcohol limit is zero. Since 1 July 2026 residents with a visa or TRC of 90+ days can exchange a foreign licence for a Vietnamese one without an exam.
• Nha Trang police have run checks on foreigners since May 2026; rental shops are inspected too. Compulsory insurance covers others, not your own treatment.