Ireland
Drives on the left · EUR · Emergency 112Speed limits
Urban
50 km/h
Rural / outside built-up areas
80 km/h
Motorway
120 km/h
Alcohol limits
General limit
0.5‰
Novice drivers
0.2‰
Mandatory equipment
- •None legally mandatory for private cars — a warning triangle and hi-vis vest are recommended but not required
Winter tires & snow chains
No legal requirement for winter tires or chains — rarely needed given the mild climate, though conditions can turn icy on higher or rural roads in winter.
Tolls
System
Toll booths
Several motorways and the Dublin Port Tunnel charge tolls; the M50 around Dublin is barrier-free electronic tolling — pay online within days if you don't have a tag, or risk a fine for non-payment. Other tolled roads use traditional barriers (cash/card).
More things to know before you drive
Seatbelts
Mandatory front and rear for all occupants.
Mobile phone use
Hands-free only; holding a phone while driving is prohibited.
Child seats
Children under 150 cm or 36 kg (whichever comes first) must generally use an approved child restraint.
Headlights
Not generally mandatory in daylight; dipped headlights required from dusk to dawn and in poor visibility.
Low-emission & restricted zones
No nationwide low-emission zone network currently in place.
Right of way & roundabouts
No general priority-to-the-right rule — give way according to signs and road markings. Roundabouts go clockwise (as in the UK); give way to traffic already on the roundabout, approaching from your right.
Parking
Pay-and-display or app-based paid parking is common in towns; disc parking zones exist in some areas.
Speed cameras
Fixed and mobile safety cameras are used, with locations for mobile enforcement often published in advance.
Good to know
Drives on the left, like the UK — but unlike the UK, distances and speed limits are in kilometres, not miles, so signage matches the numbers on this page directly. 999 also works as an emergency number alongside 112.