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Cyprus road signs and driving rules, on a card that fits the glovebox

By Volha Bendzik, Relocation & living editor, driving on the left since 2022Fines and licence rows reviewed by advocateVerified 20 September 2026 · 6 min read

Quick answer

Cyprus drives on the left, roundabouts run clockwise and you give way to the right. Speed limits are 100 km/h on motorways (minimum 65), 80 on open roads, 50 in towns, signed in km/h. The drink-drive limit is 22 µg per 100 ml of breath (9 µg for new drivers, riders and professionals). Signs follow the Vienna Convention with Greek and English text. Fixed fines: speeding €2 to €5 per km/h over, phone €150, no seat belt €150, red light €300. EU licences never need exchanging; UK licences must be swapped after six months. Emergency: 112 or 199. Verified 20 September 2026.

Glovebox card · A4 · 2 pages

Print both pages, fold twice, leave it in the car

Page 1 is the 20 signs you meet in the first week, the speed limits and the rules that differ from home. Page 2 is the fixed-fine table with penalty points, the licence rules by nationality, what to carry, and the numbers to call. No email needed; the PDF is free and public.

Download the PDFPDF · 2 pages · A4 · free · v2026.09 · verified 20 September 2026

On this page

The 20 signs
Speed and alcohol limits
Rules that differ
Fines and points
Licence rules
What to carry
Emergency numbers
FAQ
Who can help
Sources

Which road signs do you need to know in Cyprus?

Cyprus acceded to the Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals on 16 August 2016, so the shapes mean what they mean across Europe: a red-bordered triangle warns, a red ring forbids, a blue disc orders, a blue rectangle informs. Place names are in Greek capitals and Latin script; distances and limits are in kilometres. The drawings below are simplified schematics to teach shape, colour and meaning, not the official artwork.

Priority and prohibition

StopFull stop at the line, even if the road looks empty.
Give wayYield to traffic on the road you are joining.
Priority roadYou have priority at the junctions ahead.
No entryOne-way street or closed road; do not enter.
Speed limitMaximum in km/h until the end sign or a new limit.
End of limitThe default limit for the road type applies again.
No overtakingStay behind; the same applies on a continuous white line.
No parkingStopping to drop off is allowed, parking is not.
No stoppingNot even for a moment; common near junctions.
No hornNear hospitals and schools; use the horn only to avoid danger.

Mandatory and information

RoundaboutClockwise; give way to traffic coming from your right.
One wayTraffic flows only in the direction of the arrow.
Keep leftPass the obstacle or island on its left side.
Pedestrian crossingStop for anyone waiting to cross; overtaking here costs €200.
Motorway100 km/h maximum, 65 minimum; no learners, no mopeds.

Warnings

Danger aheadA hazard the other triangles do not cover; slow down.
ChildrenSchool or playground; 30 km/h zones are often signed here.
Road worksTemporary lower limit; cameras are used at works sites.
Animals crossingGoats and sheep on rural roads, especially at dusk.
Slippery roadFirst rain after a dry summer lifts the oil; brake early.

Sign convention sourced to the UN Treaty Collection (Cyprus accession, 16 August 2016). Individual meanings follow the Convention's standard definitions; the official Cyprus Highway Code (Κώδικας Οδικής Κυκλοφορίας) is published in Greek by the Road Transport Department.

What are the speed and alcohol limits in Cyprus?

All four speed limits and the motorway minimum are published by the government road-safety portal, which also runs the speed-camera network. Limits are signed and enforced in km/h.

Where	Limit	Note
Motorway (A1 to A9)	100 km/h	Minimum 65 km/h; driving below it is a fixed penalty too
Expressway / open road	80 km/h	Unless a lower limit is signed
Where signed	65 km/h	Dual carriageways and approaches to towns
Built-up areas	50 km/h	30 km/h zones exist near schools
Alcohol, general	22 µg/100 ml breath	Equal to 50 mg/100 ml blood; stricter than England's 35 µg
Alcohol, new and professional	9 µg/100 ml breath	Licence under 3 years, learners, motorcycle and moped riders, taxi drivers on duty, bus and lorry drivers, dangerous-goods drivers

Source: Road Safety Cyprus penalty tables and speed-camera FAQ (roadsafetycyprus.gov.cy), Motor Insurers' Fund penalty notice of 1 October 2020. All figures re-checked 20 September 2026.

Which rules differ from the UK and mainland Europe?

The car is right-hand drive and the traffic is on the left, so British and Irish drivers feel at home. Everyone else should treat the first day as a lesson. These are the rules that catch newcomers.

Drive on the left, overtake on the right. Keep to the inside lane on motorways except to pass; undertaking is an offence.
Roundabouts run clockwise. Give way to traffic already on the roundabout, which comes from your right. Signal left before your exit.
No turn on red. A red light means stop until green or a green filter arrow; there is no free left turn.
Continuous white line means no crossing. Overtaking across it, on a bend, at a junction or near a crossing is a €150 fixed penalty; crossing the line itself is €65 and 2 points.
Hands-free only. Holding a phone is €150 and 2 points; holding anything else while driving (a coffee, a sandwich) is €85.
Everyone belts up, in every seat. €150 for the driver, a passenger or a child without a proper seat; the fine doubles on a repeat within three years.
Hire cars wear red plates. Locals expect a hesitant driver behind red plates and usually give you room; there is no downside to keeping them.
No smoking with a minor in the car. €300 fixed penalty when anyone under 18 is on board.
Fines over €100 are due within 30 days. After that they rise by 50%; after 45 days the case goes to court.

How much are traffic fines in Cyprus?

Fixed penalties were reset on 1 October 2020 and are published as tables by the government road-safety portal. Penalty points are added to your licence; the suspension threshold was raised from 12 to 16 points with effect from 1 February 2025 (reported by Parliament's vote; the gazette number is not yet in our sources, so the row is marked †).

Offence	Fixed fine	Points
Speeding, up to 30% over the limit	€2 per km/h over	1
Speeding, 31 to 50% over	€3 per km/h over	2
Speeding, 51 to 75% over	€5 per km/h over	3
Speeding, more than 75% over	Court	4 to 8
Alcohol 23 to 35 µg (general limit 22)	€125	1
Alcohol 36 to 55 µg	€250	3
Alcohol 56 to 70 µg	€500	4
Alcohol 71 µg and above, or refusing a test	Court	5 to 10
Handheld phone while driving	€150 (€300 repeat)	2
Holding another object while driving	€85	1
No seat belt or no child seat	€150 (€300 repeat)	3
No motorcycle helmet	€200 (€400 repeat)	3
Running a red light	€300	3
Overtaking at a pedestrian crossing	€200	0
Crossing a continuous white line	€65	2
No third-party insurance	€200 on the spot	3
No valid MOT	€150 (€300 bus or lorry)	0
Parking on a pavement or on a double yellow line	€100	0
Parking in a disabled bay	€300	0
Licence suspension threshold	16 points †	from 1 Feb 2025

Source: roadsafetycyprus.gov.cy penalty tables (Πίνακες Ποινών, last updated 16 September 2020) and the Motor Insurers' Fund notice of the same scheme. Where the table gives a points range the card prints the minimum. Court penalties are higher: speeding with alcohol carries up to 4 years or €15,000.

Can you drive in Cyprus on your own licence?

The Road Transport Department publishes the recognition rules, updated 17 September 2026. The answer depends on where the licence was issued and whether you have become a resident.

Licence	Visiting	Once resident
EU or EEA	Valid	Valid indefinitely; exchange is optional after 6 months
United Kingdom	Valid	Drive up to 6 months, then exchange without a test; an IDP does not extend this
Countries on the RTD recognition list	Valid	Exchange within 185 days of taking up residence
All other countries	National licence plus an International Driving Permit	Cypriot theory and practical test after the visitor period

Sources: Road Transport Department, foreign driving licence conversion (mcw.gov.cy); gov.uk, Living in Cyprus. Carry the licence whenever you drive; police can ask for it at any stop.

What do you have to carry in the car?

Documents: driving licence, ID or passport, registration, insurance certificate and MOT certificate. Police may ask for all five at a roadside check.
Warning triangle: place it behind a stopped or broken-down car; failing to do so is reported as a €50 fixed penalty. Sources disagree on whether one or two triangles are required, so the card does not print a number (†).
Hazard lights on the hard shoulder: the emergency lane is for breakdowns and emergencies only, never for driving or overtaking.
Child seats: under 135 cm a proper child seat; 135 to 150 cm at least a booster; from 150 cm the adult belt. The height rule is quoted consistently but no primary text was reachable this pass (†).
Fire extinguisher: required for buses and public-service vehicles, not for private cars.

Emergency numbers

112
EU emergency number, free from any phone, also without a SIM: 199
Cyprus national emergency number: police, fire, ambulance: Police
Speed-camera and fixed-penalty enquiries: the Police traffic department in your district

Questions newcomers ask

Which side of the road does Cyprus drive on?

The left, with right-hand-drive cars, like the UK, Ireland and Malta. Roundabouts run clockwise and you give way to traffic coming from your right.

What is the speed limit in Cyprus?

100 km/h on motorways with a 65 km/h minimum, 80 km/h on open roads, 65 km/h where signed and 50 km/h in built-up areas, per the government road-safety portal. Some school zones are signed at 30 km/h.

What is the drink-driving limit in Cyprus?

22 µg of alcohol per 100 ml of breath (50 mg per 100 ml of blood) for most drivers, and 9 µg for learners, drivers with under three years' licence, motorcycle and moped riders, taxi drivers on duty, bus, lorry and dangerous-goods drivers. From 23 µg the fixed penalty is €125 and 1 point; from 71 µg the case goes to court.

How much is a speeding fine in Cyprus?

€2 per km/h over the limit up to 30% over (1 point), €3 per km/h between 31 and 50% over (2 points), €5 per km/h between 51 and 75% over (3 points). More than 75% over goes to court, where the penalty is up to a year or €4,000.

Can I drive in Cyprus on a UK licence?

Yes for up to six months. After that a resident must exchange it for a Cypriot licence, which the Road Transport Department does without a test. An International Driving Permit does not extend the six months.

Do I need to exchange an EU driving licence in Cyprus?

No. EU and EEA licences stay valid indefinitely. The Road Transport Department allows a voluntary exchange after six months of residence, which some people do for convenience.

Why do hire cars in Cyprus have red number plates?

Red plates mark self-drive hire vehicles. Locals recognise them and usually give a hesitant driver more room at roundabouts; there is no downside to driving with them.

Are there tolls on Cyprus motorways?

No. The A1 to A9 motorways are free. Fuel is self-service and most stations take cards at the pump outside staffed hours.

Who can help with the driving part of the move

The card is free and has no strings. If you are choosing between renting and buying, or need the paperwork done, these are the places on this site that pick it up. Two are ours, one is a sister company and one is a parent company; each says so.

Driving in Cyprus, the full guide

Whose licence is valid, the Green Line insurance trap, winter driving in Troodos and what the first weeks on the left feel like.

Renting a car in Cyprus

Prices by season, airport pickup, what excess and CDW actually cover and the monthly rentals newcomers use. Rentals in Cyprus, our sister company, publishes its prices openly.

Car registration, done with you

Importing or registering a car, road tax and the Transfer of Residence duty relief, handled by the New to Cyprus relocation concierge with government fees shown separately.

Car insurance

Third-party cover is the legal minimum and driving without it is €200 on the spot. DigiCare, our parent company, arranges car insurance for newcomers; the guide explains what the certificate must show.

Sources

Road Safety Cyprus (roadsafetycyprus.gov.cy), penalty tables: speed, alcohol, belts, driving, parking (verified 20 Sep 2026)
Road Safety Cyprus, speed-camera FAQ with the 50/65/80/100 km/h limits (verified 20 Sep 2026)
Motor Insurers' Fund of Cyprus, new penalties notice effective 1 October 2020 (verified 20 Sep 2026)
Road Transport Department, foreign driving licence conversion (updated 17 September 2026) (verified 20 Sep 2026)
gov.uk, Living in Cyprus: driving licences (verified 20 Sep 2026)
UN Treaty Collection, Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals, Cyprus accession (verified 20 Sep 2026)
112 emergency, Cyprus (verified 20 Sep 2026)
Cyprus Mail, Parliament raises licence suspension threshold to 16 points (31 October 2024) (verified 20 Sep 2026)

Republic of Cyprus only. Fines, limits and licence rules are verified against the sources listed on 20 September 2026 and re-checked every 90 days; rows marked † rest on two consistent secondary sources without a reachable primary text. This is general information, not legal advice. Reviewed by Harris Koufettas, advocate of the Cyprus Bar (R.N. 4466).