For driving in Mali, foreign visitors must have valid river licenses issued by countries of their residence and International driving permits. In order to take a vehicle into Mali, a foreign driver needs to take a customs document which identifies his motor vehicle (the Carnet de Passages en Douane (CPD)). He also must have car insurance.

The main Malian road traffic rules:

• Driving is on the right hand side of the road
• The minimum driving age is 21.
• The speed limit in the cities is from 40km/h to 60km/h (25-40mph), outside cities – 100 km/h (65 mph).
• It is not permitted to use a hand held mobile phone whistle driving.
• Driving under the influence of alcohol is prohibited; the permitted blood- alcohol level is 0.0%.
• The third party liability insurance is required.
  

Some additional information:

• The rainy season is from middle of June to middle of September. During the rainy season, dirt roads often become impassable.
• Deep sand are common so four-wheel drive vehicles are recommended for driving in Mali.
• To rent a car, the minimum driving age may vary from 21 to 24 years.
• Night driving is very dangerous. It is recommended not to drive outside cities.
• There are many motorcycles on the roads.
• Police checkpoints are frequent on major roads.
• It is advised to have spare tires while driving on Mali roads.
• Numerous public transporters are on Mali roads; they may stop to pick up or drop off passengers any time so drivers should be very careful when driving.
• In Mali, there are several toll stations on the roads. The toll payment is fixed based on the type of the vehicle. If a driver comes back past the same toll booth during the same day and has his receipt, he will be exempt the second toll payment.
• The police phone number is 17.

 Driving Overseas - Short Information