Most visitors cannot ride a motorbike legally in Vietnam on their home license alone. Vietnam recognizes the 1968 version of the international driving permit, carried with a home license that covers motorbikes, which works for British riders and others whose countries signed that treaty. Americans, Australians and Canadians need a Vietnamese license. Ride without the right papers and you face fines, a likely refusal from your insurer and serious legal trouble after any crash, so for many people the honest answer is to ride behind an easy rider.
How we built this guide: on 3 October 2026 we read the UK, Australian, Canadian and US governments' current Vietnam advice, the UN treaty record for the 1968 Convention on Road Traffic, Vietnam's Circular 12/2025/TT-BCA on international driving permits and Decree 168/2024/ND-CP on traffic fines, three insurers' published motorbike conditions, and the prices and deposit terms of three rental companies and the national tourism board. We are not lawyers and this is not legal advice. Prices are in Vietnamese dong (VND) with US dollar estimates at about 26,000 VND to US$1, between Vietcombank's published buying and selling rates for the dollar when we checked (25,760 and 26,170). Where a shop quoted dollars, the dong figure is our conversion.
Can I ride legally with an international driving permit?
Only if the permit is the 1968 version, it was issued by a country that joined the 1968 Convention on Road Traffic, and you carry your home license with it. Vietnam acceded to that convention on 20 August 2014 and the United Kingdom ratified it on 28 March 2018, according to the UN Treaty Collection. The United States, Australia and Canada are not on its list of parties.
Vietnam's own rules point the same way. Circular 12/2025/TT-BCA, in force since 1 March 2025, says permits recognized under treaties Vietnam has joined are used according to those treaties, and that permits issued by Vietnam itself are not valid inside the country (Circular 12/2025). Decree 168/2024 then fines a 1968-permit holder who rides without the matching home license (Decree 168, Article 18).
| Your license | What your government says | Can you ride a rental legally? |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | Carry the 1968 permit and your UK license; third-party insurance is compulsory (FCDO). The permit costs £5.50 at PayPoint shops and lasts 3 years or until your license expires (GOV.UK) | Yes, if your UK license covers motorbikes |
| United States | US licenses and international driving permits are not valid; unlicensed foreigners risk fines, prosecution or prison (State Department) | No, not without a Vietnamese license |
| Australia | Australian licenses and Australian-issued permits are not accepted; a Vietnamese license is needed for 50cc or more, and converting needs a residence permit of at least 3 months (Smartraveller) | No, for 50cc or more |
| Canada | A valid Vietnamese license is required for engines of 50cc or more (Government of Canada) | No, for 50cc or more |
| Other 1968 Convention countries | Vietnam applies the treaty to recognized permits (Circular 12/2025) | Check the UN list and your own government's advice |
Does a car license count?
No. Decree 168 fines riders whose license does not match the vehicle they are riding, with the same 2 to 4 million VND band as having no license at all for bikes up to 125cc. So check that your home license, and therefore the permit issued from it, includes motorcycles before you rent.
What about 50cc mopeds?
The Australian and Canadian advice sets the license requirement at 50cc or more, and some shops rent 50cc bikes on that basis: Style Motorbikes, for example, lists a 50cc model as "no license required" (Style Motorbikes). Your insurer may still say no, as the next section explains.
Will my travel insurance cover a motorbike accident?
Often not. Smartraveller says your insurer will likely deny any claim if you are unlicensed or do not hold the correct class of license, and the policies we read set similar conditions:
- Allianz Australia covers motorbike, moped and scooter riding only with its optional Adventure Pack, only if you hold the right class of license in Australia or, where that license is not recognized, a license valid in the country you are riding in, and only if you always wear a helmet. Pillion passengers are covered only if the rider holds a valid license (Allianz).
- Travel Insurance Direct sets the same license and helmet conditions and also requires its Adventure Pack (Travel Insurance Direct).
- World Nomads, on its European policies, requires a helmet, obeying local road rules and a valid motorbike license in both your country of residence and the local country for the engine size; it covers mopeds and scooters under 125cc and excludes motorbike touring or using a bike as your main transport (World Nomads).
Because Smartraveller says Australian licenses are not accepted in Vietnam, an Australian rider would, by these terms, need a Vietnamese license for the cover to apply. Third-party cover is separate and compulsory: the FCDO says it is illegal to ride without it, and Decree 168 fines riders 200,000 to 300,000 VND for having no valid compulsory insurance certificate. Ask the shop to show you the bike's certificate.
What are the helmet rules and the fines?
Helmets are compulsory for riders and passengers, with the strap fastened, and Decree 168/2024 sets these fines. They took effect on 1 January 2025. Decree 238/2026 amended parts of Decree 168 from 15 August 2026, but, in the amending text we read, not the clauses below (Decree 238/2026).
| Offense | Fine (VND) | About (US$) | Decree 168 clause |
|---|---|---|---|
| Riding without a helmet, or with the strap undone | 400,000 to 600,000 | $15 to $23 | Art. 7(2)(h) |
| Carrying a passenger without a helmet | 400,000 to 600,000 | $15 to $23 | Art. 7(2)(i) |
| Riding as a passenger without a helmet | 400,000 to 600,000 | $15 to $23 | Art. 12(5)(b) |
| No license, or a license for the wrong vehicle, up to 125cc | 2,000,000 to 4,000,000 | $77 to $154 | Art. 18(5)(a) |
| 1968 permit without the matching home license, up to 125cc | 2,000,000 to 4,000,000 | $77 to $154 | Art. 18(5)(b) |
| No license, over 125cc | 6,000,000 to 8,000,000 | $231 to $308 | Art. 18(7)(b) |
| No valid compulsory third-party insurance certificate | 200,000 to 300,000 | $8 to $12 | Art. 18(2)(b) |
| Any alcohol, up to 50 mg per 100 ml of blood | 2,000,000 to 3,000,000 | $77 to $115 | Art. 7(6) |
Motorbikes are banned from expressways. In February 2026, eleven foreigners riding large motorbikes on the Tuyen Quang to Phu Tho Expressway were each fined 5 million VND, about US$192, DTiNews reported.
Fines are the small risk. After a crash, the FCDO says you could face criminal charges and have to pay compensation even for minor injuries, with a possible travel ban during the investigation. The US State Department says unlicensed riders can be held criminally liable for injuries or deaths and held in custody for a long time, and Canada says a travel ban can last until compensation is paid.
How much does a rental cost, and what deposit will I leave?
Expect about US$10 a day for a 110cc to 125cc scooter from an established tourist shop, more for bigger bikes, plus a deposit. Vietnam's tourism board puts scooters and mopeds at 150,000 to 300,000 VND a day (about US$5.80 to US$11.50) and says to expect a deposit or your passport for rentals of more than a week (Vietnam Tourism).
| Shop | Bike | Price a day | Deposit terms |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rentabike (Hanoi, Da Nang, Ho Chi Minh City) | Honda Vision 110 automatic, Wave Blade 110 or Future 125 semi-automatic | US$10 (about 260,000 VND) | Cash or passport held until return; helmets and locks included |
| Rentabike | Honda XR150 trail bike | US$20 (about 520,000 VND), per its price list | As above |
| Style Motorbikes (Hanoi, Ha Giang, Hoi An, Ho Chi Minh City) | Honda Wave Alpha 110 | US$10 (about 260,000 VND) | Passport with your visa, or cash or card with a 5% card fee |
| Style Motorbikes | Honda Future 125; Honda XR150L | US$13; US$18 (about 338,000; 468,000 VND) | As above |
| Tigit Motorbikes (Ho Chi Minh City, Da Lat, Da Nang, Hanoi) | Scooters, trail and touring bikes | Not compared here | US$100 card pre-authorization hold to confirm, US$50 at pickup; cash or bank transfer also accepted |
Do not hand over your passport, even where shops accept it. The FCDO says rental shops can hold it against claimed damage, and also warns against using it as a guarantee that you will pay a traffic fine. A cash deposit or a card hold is the safer choice.
What should I check before I ride off?
The FCDO's advice is to rent from a reputable company, check the bike thoroughly and use a good helmet, and Smartraveller suggests one that meets Australian safety standards. We would add: photograph every scratch with the shop owner watching, test the brakes, lights and horn, and ask what the shop does if the bike breaks down far from town. Read any damage waiver closely. Rentabike's optional waiver, for example, does not cover third-party damage, theft or personal injury.
What are the alternatives to riding yourself?
Ride pillion with a professional, use app bikes in the cities, cycle in small towns, or hire a car and driver. Easy rider tours put you on the back of a local rider's bike; our Ha Giang guide and Hue to Hoi An guide compare tours and prices on the two classic rides. Ha Giang tightened the rules in April 2026: only licensed travel agencies may organize or sell loop tours, operators must keep insurance records and brief riders on safety and protective gear, and bikes must be maintained and come with helmets (Viet Nam News). Ask your operator whether the rider is licensed, since some insurers' pillion cover depends on it.
In Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, a GrabBike or Green SM Bike costs little and needs no license; our Grab and taxi guide explains fares. In towns such as Hoi An and Hue, the tourism board says you can reach almost everywhere by bicycle, with rentals around 20,000 to 30,000 VND a day. For longer road trips, Canada suggests hiring a driver.
Where does riding make sense, and where does it not?
Riding makes the most sense for licensed, experienced riders on quiet rural roads in daylight, and the least in city rush hours, at night and in mountain storms. The US State Department calls traffic in Vietnam dangerous and chaotic, says motorbike crashes are a leading cause of death or serious injury among foreign visitors and residents, and strongly discourages riding at all, so the big cities are the worst place to learn.
Some roads are closed to you anyway. Expressways ban motorbikes, as the DTiNews case shows, and motorbikes are not allowed in the Hai Van tunnel between Hue and Da Nang, so riders take the pass road or put the bike on a transport service, according to Da Nang Fantasticity. Canada advises visitors who drive to avoid motorcycles altogether and to avoid traveling after dark or in bad weather, and the FCDO warns of flooding, swollen rivers and landslides in rural and mountainous areas in the rainy season.
A bike helps most where public transport is thin. The State Department notes that areas outside large cities have only rudimentary public transport and often no metered taxis, and our Phong Nha guide explains that reaching Paradise Cave and the Dark Cave takes a motorbike, a taxi or a driver. If you are licensed and confident, those quieter places are where a rental pays off. If you are not, hire a driver or an easy rider there too.
Key facts at a glance
- Vietnam joined the 1968 Convention on Road Traffic on 20 August 2014; the US, Australia and Canada are not parties (UN Treaty Collection).
- US licenses and international driving permits are not valid in Vietnam (State Department).
- Riding a bike up to 125cc without a valid license costs 2 to 4 million VND under Decree 168/2024 (Decree 168).
- A missing or unfastened helmet costs 400,000 to 600,000 VND, for the rider and the passenger alike (Decree 168).
- Never leave your passport as a rental deposit (FCDO).
Limitations
We read the decrees and circular in Vietnamese through a legal database, not the official gazette, and enforcement varies by province and officer, so assume the strictest reading. Governments' advice covers only their own citizens; if your country is not in the table, check its advice and the UN list yourself. Insurance terms differ by policy and country of residence, and we quote only three insurers. Rental prices come from three companies' 2026 websites and the tourism board, and Rentabike and Style Motorbikes also sell tours. Before you ride, confirm your license category, your policy wording and the shop's deposit terms in writing.
