Rules for overlanding in Laos

An International Driving Permit on the 1949 Geneva Convention model is recognised. Check what applies to the licence you hold.

Take out third-party liability cover with an adequate ceiling, and make sure it also covers injury and accidents.

A foreign national involved in a road accident is in most cases called on to compensate third parties anyway, for injury and for property damage. Crashes between foreigners and Lao citizens are a particularly sensitive matter.

Cars and above all motorcycles are often rented out with poor safety guarantees, and traffic is chaotic overall, which raises the risk of a crash. The ministry suggests weighing carefully whether to rent a vehicle at all, and paying maximum attention at the wheel if you do. AVIS has desks in Vientiane, Luang Prabang and Pakse.

Road conditions have improved recently but are often still very poor.

There may be difficulties getting fuel, especially in outlying areas far from the larger cities; the ministry suggests allowing for this, above all when planning journeys by car.

A visa is needed even for tourism, costs 40 US dollars with a passport photo, lasts 30 days and can be renewed by the local immigration department. For short stays it can also be issued on arrival at the airports (Vientiane, Luang Prabang, Pakse and Savannakhet), at the Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge and at the main international border crossings, though not all of them, so the ministry advises crossing with a visa already granted by a Lao consulate and checking in advance whether visa on arrival works at the crossing you plan to use. Since 9 July 2019 you can also apply online at www.laoevisa.gov.la, but only for entry through Wattay and Luang Prabang international airports and the other air and land entry points listed on that site. Foreigners entering through Wattay, Luang Prabang or Pakse airports or the Friendship Bridge must also file the LDIF digital immigration form within the three days before arrival or departure, and it does not replace the visa.

Your passport needs at least six months' remaining validity from the date of entry. Not having it on you is considered illegal, and fines can be steep if you cannot produce it when asked.

Importing, holding or using narcotics carries severe penalties, and since 2001 some offences can bring the death penalty. Separately, e-cigarettes have been banned since 11 February 2024: possessing, using, importing, selling, buying or exporting vapes, heated tobacco or shisha can mean fines, criminal penalties and even detention.

Local law prohibits intimate relations between foreigners and Lao citizens unless there is a marriage valid under Lao law, with fines from 500 to 5,000 US dollars and in some cases arrest. Authorities have raided hotel rooms where they suspected a breach.

A Ministry of Finance instruction on implementing the Customs Law (No. 1559/MoF, 24 May 2016, as published on the Lao Trade Portal) states that the temporary import of vehicles for tourism and visits is under the control of the customs authority. The duration of the import is based on the permission the immigration police give to the driver, and the driver must leave with the vehicle by the time specified by customs. An extension of stay is allowed only once, with reasons. (Lao PDR Trade Portal (Ministry of Industry and Commerce) — Instruction of Minister of Finance on the Implementation of Customs Law No. 1559/MoF, dated 24 May 2016, Article 17)

The Lao Trade Portal states that importing a drone weighing more than 200 grams, for sale or personal use, requires permission from the Department of Civil Aviation of the Ministry of Public Works and Transport. That permission cannot be obtained without a frequency certification from the Department of Frequencies (Guideline No. 0759/DOF, 2 July 2019). The page does not address foreign visitors specifically. (Lao PDR Trade Portal (Ministry of Industry and Commerce) — Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) or Drones weighing more than 200g are required to be licensed)