Get your international Driving Permit for Angola in 8 minutes

You cannot venture out into all the places to see in Angola with your rental car if you don't have your valid domestic driver's license and International Driver’s License. Also, you should know enough information about the Angola's essential traffic rules laws, such as the speed limit and driving age. Read below to brush up on the most important road traffic rules when driving in this state.

What do you need to remember before driving in Angola?

You must be well-rested and be wary of medications that would make you feel sleepy before driving and some that may also cause you to fail a breathalyzer test. Angolans drive on the right side of the road, which is typical for most countries. You must never pay cash on the spot to any enforcer or police officer. The minimum legal age before an individual can drive is 18 years old. The validity period of a driving license issued in Luanda to a driver who passed the driving test at 18 years old will continue up until 22 years before it expires.

Speed Limit

Never drive beyond the speed limit. The speed limit within urban areas is 60 kph, while the speed limit for rural areas is 100 kph. Vehicles without trailers are limited to the speed limit of 60 kph in built-up areas, 90 kph outside of built-up areas, 100 kph on open road car or motorcycle lanes, and 120 kph on highways. There are no fixed speed cameras, but the police have mobile speed traps set up anywhere, most likely targeting rental cars rather than locals. So it is best to stick to the speed limit even if other cars around you seem to go over them.

Seat Belts and Car Restraints

It is mandatory for the driver and passengers in both the front or rear seats to use seat belts when riding a vehicle. It is best to only travel with children if there is a suitable child seat or restraint. Angolans tend to go over speed limits, and you may encounter drivers like this on the road, so it is best to keep your little ones safe.

Right of Way

You should give way to cars coming from the right in intersections and junctions. If your lane has the right of way, you should observe the needed traffic safety measures. You must give way to other drivers exiting a parking lot or gas station. The right of way must also be given to cars already in a roundabout and leaving a level crossing.

Overtaking

If you want to overtake a vehicle on the road, you must do it cautiously and try to alert the other drivers of your planned action using lights, car horns, or by hand signals or waving at them, etc. You must not overtake a vehicle at speed bumps, curves, tunnels, intersections, junctions, bridges, immediately before and at pedestrian or railway crossings, as well as when you want to overtake a car that is overtaking another.

Alcohol Influence

The blood alcohol content (BAC) limit is 0.06%, equal to 60mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood. Roadside breathalyzer tests are done, and once you fail, you will be taken to the nearest police station for a blood test. Failing a blood test will result in license suspension and a fine, at the minimum, while more severe cases can lead to legal proceedings or imprisonment.

Age Limit

The minimum legal age before an individual can be allowed to drive is 18 years old. Although if you wish to rent a car, you’d have to be at least 21 years old to do so. The validity period of a driving license issued in Luanda to a driver who passed the driving test at 18 years old will continue up until 22 years before it expires. The new license issued after the driver turns 40 will continue to be valid for ten years.

Parking

Stopping or parking in busy areas or places where visibility tends to be scant, such as roundabouts, tunnels, bridges, and underpasses, are not allowed. Parking is also prohibited within less than 10 m of level crossings, less than 5 m on either side of the filling stations, intersections, and before marked pedestrian or bicycle crossing.

Use of Gadgets

The use of a mobile phone or any gadgets while driving is prohibited. But as with most Angolan traffic rules, this is often contravened by locals as well. But, do not be tempted to imitate this behavior since tourists’ minor violations would be hot in most police officers’ eyes than violations done by locals. No rules are established against hands-free devices, so it is recommended to use that instead.

Visiting this country was difficult before due to the known struggle in getting a visa. But it was worth it because of the friendly and hospitable citizens. It wasn’t until recently that Angola opened its doors to more countries for travel. Fifty-nine countries were given the green light to apply for a pre-visa online in 2018. 

Luanda

Luanda has a lot of great things to offer as the capital. The reinvention of the city from a war zone to a thriving economic and historical center makes it the perfect place to accommodate tourists who want to experience the whole country’s potential in the tourism industry. Despite the relatively recent release from war, the city is striving for change. 

When is the best time to go there?

You may want to visit Luanda between May and October, when the temperature is cooler and drier on an average of about 75 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Hotel and accommodation prices are not fixed and may vary with the season. Staying for one night at a three-star hotel in February would probably cost you around $109 on average.

Lubango

Lubango is a city in southwestern part of the country, about 160 kilometers east of Namibe, which you can reach by rail. Established in 1885, the city started as a settlement for colonists in the Huila Plateau valley. It was once central to the Portuguese settlement, with all the foreign style of architecture evident in most structures. Portuguese influence reflects on Lubango’s customs and language, so you can’t rely on English here. 

When is the best time to go there?

It is best to visit Lubango for ideal weather between mid-June to September based on their average temperature and humidity. The warmest months to visit is in March, April, and December. Between May to July is the time with the lowest chance of rain. Economically speaking, January would be the best time to visit, and October being the worst since the hotel and flight prices are high during this time. 

Huambo

The city is located in the western-central part, lying south of the Cuanza River on the Bié Plateau. In 1928, the city’s name was changed to Nova Lisboa or New Lisbon and restored to its original name after Angola declared its independence in 1975. It became the headquarters of a guerrilla movement called UNITA or the National Union for the Total Independence of during the civil war.

When is the best time to go there?

Fall is when a lot of activities can be done; therefore, it is the busiest and most expensive season to visit. Hotels and flights are most expensive in April, June, and October, but planning and booking ahead of time may save you money and time. Warm but rainy weather and slow tourist influx may be enjoyed in summer.

Benguela

The province is located on the central coast bordered by Kwanza Sul, Huambo, Huíla, and Namibe. The population of 715,000 is mostly from the Ovimbundu and Nganguela ethnic groups, with Umbundu as the most spoken language. Local industries include exporting agricultural products, sugar milling, fishing and fish processing, manufacture of soap, tools, pottery, and livestock raising.

What makes it famous and what activities can you do there?

The Benguela Railway is the most extensive railway line which connects to one of the best natural deepwater ports on the African coast. Leaving from Benguela, the railway line crosses the whole country to the Democratic Republic of Congo. The province is known for its beaches and a few forest or park reserves home to rich biodiversity. Visiting monuments and chapels are also enjoyable for colonial architecture.

When is the best time to go there?

Since beach activities are usually why the city is flocked with tourists, the best season to visit Benguela is during summer. February and April are the months when there is most sunshine while the sea is at an ideal temperature of 25.8°C or 78.4°F for swimming in May with only about 3mm of rainfall accumulated.

Cabinda

The city of Cabinda is a northern exclave within the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of Congo, situated north of the Congo River estuary with its coastline extending 90 kilometers along the western Atlantic. It has very distinct cultural traditions and is a vibrant and hypothetically self-sustaining city that seeks independence from Angola.

What makes it famous and what activities can you do there?

Crude oil being its dominant export, Cabinda’s offshore oil discoveries are responsible for Angola’s dominance in the African oil industry owing 60 percent of its products to the province. You can access it by plane to the provincial airport having the second largest runway in the country. Beaches, natural reserves, and historical landmarks to enjoy are abundant in the area.

When is the best time to go there?

The temperature in the Cabinda Province is hot during the wet season, while the dry season is characterized by warm and partly cloudy weather. The best time to visit Cabinda if you want to enjoy the beach and do hot-weather activities is from May to October.

Malanje

It is a north-central town which developed into an essential open-air market district and the principal cotton-producing area before the civil war. It was partially destroyed because of the civil war, but since the peace negotiations were set, its reconstruction has also begun and is still well on its way. It is home to many waterfalls, forests, and nature areas for safaris or extreme excursions.