Driving in California on a UK Licence

Is my UK licence valid in California?

Yes. A full UK driving licence is valid in California and throughout the United States for visitors. You do not need an International Driving Permit — the photocard licence alone is sufficient. Bring the photocard. The old paper counterpart is no longer issued and is not required.

Some car hire companies ask for an International Driving Permit in addition to the UK licence, particularly smaller independent operators. The major international hire companies — Hertz, Avis, Budget, Enterprise, National, Alamo — accept the UK photocard licence without an IDP. Check the specific policy of your hire company before you travel if you are using a smaller operator. An IDP is obtainable from the Post Office in the UK for a small fee and is worth having as a backup if you are uncertain.

Renting a car

Most car hire companies in California require a credit card for the security deposit — not a debit card. This is a firm policy at the major operators and catches many UK visitors by surprise. If you do not have a credit card, check the specific policy of your hire company well in advance; some will accept a debit card with a larger deposit held.

The minimum age for car hire is typically 25 at most US operators. Drivers aged 21 to 24 can hire in California but pay a young driver surcharge that can be significant — typically $25 to $35 per day on top of the base rate. Drivers under 21 cannot hire at most major companies.

Book your hire car in advance, particularly for summer and holiday periods. California is one of the busiest car hire markets in the world and vehicles can be in short supply at peak times. Prices are almost always lower when booked ahead than when collected at the counter on the day.

Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) and Loss Damage Waiver (LDW) are offered by hire companies at significant daily cost. Check whether your travel insurance or credit card provides adequate cover before you accept the hire company's own insurance — many UK travel insurance policies and some credit cards include car hire excess cover that makes the hire company's CDW unnecessary. Read the policy carefully; the excess amounts on US hire cars can be very large.

Sat nav or GPS is available as an add-on from hire companies but your smartphone with Google Maps is perfectly adequate. Download offline maps for your route before you travel — signal is unreliable in Big Sur, the national parks and remote desert areas. A phone mount for the dashboard is essential; handheld phone use while driving is illegal in California and fines are significant.

Driving on the right

California drives on the right. This is the adjustment that causes most difficulty for UK visitors, particularly at junctions and roundabouts. The moments of highest risk are when turning left across oncoming traffic, when pulling out of a car park onto a road, and when returning to the car after a stop — the instinct to walk to the left side of the car is strong and incorrect.

The most useful mental habit: the driver always sits closest to the centre line of the road. If you find yourself sitting near the kerb, you are in the wrong seat or on the wrong side of the road. Check before every journey until it becomes instinctive.

Roundabouts are relatively rare in California compared to the UK. When you encounter one, traffic already in the roundabout has priority — the same rule as the UK, but travelling in the opposite direction.

Right turn on red

This is the rule that most surprises UK visitors. Right turn on red is legal in all 50 US states — after coming to a complete stop at the red light, you may turn right provided the way is clear and there is no sign prohibiting it. You must stop fully first, check for pedestrians crossing and oncoming traffic, and then proceed only when safe. Note that a red arrow signal is different from a round red light — a red arrow means you must not turn, full stop, regardless of traffic conditions. While California has no outright bans on right turn on red, some individual junctions post NO TURN ON RED signs where sight lines are poor or pedestrian traffic is heavy. The most notable exception in the US is New York City, which bans it citywide — something worth knowing if your trip takes you there.

Signs reading NO TURN ON RED mean exactly that — the right turn on red is not permitted at that junction. These signs are posted where sight lines are poor or pedestrian traffic is heavy. Obey them; running a no-turn-on-red is a moving violation with a significant fine.

Left turn on red from a one-way street onto another one-way street is also legal in California after a full stop, subject to the same conditions. This is much less commonly encountered but useful to know in city centres.

Freeways and highways

California's freeway system is one of the most extensive in the world. The major routes are numbered — Interstate 5 (I-5) runs north-south through the Central Valley; Interstate 405 (I-405) runs through the Los Angeles basin; US Highway 101 follows the coast from Los Angeles to San Francisco; State Route 1 (Highway 1 or the Pacific Coast Highway) is the coastal scenic route.

The speed limit on California freeways is 65mph (approximately 105km/h) unless posted otherwise. Some freeways have a 70mph limit on rural sections. The speed limit in urban areas and on smaller roads is typically 25mph to 35mph in residential areas and 45mph to 55mph on arterial roads. Speed cameras are less common than in the UK but traffic enforcement by police is active, particularly on the freeways. Fines for speeding in California are very high.

Carpool lanes — marked HOV (High Occupancy Vehicle) with a diamond symbol — run alongside many freeways and require a minimum of two occupants (sometimes three) to use legally. The minimum occupancy is posted on signs. Using an HOV lane without the required number of occupants is a significant moving violation. Rental electric vehicles often have a Clean Air Vehicle sticker that permits solo use of HOV lanes — check when you collect the vehicle.

Freeway on-ramps in California often have metering lights — traffic signals on the ramp that control the flow of vehicles entering the freeway. Stop at the red light and proceed on green, one vehicle at a time. Treat them exactly like a normal traffic signal; do not drive through a red metering light.

Toll roads

California has a growing network of toll roads, particularly in Orange County and the San Diego area, and on some bridges including the Golden Gate Bridge. Most California toll facilities are cashless — they use electronic tolling only, detected by a transponder or by licence plate cameras.

Hire cars often come with a transponder pre-installed — check with your hire company, as you will be charged for each toll used plus a daily administrative fee if you use the company's transponder account. This is legal and convenient but can be expensive on a long trip. The alternative is to pay tolls online after the fact via the relevant toll authority website using your licence plate number — most California toll agencies allow visitors to pay within a set number of days after travel.

The Golden Gate Bridge toll is charged northbound only — there is no toll heading south from San Francisco into Marin County. Payment is by FasTrak transponder or by licence plate — register your plate at bayareafastrak.org within 48 hours of crossing. The toll is currently around $9 for a standard vehicle.

Fuel

Fuel in California is sold in US gallons and is typically more expensive than the rest of the United States due to California's environmental regulations and taxes. Prices are posted prominently at forecourts. California fuel prices fluctuate significantly — check GasBuddy for current prices near your location.

Most US fuel pumps require a credit or debit card to be inserted before pumping begins, or require you to pay inside at the counter. You will typically be asked to enter a ZIP code for credit card verification — UK postcodes will not work. Either pay inside or use a card that does not require a ZIP code. Most UK debit cards and credit cards work at the pump without a ZIP code if you select the credit option rather than debit.

Fuel grades in California are Regular (87 octane), Mid-Grade (89 octane) and Premium (91-93 octane). Most hire cars run on Regular. Check the fuel door or the hire agreement for the recommended grade. Diesel is available at most large forecourts but less common than in the UK — check that your hire car is not diesel before assuming it takes petrol.

Fill up before entering Big Sur, the national parks and the desert areas. Forecourts are sparse in remote areas and prices where they do exist are very high. Do not rely on reaching the next town on a low tank in the wilderness.

Parking

Parking in California cities, and at popular beaches and parks, requires attention. Read the signs on every street before leaving the car — California parking signs list multiple time restrictions and getting them wrong results in a ticket or towing. Street sweeping days and times are posted on signs and parking during the sweeping window results in a fine regardless of how short your stop.

Red kerb means no stopping at any time. Yellow kerb is loading only, typically for a few minutes. Green kerb is short-term parking, usually fifteen minutes. Blue kerb is disabled parking only — a US disabled placard or plate is required, not a UK blue badge. White kerb is passenger loading only.

Parking meters in California typically operate seven days a week including Sundays and public holidays, unless the sign specifies otherwise. Do not assume a Sunday means free parking. Many meters now use the PayByPhone or Passport Parking apps — download one before you need it.

Rules worth knowing

Seatbelts are mandatory for all occupants in California. Children must be in approved car seats or booster seats until age eight or until they reach 4 feet 9 inches in height — whichever comes later. Hire car companies supply car seats for a daily fee; book in advance.

Handheld mobile phone use while driving is illegal in California. This includes holding the phone to make calls, texting or using apps. Hands-free use via Bluetooth or a mounted phone is legal. Fines start at around $150 for a first offence and increase significantly for repeat violations.

School buses with flashing red lights require all traffic on both sides of an undivided road to stop until the lights stop flashing and the stop sign arm retracts. On a divided highway with a physical median, only traffic behind the bus must stop. This rule is strictly enforced and the fines for violations are very high.

At four-way stop signs, the first vehicle to arrive has priority. If two vehicles arrive simultaneously, the vehicle on the right has priority. If in doubt, make eye contact with the other driver and use a hand gesture — California drivers are generally courteous at four-way stops.