Driving Your Own Vehicle into Bhutan

Yes. You can bring a registered car or motorbike into Bhutan, but you cannot travel alone. A licensed Bhutanese guide must be with you at all times. You also need an entry permit for each traveller and a vehicle permit, and your vehicle must be registered on CPMS.

We can arrange the guide, the permits and the registration in one booking.

The Department of Tourism FAQ lists a vehicle charge of Nu 4,500 per vehicle for each day, and motorbikes pay the same. Ask us where the charge starts at your border before you travel. The SDF is separate, and every traveller pays it for each night.

• Vehicle chargeNu 4,500Per vehicle, per day.
• SDFINR 1,200Per Indian adult, per night. Read our SDF guide for other nationalities and children.

The guide is an extra cost, and it depends on your route and the number of days. Tell us your plan and we confirm the figure.

You need a valid driving licence, valid insurance, a pollution control certificate and your entry permit. An Indian driving licence is accepted for driving in Bhutan.

• DriverValid licenceAn Indian licence is accepted.
• VehicleRegistration and insuranceBoth must be valid.
• EmissionPollution controlA certificate that is up to date.

If the driver is not the owner, carry an authority letter from the owner. Carry the originals.

Yes. Every tourist in Bhutan must be with a licensed Bhutanese guide, and this includes guests who drive their own vehicle. The Department of Tourism also says to book the guide before you reach the border.

CPMS is the Royal Bhutan Police Check Post Management System. The police use it to check every vehicle and every traveller at the check posts, and anyone who is not registered is not allowed to cross. Register before you reach the border, and register again for the trip back.

1. Open 1010.bt/epass/apply and choose the CPMS option.
2. Switch on Have Vehicle. Leave the Bhutanese CID option off, because you do not hold one.
3. Choose the vehicle type from the list, such as Light Vehicle or Two Wheeler, then enter the vehicle number and the driver licence number.
4. Enter your passport number, full name and phone number. The ID box accepts a CID, special permit, passport or work permit.
5. Add every passenger with Add More Person / Passenger, or tap Generate QR so passengers can add themselves by scanning it.
6. Enter the start and end date and time of the journey, where you start from (India is on the list), where you are going, and the purpose of your visit.
7. If anyone returns the same day, switch on Are you returning the same day and tick who is coming back.
8. Press Submit. A QR code is created. Keep it and show it at the check posts.

If you travel with us, we register for you. If the form gives you trouble, call 1010. The police also publish a CPMS user manual (version 1.0, 15 September 2022), written for the Bhutan app.

Take all your documents to the transport authority and apply for the vehicle permit. If every document is in order, plan for it to take a full day.

If you book with us, we arrange this step for you.

Four. You can enter by road at Phuentsholing, Samtse, Gelephu and Samdrup Jongkhar. Our guide to entering Bhutan by road covers each crossing.

Check that your vehicle insurance and your driving licence are valid, and carry the originals. We would rather you check these at home than at the border.