Car Rental in Port Moresby (2026) - Driving Guide & Best Rates
Explore Port Moresby with ease-find the best car rental options for safe and flexible travel in Papua New Guinea's capital.
Driving Requirements
Visitors may drive on a valid overseas license for up to 30 days. After 30 days, an International Driving Permit (IDP) or a Papua New Guinea driver's license is required. Carry both your foreign license and passport when driving.
The legal minimum age to drive in Papua New Guinea is 18. Rental companies typically set their own minimums, often 21 or 25, and some apply a young-driver surcharge for renters under 25. Policies vary by provider.
All vehicles must have Compulsory Third Party (CTP) insurance covering injury to others. Rental companies usually include this in the rate and offer optional Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) or theft protection for the vehicle itself.
Rental companies generally require a credit card in the main driver's name for the security hold. Debit cards or cash deposits are rarely accepted, and the hold amount varies by company and vehicle class.
Traffic keeps to the left. Seat belts are compulsory for all occupants, and mobile-phone use while driving is prohibited unless hands-free. Roundabouts give way to the right, and turning on red is not permitted.
Helpful Tips
Pick up at Jacksons International Airport (POM) if you need the car immediately on arrival; city-center depots in Boroko or downtown Waigani can be cheaper but require a taxi ride on potholed roads.
Walk around the vehicle in the lot and photograph every panel and the windscreen, gravel chips are common, and confirm whether your agreement includes tyre-and-windscreen cover, because many Port Moresby renters exclude it.
Google Maps works for main arterials like Hubert Murray Highway. But download offline maps or use the local MapPNG app before leaving Wi-Fi; built-in GPS units are rarely offered by the agencies here.
All stations sell unleaded 91 and diesel. Fill up at Boroko or Gordons before heading out because pumps in the suburbs often run dry, and expect a full-to-full policy, pre-purchase fuel packages are not available.
Daytime street parking is easiest at Vision City Mega Mall's guarded lot; overnight, use your hotel's fenced compound, downtown curbside spots are scarce and unofficial 'car-watch' fees apply after dark.
Driving Warnings
At the Waigani traffic lights, turning left on red is illegal and carries on-the-spot fines, unlike many countries that permit right-on-red.
Potholes on the Poreporena Freeway near Konedobu become severe after rain and can cause tire damage at speeds above 40 km/h.
Morning congestion on Hubert Murray Highway from Boroko to downtown starts at 6:30 AM and lasts until 8:30 AM, with gridlock at the Waigani roundabout.
Police conduct random breath testing at the Gordons roundabout on Friday evenings, with refusal resulting in immediate license suspension.