Antigua and Barbuda 2026: UK Drivers Need a Local Licence

British visitors should plan on a temporary local driving licence. GOV.UK says you will need one to drive in Antigua and Barbuda, and that you get it by showing your UK licence. Your car hire company will usually help with the process, and the licence can also be obtained at the Transport Board or at local police stations. Traffic keeps to the left, so the road layout will feel like home. The UK licence on its own is not the whole answer, and the 911 line, not 999, is the number if something goes wrong.

The temporary licence, step by step

Nothing in the official advice puts a price or processing time on the permit, so do not assume either. What is stated is this: you must present your UK driving licence to receive the local one, and the hire firm normally does the legwork. Ask the rental company when you book, not at the desk, whether it will issue the permit at pick-up and what you need to bring. Pack the photocard licence in your hand luggage rather than the hold bag.

An International Driving Permit is not what Antigua and Barbuda asks for. Global Affairs Canada’s advice for the islands says the IDP is not recognised, which fits the GOV.UK wording, so there is no case for paying for one on this trip.

Same side as home, different road

Driving on the left means the junction instincts, roundabout direction and overtaking side you already own all carry over. The challenge is the road itself. GOV.UK lists the hazards plainly:

• potholes and unmarked speed bumps
• minor and rural roads that are narrow and have blind corners
• pedestrians who often walk on the roads
• drivers who do not always use indicators
• some roads that are unlit at night, with signs and hazards hard to see

Because of that last point, try to finish longer transfers before dark on your first days, and treat an unfamiliar rural road at night as a slow-driving job. A bend you cannot see round, a bump you were not told about and a walker without a torch can all arrive within a few seconds of each other.

Rules that differ from the UK

The blood-alcohol limit in the country record is 0.08, the same as in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Do not let the matching number encourage you. On unlit roads with pedestrians in the carriageway, any drink makes the hazards in the list above harder to read.

The emergency number is 911 for police, fire and ambulance alike. You are used to 999, and 112 will not be the habit that serves you here. Save 911 in your phone before the first drive.

Posted speed limits are not something this page will quote. The records behind it hold no reliable figures for the islands, and GOV.UK gives none. Watch the signs, and since the car’s dial will be in mph while local signs may use different units, check which one the speedometer shows at pick-up.

Safety habits GOV.UK recommends

The UK government’s advice is short and practical:

1. Do not stop if pedestrians flag you down.
2. Keep the car doors locked while driving.
3. If you have an accident, call the police and do not move the vehicle.

The third point matters more than most visitors expect. Pulling a damaged hire car to the verge before the police arrive can complicate an insurance or rental claim, so photograph the scene from where you are and wait.

At the rental desk

Check three things before you leave the car park. First, the temporary licence is issued and in your name. Second, the car has a working spare and a jack, since a pothole puncture on a back road is likelier than a collision. Third, the agreement says who is liable for damage on unsurfaced tracks to beaches, because some rental terms exclude them. Photograph every panel and wheel before you move off.

For the wider local rules, see the Antigua and Barbuda driving guide, and use the Driving Permit Checker to confirm what a different licence type would need.

Sources

• GOV.UK foreign travel advice, Antigua and Barbuda, safety and security (temporary local licence on a UK licence; where to get it; road conditions; do not stop if flagged down; accident advice): gov.uk
• Global Affairs Canada, Antigua and Barbuda travel advice (IDP not recognised; temporary local licence): travel.gc.ca