Can an Indian Drive in Aruba? — IDP Advised + the Switch to the Right

Aruba is compact, sunny and easy to explore by car — and for an Indian driver the licence question is the simple part. The side of the road is what needs a little preparation.

Driving in Aruba on an Indian licence

You can drive in Aruba on your Indian licence as a visitor. Carry an International Driving Permit with it: the IDP is a recognised translation of your licence, and rental companies in particular like to see one before handing over a car. Sort it in India before you travel, since you cannot get one on the island, and keep the IDP, your Indian licence and your passport together.

The switch to the right is the real adjustment

Here is the one to plan for. India drives on the left; Aruba drives on the right. That flips every reflex you have built up at home — pulling out of a car park, taking a junction, the direction you instinctively look first. The risky window is your first hour, so take it on Aruba’s quieter roads rather than in the resort traffic around Oranjestad, and talk yourself through each turn until keeping right feels normal.

What else to know

Aruba’s drink-drive limit is 0.05 BAC, a little above India’s 0.03 but still strict; on a small, busy island the only safe policy is not to drink and drive. I do not have verified posted speed limits for Aruba, so the honest advice is to drive to the conditions — the island is small, distances are short, and the main hazards are pedestrians and other tourists getting used to the same right-hand switch, not high-speed roads. Keep to the marked limits where you see them and you will be fine.

Confirm exactly what you need with the Driving Permit Checker, read the full Aruba driving guide for the local detail, and if your trip spans other countries the Speed Limit Map is a quick reference before you drive.