Aruba on a UK Licence 2026: IDP Needed and Police on 100
United Kingdom
Aruba
Take an IDP with your UK licence; GOV.UK says you need both, and the IDP is sold only in the UK. Traffic keeps right. Police 100; ambulance and fire 911.
Aruba is small, dry and easy to circle in a day, which is why so many visitors hire a car or a jeep for the north coast and Arikok National Park. For a British driver there is one document to sort before leaving home and a few habits to reverse once there.
The licence: bring an IDP
GOV.UK’s Aruba advice is direct: you need both the correct version of the international driving permit and your UK licence with you in the car. An IDP cannot be bought outside the UK, so get it before you travel. Hire companies often set stricter conditions as well, such as two years of driving experience, a higher minimum age and holding an IDP. The Driving Permit Checker helps if you island-hop to Curaçao or Bonaire.
Keep right, and no turn on red
Aruba drives on the right, the opposite of home. The island is flat and the main roads are straightforward, so the adjustment is mostly instinct at junctions and the roundabouts around Oranjestad and the hotel strip. Take the first day deliberately, especially when pulling out of a resort or a forecourt. Turning right on a red light is prohibited.
Roads, animals and alcohol
Major roads are in good condition, but Global Affairs Canada notes that many drivers ignore traffic laws and that animals on the road are a hazard. Tracks in Arikok National Park and along the north coast are rough and unsigned; a high-clearance vehicle copes far better, and an ordinary hire car is best kept on paved roads. GOV.UK warns that a reading just over half of England’s legal limit can bring a fine and possible imprisonment, so plan no alcohol before driving.
Emergency numbers
Police 100, ambulance and fire 911, coastguard 913. Neither 999 nor 112 is the number to rely on; save these in your phone. The Aruba driving guide covers the rest, and the who pays driving fines abroad guide explains charges passed on by hire companies.
Sources
- GOV.UK foreign travel advice, Aruba safety and security (IDP and UK licence both needed; IDP sold only in the UK; hire company conditions; drink-driving warning): gov.uk
- Global Affairs Canada, Aruba travel advice (no right turn on red; road conditions and animals; police 100, ambulance and fire 911, coastguard 913): travel.gc.ca
Speed limits, fines, equipment & license requirements
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Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, together with an international driving permit. GOV.UK says you need both the correct version of the IDP and your UK licence in the car, and that an IDP cannot be bought outside the UK, so get it before you fly. Hire firms may add their own rules, such as two years of driving experience.
The right, the opposite of the UK. Most mistakes happen in the first day, at junctions and roundabouts around Oranjestad and the hotel areas, so take the first drives slowly.
Lower than England's. GOV.UK warns that a reading just over half of England's legal limit can bring a fine and possible imprisonment. The safe rule is no alcohol before driving.