Driving in the Bahamas 2026: US Licence, Left Lane, 45 mph
United States
Bahamas
No road reaches the Bahamas, so you fly or sail and hire there. Visitors use their own licence for a short stay. Traffic keeps left, limits top out at 45 mph, and the alcohol limit is 0.08%.
No road reaches the Bahamas: the islands sit offshore, so getting there means a flight or a boat, and the car is something you hire after landing. From there the paperwork is light and the driving is the part that needs care.
Your case: The documents are quick; the steering wheel is not. Driving in the Bahamas explains the left-hand traffic against the left-hand-drive American cars most desks hand over.
Your licence on the islands
Visitors drive on their home licence for a limited period. Official advice from two governments puts it at 90 days (Canada) and three months (UK), so a normal holiday fits comfortably. Global Affairs Canada adds that you should carry an International Driving Permit; for Americans that means the AAA permit, bought before you fly. Keep it with your licence and passport, and check the rest of the trip in the driving permit checker.
Left-hand traffic in an American car
The Bahamas drives on the left. The UK Foreign Office points out that most vehicles, hire cars included, are left-hand-drive imports from the US, so you sit beside the centre line with a poor view for overtaking. Take the first hour on quiet roads, and be careful pulling out of car parks and at junctions, where instinct sends your eyes the wrong way.
Speeds, alcohol and road conditions
Limits are low: 40 km/h (25 mph) in towns, 48 km/h (30 mph) on rural roads and 72 km/h (45 mph) on the fastest roads, as the WHO profile records. The alcohol limit is 0.08%, but the Foreign Office notes that the law is not always enforced, which makes evening and rural driving riskier. Ottawa describes roads around the main towns as generally good and rural roads as poorly maintained, with narrow lanes, flooding and poor lighting. Emergencies: 911 or 919.
Sources
- Global Affairs Canada, Bahamas travel advice (traffic on the left; Canadian licence up to 90 days; carry an IDP; road conditions; 911/919): travel.gc.ca
- GOV.UK foreign travel advice, Bahamas safety and security (UK licence up to three months; left-hand-drive US imports; alcohol law not always enforced): gov.uk
- WHO Global status report on road safety 2023, Bahamas profile (40/48/72 km/h; 0.08 g/dl): who.int
Speed limits, fines, equipment & license requirements
Your home country driving rules for reference
Renting a Car?
Compare prices from all major rental companies. Free cancellation on most bookings.
Compare Car Rental PricesSome links on this page are affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. How our affiliate links work.
More Free Tools
Explore TyreMap
Frequently Asked Questions
For a holiday, yes in practice: the Bahamas lets visitors drive on their home licence for a limited period, which the Canadian and UK governments put at 90 days and three months. Ottawa advises carrying an IDP as well; AAA sells one before you travel.
The left, the opposite of the United States. The UK Foreign Office notes that most vehicles, hire cars included, are left-hand-drive imports from the US, so you sit next to the centre line on a left-hand road. Go slowly the first day.
0.08%, the same figure most US states use. The UK Foreign Office says the law is not always enforced, which is why evening and rural driving can be dangerous; plan on no alcohol at all.