Grenada for British Drivers 2026: Local Licence at the Desk
United Kingdom
Grenada
A temporary Grenadian licence is compulsory; the hire firm helps you get one when you show your UK licence. Some firms also want an IDP. Traffic keeps left; police on 911.
Grenada is small, green and mountainous, and a hire car is the easy way to reach its waterfalls and remote beaches. The fundamentals match home closely, with one piece of paperwork that does not.
The local licence is compulsory
The UK government’s travel advice leaves no room for doubt: you must have a temporary Grenadian driving licence. Your car hire company will help you get one, and you show your UK driving licence to do it. Global Affairs Canada notes that the licence is also sold at the central police station in St George’s. Carry it with your photocard licence and passport.
An IDP is a hire-company question, not a legal one. The UK government warns that hire firms often have stricter requirements, such as a year of driving experience, a higher minimum age or holding an international driving permit. If your firm wants one, buy it before you travel; it cannot be bought outside the UK. Ask for the conditions in writing when you book.
Same side as home, a much hillier road
Grenada drives on the left, like the UK, so junctions and roundabouts need no rethinking. The terrain does. Canada calls road conditions poor and says most roads are narrow and winding; the UK government adds blind corners on rural roads. Pedestrians often walk in the road, so take extra care after dark. Use your horn lightly on blind bends, as locals do.
Alcohol and emergencies
Keep alcohol and driving apart entirely; unlit rural roads leave no margin. The emergency number for police and fire is 911, not 999. For an ambulance, call 434 for the general hospital in St George’s, 724 for Princess Alice Hospital in Grenville, or 774 for Princess Royal Hospital on Carriacou.
Read the local detail on our Grenada driving guide, check onward islands with the Driving Permit Checker, and see who pays driving fines abroad.
Sources
- GOV.UK foreign travel advice, Grenada, safety and security (temporary Grenadian licence required; hire company helps; stricter hire-firm conditions including an IDP; narrow rural roads with blind corners): gov.uk
- Global Affairs Canada, Grenada travel advice (local licence from rental agencies or the central police station in St George’s; traffic on the left; poor, narrow, winding roads): travel.gc.ca
- GOV.UK foreign travel advice, Grenada, getting help (police and fire 911; ambulance 434, 724, 774): gov.uk
Speed limits, fines, equipment & license requirements
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Frequently Asked Questions
Only once you hold a temporary Grenadian driving licence. The UK government says your car hire company will help you get one and that you show your UK licence to do so. Canada adds that the central police station in St George's also issues it.
Grenadian rules ask for the local licence, not an IDP. Hire firms can be stricter, though: the UK government lists a year of experience, a higher minimum age and an IDP among the extra conditions some impose. Ask your firm before you leave, because a UK IDP can only be bought in the UK.
Yes, so there is no side switch. The adjustment is the roads themselves: narrow, winding, with blind corners in rural areas and pedestrians walking in the carriageway.