Can an American Drive in Grenada? — Local Permit & a Left-Side Switch

Grenada — the Spice Isle — rewards a road trip: rainforest interior, waterfalls and beaches that the resort shuttles don’t reach. For an American visitor the rules differ from home in two specific ways, and neither is hard once you know them in advance.

The licence verdict — a local permit is required

You can drive in Grenada on the strength of your American licence, but the island follows the standard Eastern Caribbean rule: visitors must obtain a temporary local driving permit. Your car-hire company arranges this at pickup, on sight of a valid licence — a modest fee and a quick form, not a real hurdle. Carry an International Driving Permit alongside your US licence as supporting documentation, and keep your passport with you.

You switch from the right to the left

The United States drives on the right; Grenada drives on the left. This is a genuine side switch, and it is the single thing most likely to catch an American driver out on day one — pulling out of a junction, taking a roundabout, or glancing the wrong way by reflex. Grenada compounds it with narrow, steep, winding roads and blind bends, so take your first hour somewhere quiet and stay deliberate at every turn. St George’s, with its tight harbour streets, is not where you want to be relearning the side.

What else to know

The blood-alcohol limit is 0.08, the same as most US states — but the island’s twisting roads mean any impairment is risky, so keep to none before driving. Beyond that, the cautions are practical: roads are slow and local with no motorways, surfaces vary, and rain can make the hill roads slick. Reliable posted-limit and fine figures are not well documented for Grenada, so drive to the road and the signage rather than to any number.

Before collecting the car, confirm your paperwork with the Driving Permit Checker and read the island detail on our Grenada driving guide. The emergency number is 911.