Can a British Driver Drive in Puerto Rico? — Yes, but You Switch to the Right

Puerto Rico is a United States territory, which shapes everything about driving there — including the side of the road. For British visitors the licence question is easy; the adjustment that actually matters is the one your instincts will fight on day one.

The verdict on your British licence

You can drive in Puerto Rico as a visitor on your UK licence, with an International Driving Permit recommended to carry alongside it. Rental companies generally like to see both the IDP and your photocard, together with your passport, so arrange the permit in the UK before you fly. For a standard holiday rental, that combination is what you need.

The side switch is the real adjustment

The UK drives on the left; Puerto Rico, as a US territory, drives on the right. This is the single thing most likely to catch a British driver out, and the danger window is your first day — pulling out of the rental car park, joining a junction, taking a roundabout the opposite way round, or glancing the wrong direction before you move. Take your first hour somewhere quiet rather than in San Juan traffic, and stay deliberate at every turn until right-hand driving stops feeling backwards. Overtaking and turning across traffic are where old habits resurface, so be especially careful there.

What is and isn’t well documented

The blood-alcohol limit is 0.08, the same as England and Wales, and enforcement follows US-style rules — so don’t treat the familiar number as permission, especially while the side switch is still fresh; treat it as zero before driving. Detailed island-wide posted speed limits are signed locally and are not consistently documented, so read the signs and drive to the road rather than assume a national figure. The emergency number is 911.

Practical points

Keep your licence, IDP and passport accessible, and check what your rental firm requires when you collect the car. Mobile coverage is generally good around the towns but can thin out in the mountainous interior, so download offline maps before heading inland.

Not sure exactly which documents your trip needs? Confirm it with the Driving Permit Checker.