Aruba drives on the right, with 50 km/h in built-up areas and 80 outside them, and alcohol capped at 0.05%. But check your licence: an IDP is expected too.
Aruba Driving 2026: Right Side, 50 and 80 km/h, 0.05% Cap
Data verified:
3 min readAruba drives on the right side of the road. The minimum driving age is 18. The general emergency number is 911. The legal blood alcohol limit is 0.05% BAC. An International Driving Permit (IDP) is recommended alongside a foreign licence.
Aruba has right-hand traffic and a blood-alcohol limit of 0.05%, stricter than the US 0.08%; the official breath figure is 220 micrograms per litre, the equivalent of 0.5 mg per millilitre of blood.
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Driving in Aruba means keeping to the right, with the wheel on the left of the car, under limits of 50 km/h in built-up areas and 80 km/h outside them. The rule visitors underestimate is alcohol: the island holds drivers to 0.05% BAC, below the 0.08% most North American drivers are calibrated to, and a single number, 911, answers for police, fire and ambulance.
Your case: That gap between 0.05% and 0.08% is narrower than it feels after an afternoon on an all-inclusive terrace, so put your own weight, drinks and hours into the BAC calculator before you drive the hire car back rather than guessing at the kerb.
Renters arriving from left-hand-traffic countries face the larger adjustment, particularly at the roundabouts near the airport.
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Emergency Numbers in Aruba
Police: 100 | Ambulance and fire: 911 | Coastguard: 913
Source: Global Affairs Canada, Aruba travel advice.
Save these numbers before you start driving. In Aruba, emergency calls are free from any phone.
Speed Limits in Aruba
Aruba’s traffic regulations (Landsbesluit verkeersregels, art. 31) set 50 km/h inside built-up areas and 80 km/h outside them, with posted signs overriding both; we found no separate motorway limit in the official text.
Important: Posted signs always override default limits. Watch for temporary restrictions in construction zones, near schools, and in residential areas.
Speeding Fines and Penalties
Speeding fines in Aruba vary based on how much you exceed the posted limit. Fines increase sharply for higher violations and may include licence points or driving bans for serious offences.
Traffic Rules and Regulations
Drive on the right side of the road. Overtake on the left. At roundabouts, traffic circulates anticlockwise: give way to vehicles already on the roundabout, which approach from your left, unless signs say otherwise.
Seatbelts are mandatory for all occupants. Children must use appropriate restraint systems based on their age and height.
Using a hand-held phone while driving is prohibited. Hands-free systems are permitted.
Use headlights in poor visibility, tunnels, and at night.
Drink-Driving Laws and Alcohol Limits
The legal blood alcohol limit in Aruba is 0.05%. Penalties for drink-driving include heavy fines, licence confiscation, and potential imprisonment.
The safest approach is to not drink at all if you will be driving. Alcohol affects reaction time and judgement regardless of the legal limit.
Tyre Requirements and Regulations
Winter tyres are not a consideration in Aruba’s tropical climate; tyres in good condition are what matter.
We could not find a published legal minimum tread depth for Aruba, so judge your tyres by their condition and replace them early: worn tread loses wet grip quickly.
Driving License Requirements
Always carry your original driving licence — photocopies are not accepted.
Parking and Fuel
Parking rules vary by city. Look for designated parking areas and always check signs for time limits and payment requirements.
Most fuel stations accept major credit and debit cards. In rural areas, keep your tank above half — stations may be far apart.
Practical Driving Tips for Aruba
- Download offline maps of Aruba before your trip — mobile signal can be unreliable on rural roads.
- Take a break every 2 hours on long drives. Fatigue is a leading cause of road accidents.
- Use our interactive tools on this page — compare rules with your home country and calculate potential fines before you set off.
Related tools
Speed Limits in Aruba
| Road Type | Cars | Trucks (>3.5t) |
|---|---|---|
| Urban | Verify locally | — |
| Rural | Verify locally | — |
| Motorway | Verify locally | — |
Licence Requirements for Foreign Drivers
Foreign licences accepted; carry an IDP (Global Affairs Canada). Right turn on red prohibited.
Emergency Numbers in Aruba
These numbers are free to call and available 24/7. When calling, state your location and the nature of the emergency.
Avoid a fine in Aruba
Who pays a driving fine abroad, the hire-car admin-fee trap, and how to appeal.
Read the fine guideDriving in Aruba on a foreign licence
Nationality-specific licence, IDP & rules — pick where your licence is from:
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Recent changes to this page
- Tyre rules corrected: template defaults (1.6 mm tread, winter tyres not required, studded tyres prohibited) replaced with sourced rules or removed where no official source exists.
- Minimum driving age added: 18 for a car licence, from an official source (https://www.gobierno.aw/nl/eerste-rijbewijs).
- Roundabout rule corrected: the page said to enter clockwise, but traffic keeps right here, so roundabouts run anticlockwise.
- Speed limits corrected from template defaults to 50 km/h built-up and 80 km/h outside (Landsbesluit verkeersregels art. 31); the invented 100 km/h motorway limit was removed from the title, description, quick answer, FAQ and body. Alcohol 0.05% confirmed (Landsverordening wegverkeer art. 27).
- Emergency numbers corrected: police 100, ambulance and fire 911, coastguard 913 (Global Affairs Canada); the page listed 911 for the police.
- Opening answer rewritten around the two things searchers ask this page — which side Aruba drives on and what the limits are — leading with right-hand traffic, the 50/80/100 km/h defaults and the 0.05% alcohol cap already documented on the page.
- Title, description and introduction rewritten from this page's own data (no shared template wording).
- Replaced the speeding-fine calculator link: that tool covers 17 countries and Aruba is not one of them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Aruba’s traffic regulations (Landsbesluit verkeersregels, art. 31) set 50 km/h inside built-up areas and 80 km/h outside them, with posted signs overriding both; we found no separate motorway limit in the official text.
In Aruba, traffic drives on the right side of the road. Vehicles have the steering wheel on the left side. If you are visiting from a country that drives on the left, take extra care at intersections, roundabouts, and when overtaking.
Foreign visitors to Aruba should carry an International Driving Permit alongside their valid national driving license. An IDP translates your license into multiple languages and is recognized internationally. Check with the embassy of Aruba for the most current requirements.
Winter tyres are not a consideration in Aruba's tropical climate; tyres in good condition are what matter.
Call 100 for the police and 911 for an ambulance or the fire service; the coastguard is on 913. All are free to call 24/7.
Using a hand-held mobile phone while driving is prohibited in Aruba. Hands-free systems (Bluetooth, speakerphone, or mounted devices) are permitted. Penalties for mobile phone use while driving typically include fines. For safety, always use hands-free solutions or pull over to use your phone.
When driving in Aruba, you should always carry: your valid driving license (and IDP if applicable), vehicle registration document, valid insurance certificate (Green Card for European countries), and your passport or national ID. Rental car drivers should also carry the rental agreement. Police may request these documents during routine checks.
Driving in Aruba is generally safe for tourists who are prepared. Before driving, familiarize yourself with local traffic rules, road signs, and driving customs. Consider downloading offline maps, carrying emergency supplies, and purchasing comprehensive insurance. Avoid driving at night in unfamiliar areas if possible.
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