No road in Guam allows more than 45 mph (about 72 km/h) under 16 GCA § 3301; slow to 10 mph past a loading bus. Traffic keeps right, alcohol limit 0.08%, emergencies 911.
Guam's 45 mph Ceiling in 2026: Speed, Alcohol, Licences
Data verified:
3 min readGuam drives on the right side of the road. The minimum driving age is 16. The motorway speed limit is 72 km/h. The general emergency number is 911. The legal blood alcohol limit is 0.08% BAC. IDP rules depend on your licence; see the licence section below.
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Guam has no fast roads. Its vehicle code makes any speed above 45 mph unlawful everywhere on the island, which is about 72 km/h. Traffic keeps to the right, the alcohol limit is 0.08% (0.04% under 21), and the number to call in an emergency is 911.
Your case: Arriving from the mainland? Your state licence is good for 90 days from the day you land; the US licence guide for Guam covers what to do after that.
Emergency number
Police, fire, ambulance: 911
The Guam Police Department gives 911 as its emergency number. Emergency calls are also the one phone use the hands-free law allows while driving.
Speed limits
Section 3301 of Title 16 works in three layers:
- A general duty: drive at a speed that is reasonable for the road surface, its width and the traffic, and slow enough to stop within the clear distance ahead.
- A hard ceiling of 45 mph on every public road. The statute pairs this with “80 kilometers per hour”, but 45 mph is about 72 km/h; the mph figure is the one on the signs.
- 10 mph past a bus that is taking on or letting off passengers on the roadway (not if it has pulled off the road).
The Chief of Police can also mark lower-limit areas with signs, and those limits apply where posted.
Alcohol
Under the Safe Streets Act of 2018 (9 GCA § 92102) a driver is over the limit at 0.08 percent blood alcohol, or 0.04 percent if under 21. Being impaired by drugs or solvents is an offence in its own right, whatever the reading.
Phones, seat belts and child seats
- Phones: reading, writing or sending messages, or using or holding a phone, is unlawful while driving, including when stopped at a light or in traffic (16 GCA § 3346). Hands-free with a single earpiece is allowed.
- Seat belts: required for the driver and all passengers (16 GCA § 26103).
- Children: under 4 in a child restraint system; aged 4 to 11 and under 4 ft 9 in, in a booster seat or a fitting child restraint (§§ 26101-26102).
- Helmets: required on a motorcycle, scooter or moped for riders and passengers under 18, and for any rider licensed for motorcycles for less than three years; no passengers under 12 (16 GCA § 3305).
Licences for visitors
| Licence issued by | Valid on Guam |
|---|---|
| Any US state, territory or commonwealth | 90 days from arrival (§ 3101(d)) |
| Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Philippines, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, EU countries, Palau, FSM, Marshall Islands | 30 days from arrival (§ 3101(c)) |
| US licence holders on active duty, and their dependants | No Guam licence needed (§ 3101(b)) |
Either period can be stretched to one year from arrival, or to the licence’s expiry if sooner, by registering the licence with the Department of Revenue and Taxation and paying a fee of up to USD 25. The code names no other countries and does not mention an International Driving Permit, so a driver with a licence from elsewhere should get the hire company’s terms in writing before arrival. Guam licences start at 16 with written parental consent.
Sources
- Guam Code Annotated, Title 16, Chapter 3: § 3101 (licences for visitors and military), § 3301 (45 mph; 10 mph passing a bus), § 3305 (helmets under 18), § 3310 (keep right), § 3346 (mobile phones): col.guamcourts.gov
- Guam Code Annotated, Title 16, Chapter 26: §§ 26101-26103 (child restraints, seat belts): col.guamcourts.gov
- Guam Code Annotated, Title 9, Chapter 92, § 92102 (0.08 percent; 0.04 percent under 21): col.guamcourts.gov
- Guam Police Department, contact page (emergencies: 911): gpd.guam.gov
Speed Limits in Guam
| Road Type | Cars | Trucks (>3.5t) |
|---|---|---|
| Urban | 72 km/h | — |
| Rural | 72 km/h | — |
| Motorway | 72 km/h | — |
Licence Requirements for Foreign Drivers
US state/territory licence valid 90 days from arrival (16 GCA §3101(d)); EU, Canada, Japan, Korea, Australia, NZ, Philippines, Taiwan, Palau, FSM, RMI licences 30 days (§3101(c)); extension by DRT registration (fee up to USD 25) to 1 year or licence expiry.
Emergency Numbers in Guam
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 Guam
Who pays a driving fine abroad, the hire-car admin-fee trap, and how to appeal.
Read the fine guideDriving in Guam on a foreign licence
Nationality-specific licence, IDP & rules — pick where your licence is from:
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Recent changes to this page
- Rewritten from Guam's own code. The page gave 50, 80 and 100 km/h limits that do not exist: 16 GCA § 3301 caps every road at 45 mph and requires 10 mph past a loading bus. The emergency number was given as 112; the Guam Police Department lists 911. The intro said 0.05% while the rest of the page said 0.08%; 9 GCA § 92102 sets 0.08% and 0.04% under 21. Licence periods (90 days for US licences, 30 days for listed countries), the phone rule, seat belts and child seats added with sources. Removed the generic IDP, winter-tyre, tread-depth, studded-tyre, roundabout and fuel text. New title, description and quick answer.
- The page led on the age-16 licence while every search reaching it asks about speed limits; the limits now open the page and the title.
- Title and description tightened to the page's own data (title 50-60, description 140-155 characters).
- Title, description and introduction rewritten from this page's own data (no shared template wording).
Frequently Asked Questions
16 GCA § 3301 makes any speed above 45 mph unlawful, on every road on the island; that is about 72 km/h. Within that ceiling you must keep to a speed that suits the surface, width and traffic, and the police may post lower limits on signs. Passing a bus that is taking on or letting off passengers on the roadway, slow to 10 mph.
The right. 16 GCA § 3310 requires every vehicle to keep to the right-hand lane, or as close to the right-hand edge as practicable, except when overtaking or preparing for a left turn.
The code names who may: a licence from any US state, territory or commonwealth is valid for 90 days from arrival. Licences from Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, the Philippines, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, EU countries, Palau, the FSM and the Marshall Islands are valid for 30 days. Registering with the Department of Revenue and Taxation (fee up to USD 25) extends either period.
0.08 percent blood alcohol for adult drivers and 0.04 percent for drivers under 21, under 9 GCA § 92102 (Safe Streets Act of 2018).
911. The Guam Police Department lists 911 as its number for emergencies; non-urgent calls go to the precinct numbers on its website.
Only hands-free. 16 GCA § 3346 makes it unlawful to read, write or send messages, or to use or even hold a phone while driving, and that includes sitting at a red light or stuck in traffic. One earpiece is allowed; emergency calls are exempt.
Yes. The driver and every passenger must wear a seat belt (16 GCA § 26103). Children under 4 need a child restraint system, and children aged 4 to 11 under 4 ft 9 in need a booster seat or a fitting child restraint (§§ 26101-26102).
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