Driving in Barbados with an Andorran Driving Licence: IDP Requirements
Yes. A visitor with a valid Andorran driving licence may drive in Barbados in the vehicle classes it authorises. Barbados accepts foreign domestic licences, and the former local Visitor Driving Permit was abolished on 15 October 2025. An International Driving Permit (IDP) is not legally required. A general mandatory translation rule and a Barbados-specific official IDP recommendation remain unverified. The visitor allowance is conditional and extends up to 12 months from the last entry.
Quick answer
Bring the original licence. Car-hire operators must verify its validity, while police can request the licence and insurance certificate. An IDP is not a substitute for the domestic licence.
How Barbados treats an Andorra licence
Paragraph 4 of the Barbados Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles (International Circulation)) Order, 1960, permits someone making a temporary stay to drive using a domestic driving permit issued outside Barbados. The rule is not confined to specific foreign countries. It therefore covers an Andorran licence as long as the holder satisfies the visitor conditions and drives only an authorised vehicle class. Exact equivalence for specialised licence categories was not established.
IDP rules, recommendation and convention
The Barbados rule accepts a foreign domestic permit as an alternative to a convention driving permit. An IDP is therefore not a legal prerequisite for this visitor. Automòbil Club d’Andorra issues an IDP based on the 1968 Vienna Convention, which became effective for Andorra on 25 September 2025. UN treaty records list Barbados under the 1949 Geneva Convention, but not as a party to the 1968 convention. The Andorran 1968 booklet should not be mistaken for a Barbados-required 1949 IDP or for proof of a shared Vienna treaty obligation.
No Barbados authority recommendation specifically requiring or recommending an IDP for an Andorran licence was verified. A mandatory national translation rule is also unverified – confirm with official authority. A rental firm may still have its own documentation rules.
Visitor period and becoming resident
The published international-circulation order allows driving during 12 months from the visitor’s last entry, but only while the person is making a temporary stay and the domestic licence is valid. This is not an unconditional one-year residence entitlement and does not extend a shorter lawful visit. The former registration and permit payment process was abolished in 2025.
For an Andorran licence holder taking up residence, local licence eligibility, exchange rights and any applicable deadline are unverified – confirm with official authority. Consult the Barbados Licensing Authority before driving as a resident.
Hiring a vehicle with an Andorran licence
The Barbados Revenue Authority requires rental firms to inspect a current driving licence at booking or pickup. For example, SIXT Barbados requires an original licence held for at least two years and a passport or identity document, and specifies an international licence for documents in non-Roman alphabets. SunCars requires the original home-country licence and at least two years of licence history, with drivers over 25. Neither policy establishes a special Andorran exemption.
These are separate hire conditions. Barbados replaced the visitor permit with a rental levy of BBD 5 per day, capped at BBD 35 per vehicle rental agreement. Obtain written confirmation from your chosen company about how it handles non-English details on your licence.
Documents for police and insurance
Road Traffic Act section 74 empowers police to request the driving licence. Section 42 permits a request for the vehicle’s insurance certificate and specified identifying details. Keep the original Andorran licence and the rental insurance documents available.
Section 37 requires third-party motor insurance or qualifying security for public-road use. SunCars states that it provides insurance with its rentals and offers separate excess-reduction products. This does not establish coverage terms for other operators or an automatic claim outcome based on IDP possession.
Relevant limits and exceptions
The published visitor order requires the driver to be at least 18, hold a currently valid licence for the vehicle class and not be disqualified from driving. Hire companies may set higher age thresholds. Some older government pages still describe buying a local visitor permit, but the Barbados Revenue Authority’s later 2025 policy expressly abolished it. No Andorra-specific bilateral exception was verified.
Official sources used
Practical recommendation
A valid Andorran licence is the essential document for temporary driving in Barbados, not an IDP or the now-abolished local visitor permit. Check the licence category and validity dates, confirm your chosen rental company accepts the original document, and review its insurance and age terms. Anyone moving to Barbados should seek resident licensing guidance rather than rely on the temporary-visitor provision.
Last verified
This information was checked against the sources listed above on 2026-10-24. The date indicates verification, not the date the laws changed.