Driving in Barbados with an Antigua and Barbuda Driving Licence: IDP Rules
Visitors aged 18 or over may drive in Barbados with a valid Antigua and Barbuda licence for the vehicle class it covers, unless disqualified. An International Driving Permit (IDP) is not legally required, and no official recommendation to carry one was found. No separate translation requirement was identified for an English-language licence. The temporary-stay provision refers to 12 months after entry, and the former visitor-permit requirement ended in October 2025.
Quick answer
Use your current national licence for the authorised class. There is no extra Barbados Visitor Driving Permit, but a rental operator must check the licence at collection.
Recognition of the Antigua and Barbuda licence
Paragraph 4(1) of the Barbados Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles (International Circulation)) Order, 1960, recognises either a convention driving permit or a domestic permit issued outside Barbados. This latter route covers a valid Antigua and Barbuda licence without relying on an international treaty between the two independent countries. The provision is for temporary stays, permits only the vehicle classes shown on the home licence and requires the driver to be at least 18 and not disqualified.
International Driving Permit and translation
The domestic-licence alternative makes an IDP unnecessary under the cited visitor rule. The FIA International Driving Permit Repository identifies Antigua and Barbuda as party to neither the 1949 Geneva nor the 1968 Vienna road-traffic convention and lists no local IDP issuing body or issued model. Barbados lists the 1949 model as accepted, but that does not make a 1949 IDP obtainable for an Antigua and Barbuda licence. No official Barbados recommendation that this licence holder carry an IDP was verified.
No separate legal translation requirement for an English-language national licence was identified. Sixt has a rental-only requirement for an international document where a licence is printed in a non-Roman script. Check the language and characters on the licence you actually hold.
Visitor and resident driving periods
The published international-circulation Order permits foreign domestic-licence driving during the 12 months following the last entry into Barbados, but only while the person is making a temporary stay and the licence remains valid. This is not a guaranteed 12-month right of residence. The current rules for an Antigua and Barbuda licence holder who becomes resident, including any exchange deadline or testing exemption, are unverified – confirm with official authority.
The Barbados Accreditation Council confirms that the enhanced CARICOM free-movement arrangement starting in October 2025 includes Barbados, Belize, Dominica, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, not Antigua and Barbuda. Do not assume its residence privileges apply merely because both countries belong to CARICOM.
Renting a car in Barbados
The Barbados Revenue Authority requires rental companies to verify a current licence. Its car rental levy is BBD 5 per day, capped at BBD 35 for one rental contract. The former visitor-permit fee does not apply.
| Company | Published rental conditions | Source checked |
|---|
| Sixt Barbados | Original licence held for at least two years, ID or passport, minimum age 25. A non-Roman-script licence requires additional international documentation. | Sixt Barbados terms |
| Chelsea Motors | Original valid foreign licence held for three years, driver over 21 and under 80. Additional conditions apply to younger and older renters. | Chelsea Motors terms |
Documents for police and insurance
Section 74 of the Road Traffic Act provides for police examination of the driving licence. Section 42 also allows police to request the driver and owner details and a certificate of insurance. Section 37 requires third-party insurance or lawful security covering the use of the vehicle. For a rental, confirm that you are an authorised driver under the policy rather than assuming the national licence alone supplies insurance cover.
Relevant exceptions
The 1960 Order still contains text about visitor registration and a fee. The Barbados Revenue Authority later abolished the Visitor Driving Permit and its online application effective 15 October 2025. Older government and car-hire pages that still describe that permit are outdated on this point. The minimum age of 18 and the licence-class and disqualification restrictions remain material under the published Order.
Official sources used
- Barbados official legal text, Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles (International Circulation)) Order, 1960, paragraph 4, foreign-licence eligibility, visitor period, class and age. Checked 2026-10-24.
- Barbados Revenue Authority, Car Rental Levy and Discontinuation of Visitor Driving Permits, current permit abolition and rental verification. Checked 2026-10-24.
- Barbados official legal text, Road Traffic Act, Cap. 295, sections 37, 42 and 74, insurance and police document requirements. Checked 2026-10-24.
- FIA, International Driving Permit Repository, convention participation, IDP issuing bodies and models. Checked 2026-10-24.
- Barbados Accreditation Council, Free Movement Update, participating countries. Checked 2026-10-24.
- Sixt Barbados and Chelsea Motors, individual rental terms. Checked 2026-10-24.
Practical recommendation
Carry the original valid Antigua and Barbuda licence and check that its class covers the vehicle. Do not pay for the discontinued Barbados visitor permit. Before renting, compare the chosen firm’s age, document, licence-history and insurance requirements. Seek direct guidance from the Barbados Licensing Authority if your stay will cease to be temporary.
Last verified
Checked against the sources listed above on 2026-10-24. Some older government webpages still show the abolished visitor-permit process, so the Barbados Revenue Authority’s later policy note is used for that point.