Driving in Antigua and Barbuda with a Djibouti Driving Licence: IDP Requirements and Rules
A holder of a valid Djibouti driving licence can drive in Antigua and Barbuda only after obtaining the destination's temporary visitor driver licence. The foreign licence is used to support that application, but it is not the local driving entitlement by itself. An International Driving Permit is not the required document and official travel guidance says it is not recognized. The temporary licence may be issued for a period not exceeding three months.
Quick answer
Bring the original valid Djibouti licence and obtain the local temporary visitor driver licence before driving. The Royal Police Force lists the original licence, EC$50 or US$20, and a local address as the visitor application requirements. Because the statutory period is expressed as up to three months rather than a fixed number of days, this page does not convert it into a numerical day limit.
Legal treatment of a Djibouti licence in Antigua and Barbuda
Section 30 of the Vehicles and Road Traffic Act requires a person driving on a road to hold a driver licence, subject to the Act's exceptions. Section 40 allows the licensing authority to grant a bona fide visitor a temporary driver licence for a period not exceeding three months and permits an authorized self-drive hire vehicle owner to hand over the licence on the authority's behalf. The Royal Police Force's visitor instructions require the applicant to present an original valid driver licence. For this pair, the Djibouti licence is therefore evidence used in obtaining the local visitor licence rather than a standalone right to drive.
IDP requirement, recommendation and applicable model
No checked source establishes an IDP as a legal requirement for this pair. Global Affairs Canada states that the International Driving Permit is not recognized in Antigua and Barbuda. The FIA IDP repository lists both Djibouti and Antigua and Barbuda as not having ratified the 1949 or 1968 road traffic conventions, lists no official Djibouti IDP issuing body, and shows Antigua and Barbuda using a temporary permit instead. No 1949 Geneva or 1968 Vienna IDP model is therefore applicable as the local authorization for a Djibouti licence holder.
Visitor and resident rules
A temporary visitor driver licence may be granted for any period not exceeding three months. The Act does not express this as a fixed number of days. The checked authoritative sources did not establish the resident conversion or exchange procedure for a person moving from Djibouti, so a prospective resident should confirm the current process directly with the Antigua and Barbuda licensing authority before relying on visitor status.
Rental-car requirements
Hertz at V. C. Bird International Airport states that a renter must present a valid national driver licence and obtain a local permit, available at the counter for USD 20 and valid for three months. Hertz also states that an International Driver's Licence is not accepted for rental. Comfort Car Rentals requires a valid driver licence, at least two years of driving experience, a minimum renter age of 25, and a temporary licence for a driver who does not have an Antiguan licence. These are named-company policies, not destination law and not proof of an industry-wide rule.
Police documents and insurance
The Royal Police Force lists the original valid driver licence, the temporary-licence fee, and a local address for the visitor application. Section 41 of the Act requires a driver to produce the driver licence when a police officer requests it. The checked sources do not establish a separate general insurance rule tied specifically to a Djibouti licence. A visitor importing a private motor car or motorcycle must, however, comply with the law protecting third parties against motor-vehicle risks before the temporary vehicle licence can be issued.
Relevant exceptions
The Royal Police Force says a visiting resident of an OECS member state may not be required to obtain a temporary licence. The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States' published member list does not include Djibouti, so that exception does not apply here. The visitor temporary driver licence also cannot be a chauffeur's licence, and any permitted vehicle class remains subject to the conditions placed on the local licence.
Official sources used
- Antigua and Barbuda Laws, Vehicles and Road Traffic Act Cap. 460, sections 30, 31, 40 and 41, plus section 29 for a visitor importing a vehicle. Checked 2026-10-05. Official law
- Royal Police Force of Antigua and Barbuda, Licenses page, visitor temporary driver licence requirements and OECS note. Checked 2026-10-05. Police licensing guidance
- FIA and AIT International Driving Permit Repository, Djibouti and Antigua and Barbuda records. Checked 2026-10-05. Djibouti record and Antigua and Barbuda record
- Government of Canada travel advice for Antigua and Barbuda, statement that the IDP is not recognized and a temporary local driver licence is required. Checked 2026-10-05. Travel advice
- Hertz, V. C. Bird International Airport location policy, national licence, local permit and IDL acceptance rule. Checked 2026-10-05. Hertz policy
- Comfort Car Rentals Antigua, published renter and temporary-licence requirements. Checked 2026-10-05. Comfort policy
- Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States, published member list used to assess the police exemption. Checked 2026-10-05. OECS member list
Practical recommendation
Use the original Djibouti licence to obtain the Antigua and Barbuda temporary visitor driver licence before driving. Do not buy an unofficial document marketed as an IDP for this trip because the checked FIA record lists no recognized Djibouti issuer and Antigua and Barbuda's system relies on the temporary local licence. If the licence is not readily understandable in English, ask the Royal Police Force or the chosen rental company in advance whether they want any translation, because no destination-wide translation rule for a Djibouti licence was verified.
Last verified date
This information was checked against the listed legal, police, FIA, government travel and rental-company sources on 2026-10-05.