Driving in Antigua and Barbuda with a Reunion Driving Licence: IDP Requirements and Rules
A Reunion licence holder should not rely on the French licence alone. Official guidance for French drivers says an Antigua and Barbuda temporary driver's licence is required and says the French licence should be presented with a valid International Driving Permit (IDP). Antigua and Barbuda Police list the original valid licence but do not mention an IDP, so the IDP point should be confirmed before travel. The local temporary licence may be issued for no more than 3 months.
Quick answer
The practical route is to take the original Reunion-issued French licence, obtain an official French IDP before departure, then obtain the Antigua and Barbuda temporary driver's licence before driving. The local permit is the key destination-issued document. The exact 1949 or 1968 IDP model applicable to this pair was not verified.
Legal treatment of a Reunion licence in Antigua and Barbuda
La Reunion is a French overseas department and its driving-licence administration uses France's national licensing system, including France Titres or ANTS procedures. For this page, a Reunion driving licence therefore means a French driving licence issued or administered through that system. Antigua and Barbuda's Vehicles and Road Traffic Act provides a temporary visitor driver's licence, and current French official travel guidance says this local licence is mandatory for French drivers.
The Act allows a temporary visitor licence for a bona fide visitor for a period not exceeding 3 months. The licence may be granted with or without a driving test and subject to conditions written on the licence.
IDP requirement, recommendation and model
The official sources are not fully aligned. France Diplomatie states that the Antigua and Barbuda temporary licence can be issued on presentation of a French driving licence accompanied by a valid IDP. By contrast, Antigua and Barbuda Police list an original valid driver's licence, a local address and the fee for the temporary licence, without listing an IDP.
Because destination police guidance and French origin guidance differ, this page does not state an unconditional legal yes or no for the IDP. The practical recommendation is to obtain the official French IDP before travel. France Titres or ANTS is the official French route for the application. The exact 1949 Geneva or 1968 Vienna model for this Antigua and Barbuda use case was not verified.
Visitor and resident rules
The statutory visitor temporary driver's licence may be granted for no more than 3 months. Because the source states the period in months, no fixed day count is stored for this page. France Diplomatie says travellers wishing to reside in Antigua and Barbuda for more than 3 months should obtain an Antigua and Barbuda driving licence valid for 1 to 3 years. The exact resident exchange, testing or conversion procedure for a Reunion licence was not verified.
Rental-car requirements
Antigua and Barbuda law permits the Licensing Officer to authorise the owner of a self-drive hire vehicle to hand a temporary visitor licence to an applicant. France Diplomatie likewise says a rental agency may issue the local permit. Hertz's Antigua airport page requires a valid national driver's licence and a local permit, and says an international driver's licence is not accepted for rental. This company policy should not be treated as the rule for every rental company.
Police documents and insurance
Section 41 of the Vehicles and Road Traffic Act requires a driver to produce the driver's licence when required by a police officer, with a proviso allowing production at a specified police station within 48 hours. For this pair, carry the original French licence and the Antigua and Barbuda temporary licence. Because of the IDP-source conflict, carrying the official French IDP as well is the safer practical choice.
No legal insurance condition specific to a Reunion licence was verified. France Diplomatie recommends comprehensive insurance for a rental vehicle, which is an official travel recommendation rather than a verified licence-recognition rule.
Relevant exceptions
The Royal Police Force says visitors who reside in an OECS member state may not be required to obtain a temporary licence while visiting. That exception does not apply to Reunion. The statutory visitor temporary licence also cannot be a chauffeur's licence. The exact vehicle class or classes authorised will be those specified on the local licence.
Official sources used
- Government of Antigua and Barbuda, Vehicles and Road Traffic Act, sections 30, 31, 40 and 41, checked 2026-10-06: official legislation PDF
- Royal Police Force of Antigua and Barbuda, temporary driver's licence requirements for visitors, checked 2026-10-06: police licensing page
- Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States, current member-state list, checked 2026-10-06: OECS member information
- France Diplomatie, Antigua and Barbuda road-transport guidance for French drivers, checked 2026-10-06: official travel guidance
- France Titres or ANTS, official French International Driving Permit application guidance, checked 2026-10-06: IDP application guidance
- Prefecture of La Reunion, French national driving-licence administration in the department, checked 2026-10-06: Reunion licensing administration
- Hertz, Saint Johns V C Bird International Airport rental requirements, checked 2026-10-06: Hertz Antigua rental page
Practical recommendation
Apply for the official French IDP before departure, take the original Reunion-issued French licence, and obtain the Antigua and Barbuda temporary driver's licence before driving. Pre-confirm the IDP requirement with the issuing police station or rental desk because the French government and Antigua and Barbuda Police pages do not state the same document list. Do not rely on an IDP by itself as authority to drive.
Last verified date
This information was checked against the listed official government and rental-company sources on 2026-10-06. Driving-licence, IDP, rental and residency rules can change, so reconfirm the document requirements before travel.