UK licence 
BahamasCan you drive in Bahamas with a UK license?
Short answer: you can drive in Bahamas with a UK license; an International Driving Permit is recommended and is carried alongside your UK license.
An International Driving Permit is recommended (not strictly required) for UK licence holders driving in Bahamas. Your UK licence is in the Roman alphabet, but an IDP removes any doubt at rental desks and roadside checks. Carry both.
UK drivers should carry an International Driving Permit with their licence; some countries recognise the 1949 version and others the 1968 version. Your International Driving Permit is a certified multilingual translation of your existing licence, prepared in the 1949 Geneva format and carried alongside your national licence.
What driving in Bahamas is like
The Queen's Highway running the length of Eleuthera, linking pink-sand beaches and the Glass Window Bridge, is a celebrated Out Island drive. For most visitors the real draw is the freedom to reach places trains and tours don't, on your own schedule, with the open road generally capped around 45 mph highways. Getting behind the wheel is the easy part: your International Driving Permit is a certified translation of your UK licence, carried alongside it, so rental staff and officials in Bahamas can read your credentials at a glance.
What applies to UK licence holders in Bahamas
| UK licence in Bahamas | |
|---|---|
| Do you need an IDP? | Recommended, not legally mandatory |
| IDP format required | 1949 Geneva |
| Your UK licence script | Roman (Latin) alphabet |
| United Kingdom is party to | 1949 Geneva and 1968 Vienna |
| Drives on the | Left-hand side |
| Minimum driving age | 18 |
| Emergency number | 911 or 919 |
| Top speed limit | 45 mph highways |
| Currency | BSD |
Driving rules in Bahamas you should know
- Drive on the left.
- Many imported left-hand-drive cars — take care overtaking.
- 0.08% alcohol limit.
- Seatbelts mandatory.
Local driving facts in Bahamas
Emergency number: 911 or 919 (112 also connects from most mobiles). Typical maximum for cars on the fastest road class: 45 mph highways. Posted limits always take precedence.
Tolls & road charges in Bahamas
There are no toll roads in The Bahamas; the only paid crossing tourists encounter is the Paradise Island bridge toll at Nassau (around US$2 per car, payable in cash).
Parking in Bahamas
In downtown Nassau use marked lots and metered/paid street bays; spaces fill fast near Bay Street and the cruise port, and vehicles parked on yellow lines or blocking traffic risk ticketing or towing.
Penalties & enforcement in Bahamas
Seatbelts are mandatory, child seats are required for young children and handheld phone use is banned (hands-free only); fines are issued by police and rental companies recover any tickets from the renter.
If you have an accident in Bahamas
Call police immediately on 919 or 911, photograph the scene, exchange insurance details and report it; a police report is expected for any rental-car damage claim and vehicles should be left in place until officers attend.
City driving in Bahamas
Driving is on the LEFT (often in left-hand-drive cars), and Nassau's roundabouts require you to give way to traffic already in the circle; congestion and aggressive merging around Bay Street and the bridges catch out visitors.
Winter driving in Bahamas
No winter-tyre rules - tropical climate
Fuel in Bahamas
Petrol and diesel are sold by the imperial gallon at attendant-served stations; prices are high (commonly around US$5-6 per gallon) and most stations accept major credit and debit cards.
Sources: bahamashighwaycode.org, royalbahamaspolice.org, tyremap.com