Driving Permit for Grenada
Driving in Grenada: traffic keeps left and visitors need a local visitor's permit (about EC$60) plus their home licence. A 1949-format IDP is often requested by rental companies.
- Drive on
- Left
- Convention
- Not a party
- IDP validity
- 3 months
- Processing time
- 24-48 hours
Do you need an IDP to drive in Grenada?
Grenada has not ratified either UN road-traffic convention, but the document that actually makes you legal on the island is local: every foreign visitor who wants to drive must hold a Grenadian visitor's driving permit. It is issued on presentation of a valid home-country licence (or an IDP), costs about EC$60 (roughly US$22), and is typically valid for three months - enough to cover almost any holiday. You can get it through your car rental company, which usually handles it at pickup, or in person at the Central Police Station on The Carenage in St. George's.
At the rental desk, expect firm conditions. The Grenada Tourism Authority notes that most agencies require drivers to be 25 or over, and the UK government advises that hire companies often add their own requirements on top of the law, such as a minimum period of driving experience or an International Driving Permit. An IDP is therefore not legally mandatory alongside your licence, but it is a sensible companion document - particularly if your home licence is not in English - and some rental firms will ask for one. Carry your original licence and the visitor's permit whenever you drive.
Traffic in Grenada drives on the left, a legacy of its British heritage, and most vehicles are right-hand drive. The road network is scenic but demanding: the UK Foreign Office cautions that roads can have potholes and speed bumps, that minor and rural roads are often narrow with blind corners, and that many stretches are unlit at night. Local drivers do not always indicate, and pedestrians frequently walk on the road, so keep speeds down. If you have an accident, contact the police and do not move your vehicle until they arrive.
Grenada has not ratified either UN road-traffic convention.
Grenada is not a contracting party to the 1949 Geneva or 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic, so no treaty obliges it to recognise an International Driving Permit. That does not automatically make an IDP useless: rental companies and police often ask for a readable translation of a foreign license, and many drivers carry one for exactly that reason. Read the country detail below and confirm the current rules with your rental company before you travel.
What you need to drive in Grenada
Have these ready before you pick up the keys.
Valid original home-country driving licence, carried at all times
Local visitor's driving permit (about EC$60), issued via your rental company or at a police station
IDP under the 1949 Geneva Convention recognised and often requested by rental firms, especially with non-English licences
Most rental agencies require drivers to be 25 or older
Grenada is party to the 1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic, so 1949-format IDPs are the recognised type.
The local visitor's driving permit costs about EC$60 (around US$22) and is typically valid for three months from issue.
Traffic drives on the left and most rental vehicles are right-hand drive.
Most rental agencies set a minimum driver age of 25, and daily rental rates typically run about US$50-75.
The permit can be bought at the Central Police Station on The Carenage in St. George's if your rental company does not arrange it.
Interior roads are mountainous and winding, so journeys take far longer than distances on the map suggest.
What to know before you turn the key
Grenada drives on the left — the driver sits on the right, and roundabouts flow clockwise.
Carry your IDP and your original license together — rental desks and police checks will ask for both documents.
Rental companies normally arrange the visitor's permit at vehicle pickup; otherwise it is issued at the Central Police Station on The Carenage in St. George's.
UK FCDO warns that roads are narrow and winding with potholes, blind corners and little night lighting - allow extra time and drive cautiously.
Traffic keeps left and most rental cars are right-hand drive.
Driving without a valid Grenadian visitor's permit is illegal and can lead to police fines and refused or invalidated rental insurance cover. Traffic offences such as drink-driving are enforced under local law; specific fine amounts are set locally rather than published as fixed tourist tariffs, so do not rely on paying a small on-the-spot penalty.
Local rules to watch in Grenada
Low-emission zones, tolls, and city-specific rules that catch visiting drivers out.
St. George's: steep, narrow one-way streets around The Carenage and limited parking - many visitors park once and explore the capital on foot.
Grand Anse: the main resort strip is a short, straightforward drive from Maurice Bishop International Airport, where most rental desks are based.
Cross-island routes through Grand Etang National Park are steep with hairpin bends and occasional landslip damage - allow extra time and avoid driving them at night.
Signs you'll meet on the road
Eight internationally recognised signs — including which side of the road Grenada keeps.
Common questions about driving in Grenada
Drive Grenada, confidently.
Apply online in minutes and get instant digital access to your IDP translation — with an IDP PVC card option if you want one in your wallet.