Bermuda Youth Licence and Project Ride: Riding at 16 (2026)

Bermuda Youth Licence and Project Ride: Riding at 16 (2026)

At 16, you cannot yet drive a car in Bermuda, but you can ride a 50 cc auxiliary cycle on the road. The route is the Bermuda Youth Licence (BYL), in effect since 1 April 2010, and the door into it is Project Ride, the programme you must successfully complete before the Transport Control Department (TCD) will issue your licence. This guide covers the whole path: what the BYL is, how Project Ride fits in, the two restrictions every young rider must respect, the helmet standards that are legal in Bermuda, and what changes when you turn 18. ExamReady is an independent study site and is not affiliated with TCD or the Government of Bermuda. When you start studying the rules of the road, try our free Bermuda practice test.

Key takeaways

• The Bermuda Youth Licence lets riders aged 16 to 18 ride 50 cc auxiliary cycles only; it has existed since 1 April 2010.
• You must successfully complete Project Ride and obtain the official certificate before applying at TCD with a completed medical form and the fees.
• Two hard restrictions: no passengers and no riding on the roads between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m.
• Breaking a BYL restriction carries a $300 fine, 5 to 7 demerit points, and a possible six-month riding ban.
• The BYL is valid for 2 years and expires 3 months after your birthday in the appropriate year.

What is the Bermuda Youth Licence?

The Bermuda Youth Licence is a special licence class for riders aged 16 to 18, and it covers 50 cc auxiliary cycles only. It has been in effect since 1 April 2010. Everything bigger comes later: the minimum age for private cars, motorcycles over 50 cc, buses, taxis and heavy trucks is 18.

The BYL matters beyond commuting to school or work. Under the Traffic Code Handbook, no visitor under 16 may rent a livery cycle without a valid BYL, and since cars and motorcycles over 50 cc require you to be 18, the BYL is the only licence available before then. It comes with conditions designed for new riders, which we cover below.

How do you get a BYL? Project Ride comes first

The path has three stages: successfully complete Project Ride, obtain the official certificate proving you did, and then apply at TCD with a completed medical form and the fees. Project Ride is mandatory, and TCD will not issue a Bermuda Youth Licence without it.

This guide does not list Project Ride session dates, costs or venues, so confirm current programme details directly with TCD before you plan around them. TCD is located at 11 North Street, Hamilton HM 17.

The medical form is part of every Bermuda licence application: a registered Bermuda medical practitioner certifies that you are fit to ride. On fees, gov.bm lists the exam fee for auxiliary cycles at $38.00; budget for that and confirm the total payable for your application when you attend TCD. Study the road rules before you go: our Bermuda road signs gallery covers the sign shapes and markings every rider is expected to know.

What are the BYL restrictions?

A Bermuda Youth Licence carries exactly two restrictions:

• No passengers. You may not carry anyone on an auxiliary cycle while riding on a BYL.
• No riding on the roads between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m.

The penalties for breaking either restriction are serious for a new rider: a $300 fine, 5 to 7 demerit points, and a possible six-month ban from riding. Six months off the road at 16 or 17 can wipe out a big chunk of the licence's two-year life, so treat both rules as non-negotiable.

How long is the Bermuda Youth Licence valid?

The BYL is valid for 2 years. It expires 3 months after the holder's birthday in the appropriate year, rather than exactly two years to the day, so check the date printed on your licence and plan ahead. The BYL covers ages 16 to 18; at 18 you become eligible for the standard licensing route.

Which helmets are legal in Bermuda?

Bermuda law only accepts helmets carrying an approved standard mark. The Traffic Code Handbook lists these approved standards:

• UN ECE Regulation 22.05 (the "E" mark)
• US DOT FMVSS 218
• Snell M-95, M2000 or L-98
• British Standard BS 6658:1985

Check for one of these marks before you buy; a helmet without an approved mark does not meet the law, whatever it cost. The general rule for cycles is that only one pillion passenger may be carried, on a proper seat with their feet on footrests. Remember, though, that this general rule does not help a BYL holder: on a Youth Licence you may carry no passenger at all.

Key riding rules for young riders

An auxiliary cycle follows the same rules of the road as every other vehicle in Bermuda. These are the ones that matter most on your first rides:

• Ride on the left, and keep as near to the left as practicable unless overtaking or turning right.
• The national speed limit is 35 km/h on all roads, and it applies to auxiliary cycles. Lower posted limits apply in places such as the Town of St. George's and Dockyard (25 km/h).
• Keep a two-second gap behind the vehicle ahead, and at least double it to four seconds on wet roads, at dawn or dusk, or in hazardous conditions. Bermuda's roads reward caution on two wheels.
• Know your give-way rules: at crossroads and junctions with no stop signs, give way to vehicles entering from your left; on roundabouts, give priority to traffic approaching from the right; give way to traffic on a major road when entering from a minor road, and to a bus signalling to pull out from a bus stop.

For the full picture, including every posted speed zone and the overtaking rules, read our Bermuda speed limits and road rules guide.

Moving up at 18: cars and bigger bikes

At 18 you become eligible for private cars and motorcycles over 50 cc. That route runs through TCD's standard sequence: pass the computer-based written exam first, then purchase a learner's permit, then take the practical test at TCD's grounds. TCD does not publish the written exam's question count, pass mark or time limit, so ignore any site quoting exact figures. Exam fees on gov.bm are $38.00 for motorcycles and $54.00 for 4-wheel vehicles, and you confirm your exam appointment by calling 292-1271 before 12:00 p.m. the day prior.

Your BYL riding experience gives you a real head start on the rules of the road, but there is no shortcut around the tests: foreign licences are not accepted in Bermuda either, so everyone sits the same exams. For the full step-by-step path, see our pillar guide on how to get a driver's licence in Bermuda, and practise with the free Bermuda practice test before exam day.

Official sources

• gov.bm - How to get a driver's licence (fees and the exam sequence)
• Transport Control Department (TCD) (applications, official TCD website)
• gov.bm - Transport Control Department (the licensing authority)
• The Traffic Code Handbook, Government of Bermuda, Transport Control Department (BYL rules, helmet standards and the rules of the road)

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Project Ride in Bermuda?

Project Ride is the mandatory programme for the Bermuda Youth Licence. You must successfully complete it and obtain the official certificate before TCD will issue a BYL. Confirm current schedules, locations and programme details directly with TCD, as these are not listed here.

At what age can you ride an auxiliary cycle in Bermuda?

From age 16, with a Bermuda Youth Licence. The BYL covers 50 cc auxiliary cycles only and is open to riders aged 16 to 18. Cars and motorcycles over 50 cc require you to be 18 and to pass TCD's written and practical tests.

Can a Bermuda Youth Licence holder carry a passenger?

No. A BYL holder may carry no passengers at all, and riding on the roads between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m. is also prohibited. Breaking either restriction carries a $300 fine, 5 to 7 demerit points, and a possible six-month riding ban.

How long is the Bermuda Youth Licence valid?

The BYL is valid for 2 years and expires 3 months after the holder's birthday in the appropriate year. At 18 you become eligible for the standard licence route.

What helmet do I need to ride legally in Bermuda?

Your helmet must carry an approved standard mark: UN ECE Regulation 22.05 ("E" mark), US DOT FMVSS 218, Snell M-95, M2000 or L-98, or British Standard BS 6658:1985. A helmet without one of these marks does not satisfy Bermuda law.