Cayman DVDL Fees Cut 2026: Non-Caymanian Rates Reduced

Key Takeaways:
On 31 August 2026, the evening before the two-tier DVDL fees took effect, the Cayman Islands Government cut the non-Caymanian driver's licence rates from about 8 times the Caymanian rate to about 3 times.
A 3-year licence now costs a non-Caymanian CI$225, not the CI$600 approved in July. A 10-year licence is CI$750, not CI$2,000.
Caymanians get multi-year discounts for the first time: 10%, 15% and 20% off 3, 5 and 10-year licences, which now cost CI$68, CI$106 and CI$200.
Test fees did not change. Non-Caymanians still pay CI$100 per written test attempt and CI$200 per road test, four times the Caymanian rate.
Anyone aged 65 or over pays the reduced fee, Caymanian or not. Spouses and civil partners of Caymanians pay the Caymanian rate. Permanent residents, work-permit holders and naturalised residents without Caymanian status pay the higher rate.
A first 3-year licence from scratch now costs a non-Caymanian about CI$645 if they pass both tests first time. Practise the written test free on ExamReady so you only pay for each test once.

The Cayman Islands Government reversed the most contested part of its DVDL fee change less than 24 hours before it took effect. In a press release dated 31 August 2026, which the Cayman Compass says reached the press shortly after 5pm that Monday, the government confirmed that the two-tier fee structure would start on Tuesday 1 September as planned. The difference is in the numbers: the non-Caymanian driver's licence rates were cut sharply, and Caymanians who buy longer licences get a discount. The Compass reported the price tag for non-Caymanian licences "has gone down", and Cayman News Service called it an "11th hour cut".

What did not change matters just as much for anyone still working through the licensing process: the written and road test fees stand exactly as approved in July, and the principle of charging by nationality stays.

What changed on 31 August 2026

The July regulation (the Traffic (Amendment) Regulations, 2026, SL 34 of 2026) set non-Caymanian car and motorcycle licence fees at eight times the Caymanian rate, and Group 4 fees at more than six times. The revised schedule sets them at three times the undiscounted Caymanian rate, and gives Caymanians a discount on every licence longer than one year. Here is the full comparison, with the figures from the government's release and the DVDL licence fees page:

Cayman DVDL driver's licence and test fees, before and after 1 September 2026 (CI$)
Licence or test	Caymanian (before 1 Sept)	Caymanian (from 1 Sept)	Non-Caymanian (approved in July)	Non-Caymanian (from 1 Sept)
Learner's licence (6 months)	CI$60	CI$60	CI$120	CI$120
Full licence, 1 year, Groups 0-3	CI$25	CI$25	CI$200	CI$75
Full licence, 3 years, Groups 0-3	CI$75	CI$68	CI$600	CI$225
Full licence, 5 years, Groups 0-3	CI$125	CI$106	CI$1,000	CI$375
Full licence, 10 years, Groups 0-3	CI$250	CI$200	CI$2,000	CI$750
Full licence, 1 year, Group 4	CI$40	CI$40	CI$250	CI$120
Full licence, 3 years, Group 4	CI$120	CI$108	CI$750	CI$360
Full licence, 5 years, Group 4	CI$200	CI$170	CI$1,250	CI$600
Full licence, 10 years, Group 4	CI$400	CI$320	CI$2,500	CI$1,200
Driving test (road)	CI$50	CI$50	CI$200	CI$200
Written (theory) test	CI$25	CI$25	CI$100	CI$100

Groups 0 to 3 cover cars and motorcycles; Group 4 covers everything else, such as trucks and buses. The "approved in July" column is what our earlier Cayman DVDL fee guides reported, because it was the law as gazetted; those figures never applied to a single transaction.

Minister for Planning, Lands, Agriculture, Housing and Infrastructure Jay Ebanks said in the release: "We listened carefully to the concerns raised and took the time to review the fee structure before implementation. The revised approach strikes a more balanced position, while maintaining the principle that Caymanians should receive a meaningful benefit, particularly when choosing longer-term licences." Finance Minister Rolston Anglin tied the cut to the public finances: revenues exceeded expectations in the first six months of 2026, so "a reduction in the proposed licence fees would not negatively impact government revenues while also providing residents and Caymanians with some cost-of-living relief." The original schedule had been expected to raise about CI$9.6 million a year.

What did not change: the test fees

Most of the coverage is about the licence, but the test fees were the part of the July package most likely to bite, and they are untouched. A non-Caymanian pays CI$100 per written test attempt and CI$200 per road test, charged every time, with a refund only if you cancel at least 24 hours ahead, according to the DVDL test booking page. Caymanians pay CI$25 and CI$50.

Cayman's pass rate makes that expensive. Only about 52.5% of candidates pass, as we set out in our pass rate analysis, and the written test demands 32 correct answers out of 40, an 80% pass mark. A non-Caymanian who fails each test once adds CI$300 to the bill, which is now more than the CI$225 licence itself. Under the July schedule a failed written test would have cost a sixth of the licence; today it costs nearly half of it. The cheapest part of the whole process is still the free practice you do before you book: drill the Cayman written test on ExamReady until you score above 80% every time.

Caymanians pay less than they did in August

Until 31 August every driver, Caymanian or not, paid CI$25, CI$75, CI$125 and CI$250 for a 1, 3, 5 and 10-year licence. The July regulation kept those figures for Caymanians. The revised schedule discounts them by 10% for 3 years, 15% for 5 years and 20% for 10 years, so a Caymanian buying a 10-year licence today pays CI$200, CI$50 less than it cost in August. The same percentages apply to Group 4, where a 10-year licence falls from CI$400 to CI$320.

For Caymanians the longer the term, the lower the yearly cost: CI$25 a year for one year, CI$22.67 for three, CI$21.20 for five and CI$20 for ten. For non-Caymanians the arithmetic is flat. Every Groups 0-3 term costs exactly CI$75 a year (CI$75, CI$225, CI$375 or CI$750), so there is no saving in paying up front for a decade. Pick the term that matches how long you expect to stay, or the length of your work permit, rather than the longest one on offer.

Who pays which rate

The DVDL now checks status electronically against "approved government information" and sorts each customer into one of four groups: eligible for the Caymanian fee, non-Caymanian, ineligible, or needing manual verification. A missing record does not automatically make you non-Caymanian; it sends you to manual review. The DVDL closed its Grand Cayman offices on Monday 31 August for staff training on the new system, the Compass reported.

Caymanians pay the Caymanian rate once verified. For manual review the DVDL accepts a Cayman Islands voter's ID card, passport, birth certificate, Caymanian status certificate or letter, or acknowledgement certificate or letter.
Spouses and civil partners of Caymanians pay the Caymanian rate on production of a marriage or civil partnership certificate. This does not change immigration status, and the DVDL says eligibility is reassessed if the marriage or partnership ends.
Anyone aged 65 or over qualifies for the reduced fee, including non-Caymanian seniors.
Permanent residents, work-permit holders and naturalised residents who have not been granted Caymanian status pay the non-Caymanian rate. The DVDL FAQ lists a work permit among the documents that place a customer in the non-Caymanian tier, and the Cayman Compass reported that naturalised residents without status are charged the higher rate.
Charged the wrong fee? Take your receipt, ID and supporting documents to any DVDL office and ask for a review. If the review confirms an overcharge, you can apply for reimbursement. The DVDL's fee changes FAQ sets out the process.

What a first-time driver pays now

A non-Caymanian who starts from scratch and passes both tests first time pays CI$645 for a 3-year licence: learner's licence CI$120, written test CI$100, road test CI$200 and the licence CI$225. Under the July schedule the same journey would have cost CI$1,020, and in August it cost CI$210. With a 10-year licence the total is CI$1,170 rather than the CI$2,420 first approved. A Caymanian on the same path pays CI$203 for three years or CI$335 for ten.

Each failed attempt adds CI$100 or CI$200 for a non-Caymanian, so two failed road tests (CI$400) wipe out the entire CI$375 that the fee cut saved on a 3-year licence. For the process itself, from documents to booking, see our step-by-step guide to getting a Cayman driver's licence, and for every fee in one place, the full DVDL fee breakdown.

Three loose ends

The legal paperwork has not caught up. As of 2 September 2026 the only 2026 fee regulation on the DVDL's legislation page is still SL 34 of 2026 with the July figures. We could not find a gazetted amending regulation; the government release and the DVDL fee page are the published authority for the revised amounts.
The DVDL fee page is only partly updated. Its first-issue rows show the revised figures, but its Group 4 renewal rows still list CI$750, CI$1,250 and CI$2,500 for non-Caymanians, the July numbers. If you renew a Group 4 licence, confirm the amount at the counter.
Vehicle licence fees were not mentioned. The release covers driving licences and related services. The small private-car split in SL 34 (CI$180 for Caymanians against CI$200 for non-Caymanians for 12 months on a car up to 2,500 cc) appears to stand.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much is a Cayman driver's licence for a non-Caymanian now?

From 1 September 2026, CI$75 for 1 year, CI$225 for 3 years, CI$375 for 5 years or CI$750 for 10 years for Groups 0 to 3. Add the learner's licence (CI$120), written test (CI$100) and road test (CI$200) for a first licence, and a 3-year licence from scratch totals CI$645.

Did the written and road test fees go down too?

No. Non-Caymanians pay CI$100 per written test and CI$200 per road test, as approved in July. Caymanians pay CI$25 and CI$50. Both are charged per attempt.

Do Caymanians pay less than before 1 September?

Yes, for anything longer than a year. A 3-year licence is CI$68 (was CI$75), 5 years CI$106 (was CI$125) and 10 years CI$200 (was CI$250). The 1-year licence, learner's licence and test fees are unchanged.

I paid the higher fee. Can I get money back?

If you believe you were charged the wrong tier, visit any DVDL office with your receipt, ID and documents proving your status. The DVDL reviews the transaction and, where it confirms an overcharge, you can apply for reimbursement.

Do permanent residents or work-permit holders get the Caymanian rate?

No. Only verified Caymanians, their spouses and civil partners, and anyone aged 65 or over qualify for the lower rate. Permanent residents and naturalised residents without Caymanian status pay the non-Caymanian fee.

Sources

Cayman Islands Government / DVDL press release, 31 August 2026: Government Confirms Revised DVDL Fees Effective 1 September
DVDL: Drivers Licence Fees (new fees effective 1 September 2026)
DVDL FAQ: Fee Changes 2026 (Caymanian/Non-Caymanian)
Radio Cayman, 1 September 2026: Revised DVDL Fee Structure Effective 1 September 2026
Cayman News Service, 1 September 2026: 11th hour cut to expat driver's licence fee hike
Cayman Compass, 1 September 2026: Government reduces planned hike in licence fees for foreign drivers (print and app edition; no public URL at the time of writing)
Traffic (Amendment) Regulations, 2026 (SL 34 of 2026) (the July schedule, including the Group 4 and vehicle licence fees)
DVDL: Scheduling an appointment for a test (test fees, cancellation and refund rules)
Cayman Compass, 9 July 2026: Higher DVDL fees for non-Caymanians from September (the original schedule)