Driving in Bermuda: Rules for Visitors and New Residents (2026)

Bermuda handles visitor driving differently from most destinations. Visitors cannot rent regular cars, and foreign driving licences are not accepted for driving cars on the island. Instead, visitors get around on rental scooters (which the Traffic Code Handbook calls livery cycles), small two-seat electric minicars, taxis, buses and ferries. New residents follow a completely different path: everyone who wants to drive a car must pass the Transport Control Department (TCD) written exam and practical test, no matter what licence they hold at home. This guide covers both situations, from renting a moped for a week to earning a full Bermuda licence. ExamReady is an independent study platform and is not affiliated with TCD or the Government of Bermuda.

Key takeaways

Visitors cannot rent regular cars in Bermuda; there is no tourist car-rental market.
Foreign driving licences are not accepted; everyone who wants to drive a car takes the Bermuda tests.
The classic visitor option is a livery cycle (rental scooter or moped); no visitor under 16 may rent one without a valid Bermuda Youth Licence.
The only self-drive car-style rental for visitors is a small two-seat electric minicar; operators set their own driver requirements.
Bermuda drives on the left, with a national speed limit of 35 km/h and lower posted limits in several zones.
New residents staying 30 days or more may apply to TCD and follow the written exam, learner's permit and road test sequence.

Can you rent a car in Bermuda?

No. Visitors cannot rent regular petrol cars in Bermuda, and there is no tourist car-rental market on the island. It shapes how every visitor gets around. Do not plan a Bermuda trip around picking up a rental car at the airport, because that option simply does not exist.

Just as important: a US, UK, Canadian or any other foreign driving licence is not accepted for driving cars in Bermuda. There is no licence exchange. The Traffic Code Handbook is explicit that everyone who wants to drive a car on Bermuda's roads must pass the local tests. For visitors, that leaves three practical options, covered below.

Renting a scooter or moped (livery cycle)

The traditional way for visitors to explore Bermuda is a rental scooter or moped, which the Traffic Code Handbook calls a livery cycle. Rental operators around the island supply the bike and instruction before you set off. Operators set their own rental requirements, so contact the company you plan to use and confirm what they need from you before you arrive.

One rule from the Traffic Code Handbook applies to every rental: no visitor under 16 may rent a livery cycle without a valid Bermuda Youth Licence. If you are travelling with teenagers, plan on other transport for anyone under 16. You can read how the youth licence works in our Bermuda Youth Licence and Project Ride guide.

Riding a scooter on unfamiliar, narrow, left-hand roads is the real challenge, not the rental paperwork. The road rules that keep you safe are covered in the scooter rules section below, and it is worth skimming the Bermuda road signs gallery so the octagonal stop signs, circular order signs and triangular warnings all make sense at a glance.

The electric minicar option

Visitors can rent a small two-seat electric minicar (Renault Twizy and similar models). This is the only self-drive car-style rental available to visitors in Bermuda. The minicars are compact, easy to park and suited to Bermuda's low speed limits, which makes them a middle ground for travellers who do not want to ride a scooter.

Operators set their own driver requirements for minicar rentals, so check directly with the rental company about what they ask for before you book. Whatever the operator requires, the road rules are the same as for every other vehicle: drive on the left, obey the 35 km/h national limit and the lower posted zones, and follow Bermuda's distinctive priority rules at junctions and roundabouts.

Taxis, buses and ferries

If you would rather not drive at all, Bermuda's taxis, public buses and ferries cover the island well. Taxis are the simplest door-to-door option, while public buses and ferries serve the island. For many travellers, especially those uncomfortable with left-hand traffic or two wheels, public transport plus the occasional taxi is the most relaxing way to see Bermuda.

The rules you must know on a scooter

Before you twist the throttle on a rental scooter, learn the rules that Bermuda's Traffic Code Handbook sets out for every rider:

Drive on the left. Keep as near to the left as practicable unless you are overtaking or turning right. This is the biggest adjustment for visitors used to driving on the right.
The national speed limit is 35 km/h on all roads, with lower posted limits in several zones: 25 km/h in the Town of St. George's, Dockyard and at L.F. Wade International Airport, 15 km/h at Somerset Bridge and Hamilton Wharf, and 8 km/h at St. George's Wharf. Full details are in our Bermuda speed limits and road rules guide.
Wear an approved helmet. Helmets must meet approved standards such as UN ECE Regulation 22.05, US DOT FMVSS 218, Snell M-95/M2000/L-98 or British Standard BS 6658:1985, shown by the mark on the helmet.
One pillion passenger maximum, seated on a proper seat with feet on the footrests. Never carry more than one passenger on a cycle.
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 other hazardous conditions.

Bermuda's roads are narrow and winding, so ride within the limits and give yourself time to react. The handbook's basic safe driving rule sums it up: always be able to stop on your own side of the road within the distance you can see to be clear.

Moving to Bermuda? Everyone takes the test

New residents cannot exchange a foreign licence for a Bermuda one. Everyone tests. Whether you hold a US, UK or any other licence, driving a car in Bermuda means passing the TCD written exam and then the practical test. Visitors who will be resident for 30 days or more may apply.

The sequence runs in a fixed order: pass the computer-based written exam first, then purchase a learner's permit, then take the practical test at the TCD grounds in Hamilton. The learner's permit is valid for 6 months and renewable once, you must display red "L" plates front and rear, and only a licensed driving instructor may teach you for payment. The written exam covers general knowledge of the rules of the road, speed limits and signage. TCD does not publish the exam's question count, pass mark or time limit, so treat any site quoting exact figures with caution.

Start studying with the free Bermuda practice test, which mirrors the topics the written exam covers, and learn the signage on the Bermuda road signs page. For the full step-by-step path, including documents, fees and booking, read our guide to getting a driver's licence in Bermuda.

Bermuda driving quirks that surprise newcomers

Bermuda has priority rules that catch out experienced drivers from overseas:

Give way to the LEFT at uncontrolled junctions. At crossroads and junctions with no stop signs, you give way to vehicles entering the intersection from your left. This is the opposite of the priority-to-the-right convention many drivers know.
Roundabouts work the other way round. At roundabouts you give priority to traffic approaching from the RIGHT, unless directed otherwise. Knowing this rule matters from your very first ride.
Four-way stops follow "first to arrive, first to move". When stop lights are out, every vehicle must come to a complete stop, then proceed in order of arrival.
Give way to buses pulling out. When a bus at a bus stop signals its intention to pull out, you must give way.

These rules come straight from the Traffic Code Handbook, and the handbook's own sample questions test right-of-way and stop-sign behaviour, so they matter for the exam as well as the road.

Official sources

Government of Bermuda: How to get a driver's licence (exam sequence, fees, documents)
Transport Control Department (TCD) (the licensing and testing authority)
Government of Bermuda: Transport Control Department (department overview and contacts)

Frequently Asked Questions

Can tourists rent a car in Bermuda?

No. Visitors cannot rent regular cars in Bermuda, and there is no tourist car-rental market. The only self-drive car-style rental for visitors is a small two-seat electric minicar, available ; operators set their own driver requirements, so check with the rental company.

Can I drive in Bermuda with a US or UK licence?

No. Foreign driving licences are not accepted in Bermuda, and there is no licence exchange. To drive a car you must pass the TCD written exam and practical test. Visitors who will be resident for 30 days or more may apply.

Do I need a licence to rent a scooter in Bermuda?

Rental operators provide instruction and set their own requirements, so confirm the details with the company you plan to use. One handbook rule applies to everyone: no visitor under 16 may rent a livery cycle without a valid Bermuda Youth Licence.

What is the speed limit in Bermuda?

The national limit is 35 km/h on all roads. Lower posted limits apply in some zones: 25 km/h in the Town of St. George's, Dockyard and at the airport, 15 km/h at Somerset Bridge and Hamilton Wharf, and 8 km/h at St. George's Wharf.

How do new residents get a Bermuda driver's licence?

Pass the computer-based written exam at TCD first, then purchase a learner's permit, then take the practical test at the TCD grounds. TCD does not publish the exam's question count, pass mark or time limit, so focus on learning the rules of the road, speed limits and signage.

Driving in Bermuda: Rules for Visitors and New Residents (2026)