Car and driving licence in Bermuda: one car per dwelling, your car stays behind, and expect a new test
Your car from the Netherlands can almost never enter Bermuda: you must be the first owner, have had it for at most six months, and it must be small enough. Import duty is 75% on the first $10,000 and 150% above that, except for a fully electric car. Only one car may be registered per dwelling. The TCD does not mention exchanging a licence: expect a theory and a practical test, and check with the TCD.
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Written and checked by Auke on , against the sources at the bottom. Is something no longer right? Report it below and I'll fix it.
Taking your car from the Netherlands to Bermuda almost never works. You must be the first owner and have had it for at most six months, and it must stay within strict dimensions. Import duty is 75% on the first $10,000 and 150% above that. So sell your car in the Netherlands. The TCD does not mention exchanging your licence: expect a theory and a practical test, and check with the TCD. Traffic drives on the left, and outside St. George's the speed limit is 35 km/h.
What applies?
| Subject | What applies | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Cars per dwelling | one private car per dwelling, and per person | |
| Importing a used car | only as first owner, owned for at most 6 months | |
| Import duty petrol or diesel | 75% on the first $10,000, 150% on the rest | |
| Import duty fully electric | 0% | |
| Plates and registration | $48 plates, $37 registration | |
| Licence duty per year | by length | $246.35 to $1,359.29; electric or hybrid up to 4.47 m $1,518.26 |
| Exchanging a driving licence | not mentioned by the TCD; check | |
| Car test | theory on the computer, then practical | $54, plus a $50 driver's licence examination fee (under 65) |
One Bermudian dollar is exactly one US dollar. $10,000 is about €8,900. The licence duty is about €220 to €1,214 a year.
Can you bring your car?
In theory yes, in practice almost never. Since 9 November 2023 a used car may only enter Bermuda if you are the first owner and have owned it for no longer than six months before shipment. A car with more than one owner, including a demonstration car, cannot enter. In addition, it must stay within the dimensions:
| Dimension | Ordinary car | Electric or hybrid |
|---|---|---|
| Engine capacity | at most 2,500 cc | |
| Length | at most 175 inches (4.445 m) | at most 176 inches |
| Width | at most 71 inches (1.80 m) | at most 72 inches |
| Weight | at least 10.5 kg per kW of power | same |
You ask the Transport Control Department (TCD) for approval in advance, with the make, type, dimensions, weight and engine.
Do the sums on the import duty. A petrol car worth $30,000 costs $7,500 on the first $10,000 and $30,000 on the rest: $37,500 in total, more than the car itself. A fully electric car pays 0%. If you do want a car, buy it in Bermuda, or new and electric.
A classic car of 25 years or older can come in under a separate scheme, but there are at most 200 of them on the island, and they may only be driven at weekends and on public holidays.
May you have a car at all?
Yes, but only one private car may be registered per dwelling, and no one may own more than one. If a car is already registered in your household, no one else in that household may register one. In a rented home, the tenant with exclusive use registers it. You must actually live there and hold a Bermudian driving licence. A car in a company's name is not allowed. If you move, you report it within 21 days.
The law does not say that foreigners may not have a car. The limit lies with the dwelling. If you share a house with others, ask whether a car is already registered at the address. Also read renting in Bermuda.
A scooter or motorcycle is an alternative. It may be up to 150 cc with a four-stroke engine, and up to 100 cc with a two-stroke. Import duty is 35%, and 0% for an electric one. The plates cost $25.
How do you get your driving licence?
The TCD does not mention exchanging a licence: expect a theory and a practical test, and check with the TCD. This is the route the TCD describes:
- The application. With a medical certificate from a doctor.
- The theory test. On the computer at the TCD. Bring your birth certificate and your passport or work permit.
- The practical test. On the TCD grounds, with parking and reversing, and a supervised drive.
You must show that you have lived in Bermuda for 30 days or more. The TCD can put you in touch with an instructor for an orientation lesson. The minimum age for a car is 18.
| Test | Fee |
|---|---|
| Auxiliary cycle (light moped) | $38 |
| Motorcycle | $38 |
| Car | $54 |
| Examination for Driver's Licence, under 65 | $50 |
The licence is valid for ten years, or until your 70th birthday. After that, for shorter periods. You renew online via eTCD. The TCD is at 11 North Street in Hamilton, telephone 441-292-1271.
Whether you may drive on your Dutch licence in the first weeks, we did not find in an official source. The law requires a Bermudian licence to drive a car. So assume you will take the bus, the ferry or a taxi until your test.
How do you drive in Bermuda?
Traffic drives on the left. The speed limit is 35 km/h, and 25 km/h in the town of St. George's. Where signs are posted, a lower limit sometimes applies. Do not bring your car, but sell it in the Netherlands before you leave. What else can go in the container, you can read in household goods to Bermuda.
In Vertrekklaar this is phase 5 of 5 of the journey, step 5.5: the same steps, but for your situation — in your order, tickable, and with the deadlines watched. See the whole journey to Bermuda or go straight to step 5.5 in the open plan.
What this rests on
The facts in this article come from these official pages. Rules change. When in doubt, go by the source, not this article.
- Government of Bermuda — importing a vehicle, with the first owner, the six months, the dimensions and the registration fees — gov.bm
- Motor Car Act 1951, sections 15, 16, 80, 84 and 86 and the schedules — one car per dwelling, the dimensions, the licence duty and the driving licence — bermudalaws.bm
- Bermuda Customs Tariff 2026 — the import duty on cars (8703) and motorcycles (8711) — gov.bm
- Government of Bermuda — getting a driver's licence, with the tests, the fees and the 30 days — gov.bm
- Road Traffic Act 1947, section 7 and the Highway Code — driving on the left and the 35 km/h speed limit — bermudalaws.bm
- Transport Control Department (TCD) — address, telephone and renewing via eTCD — gov.bm
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