Foreign visitors wishing to drive on the Guyana local registered vehicles must obtain Guyana driving permits which are is valid for one month. Guyana driving permits are issued by the License Revenue Office of the Guyana Revenue Authority. To obtain the Guyana driving permit, a foreign driver must provide his valid driver license issued by the country of his residence and his local address while in Guyana. Note: applications cannot be made via e-mail.
Foreign visitors who enter to Guyana from Brazil, via the Takatu Bridge, with cars registered in Brazil may drive their cars in the Lethem area (Freeport zone) without a temporary importation document if they are not going to stay in Guyana longer than 72 hours. Vehicles registered in Brazil cannot leave the Lethem area without obtaining the appropriate documentation from Guyana Revenue Authority.
Foreign drivers using vehicles registered in other countries which have International Road Transportation Agreements with Guyana to leave the Lethem area and go to other part of Guyana must obtain a Temporary Importation of vehicles and free driver licenses which are valid for 14 days. To obtain the Temporary Importation of vehicle and free driver license, a foreign driver must provide his valid driver license and form of identification issued by the country of his residence, car registration and insurance documents, and International travel document for the motor vehicle.
Residents of Suriname entering Guyana via the Moleson Creek port with cars registered in Suriname are permitted to drive in Guyana for 14 days if they obtain a Certificate of Temporary Import of Motor Vehicle from the Customs and Trade Administration. To obtain a Certificate of Temporary Import of Motor Vehicle, a driver must complete an application form and submit to the customs office vehicle registration and insurance documents, and valid driver license and form of identification. If a driver is not a car owner he must provide a notarized authorization from the car’s owner which allows utilizing the vehicle in Guyana. If vehicle registration is being held by the Suriname's bank, a notarized authorization from the bank must indicate permission for the vehicle to be removed from Suriname for a limited period.
All papers must be in English.
The main road traffic rules:
- The driving is on the left side.
- A person may be registered as an owner of a motor vehicle if he is above 17 years of age.
- A person may only drive a motor vehicle if he has held a driving permit.
- A person under 16 years may not drive a motor vehicle.
- A person under 17 years may not drive a motor vehicle other than a motorcycle.
- A person under 18 years may not drive a hire car, bus, lorry, and tractor.
- It is not permitted to drive motor vehicle under influence of drink or drugs. The legal blood alcohol level is 0.08%.
- Only one trailer may be drawn by a motor vehicle on a road.
- It is not lawful for any driver to drive for continuous period more than five hours and one-half. Any driver may not drive more than 11 hours and must rest at least 10 consecutive hours in any period of 24 hours.
- Any police officer may arrest without warrant the driver who is dangerous driving unless the driver gives his name and address or his driver license for examination.
- Any driver must stop his vehicle if it is required by a police officer in the uniform.
- Seat-belts are mandatory.
- Children may be conveyed in appropriate child restraint systems only.
- It is not permitted for more than one additional person to a driver on any two-wheeled motorcycles.
- The Third Party Risk insurance is obligatory.
- The maximum speed limit in the urban areas is 50 km/h, outside urban areas – 80 km/h, on highways – 100 km/h.
- All motorcycles riders must wear helmets.
- It is permitted to do random breath testing and/or police checkpoints.
In a case of an accident, drivers must immediately stop their vehicles, give their names, addresses and registration numbers of their vehicles and exhibit their driver licenses to any person injured in the accident.
Driving Overseas - Short Information