UK or EU licence valid for up to 3 months
RequiredVisitors may drive on a valid foreign licence for up to 3 months from entry; beyond that a Belizean licence is required.
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Country driving guide · 2026
Driving in Belize
Everything UK and EU drivers need before crossing the border into Belize: 7 legal requirements + 10 other things worth knowing.
7
Required
3
Recommended
7
Good to know
Tick before you go
Pre-departure checklist for Belize
7 legal must-haves. Print it, tick them off, throw it in the glovebox.
UK or EU licence valid for up to 3 months
Visitors may drive on a valid foreign licence for up to 3 months from entry; beyond that a Belizean licence is required.
Passport must be carried while driving
Police checkpoints (especially near the Guatemala border) routinely ask for passport and immigration stamp alongside the licence.
Local third-party insurance is compulsory
UK/EU policies and green cards are not valid; buy Belizean third-party insurance at the border (around BZD 35-50 / EUR 16-23 for one week) or from the rental company.
Drive on the RIGHT
Belize drives on the right despite being a former British colony: opposite to the UK.
Speed limits 55 mph / 40 mph / 25 mph
Limits are signed in mph: roughly 88 km/h on highways, 65 km/h rural, 40 km/h in towns and villages.
BAC limit 0.08 g/100ml
Drink-drive limit matches the US/UK-England standard at 0.08%; enforcement via roadblocks is common at weekends.
Declare cash over USD 10,000 at border
Amounts equivalent to USD 10,000 or more must be declared to Belize Customs on entry and exit.
Documents
1949 IDP recommended alongside licence
RecommendedBelize recognises the 1949 Geneva Convention IDP; carry one with your photocard licence to avoid hassle at police checkpoints.
Passport must be carried while driving
RequiredPolice checkpoints (especially near the Guatemala border) routinely ask for passport and immigration stamp alongside the licence.
Local third-party insurance is compulsory
RequiredUK/EU policies and green cards are not valid; buy Belizean third-party insurance at the border (around BZD 35-50 / EUR 16-23 for one week) or from the rental company.
Emergency number 911
Good to knowDial 911 for police, ambulance or fire; response times are slow on rural highways so carry a charged phone and offline maps.
Driving rules
Drive on the RIGHT
RequiredBelize drives on the right despite being a former British colony: opposite to the UK.
Speed limits 55 mph / 40 mph / 25 mph
RequiredLimits are signed in mph: roughly 88 km/h on highways, 65 km/h rural, 40 km/h in towns and villages.
BAC limit 0.08 g/100ml
RequiredDrink-drive limit matches the US/UK-England standard at 0.08%; enforcement via roadblocks is common at weekends.
Topes (speed bumps) and unmarked junctions
Good to knowHighways pass directly through villages with aggressive unsigned speed bumps; slow drastically when entering any settlement.
Tolls
No motorways and no tolls
Good to knowBelize has no motorway network and no toll roads; the four main highways (George Price, Philip Goldson, Hummingbird, Southern) are single-carriageway and free.
Vignette
No vignette system
Good to knowNo motorway sticker or e-vignette is required to drive in Belize.
Required equipment
Spare tyre, jack and water
RecommendedNo specific kit is legally mandated, but a working spare, jack and drinking water are essential: recovery services are sparse outside Belize City.
Environment
Hurricane season June-November
RecommendedFlash flooding can close the Hummingbird and Southern highways; check weather and NEMO bulletins before travelling cross-country.
4x4 needed for Mountain Pine Ridge and Caye access
Good to knowMany interior roads are unpaved laterite; the cayes (Ambergris, Caulker) are reached only by ferry or plane and largely ban cars in favour of golf carts.
Money
Currency: Belize Dollar pegged 2:1 to USD
Good to knowBZD is fixed at 2 BZD = 1 USD; US dollars are accepted everywhere, EUR are not: change to USD or BZD before arrival.
Fuel around BZD 13-14 per US gallon
Good to knowPetrol roughly BZD 3.50 / EUR 1.60 per litre; stations are cash-preferred outside major towns, tip the pump attendant BZD 1-2.
Declare cash over USD 10,000 at border
RequiredAmounts equivalent to USD 10,000 or more must be declared to Belize Customs on entry and exit.
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Drive on the RIGHT
RequiredBelize drives on the right despite being a former British colony: opposite to the UK.
Speed limits 55 mph / 40 mph / 25 mph
RequiredLimits are signed in mph: roughly 88 km/h on highways, 65 km/h rural, 40 km/h in towns and villages.
BAC limit 0.08 g/100ml
RequiredDrink-drive limit matches the US/UK-England standard at 0.08%; enforcement via roadblocks is common at weekends.