Okay, so, I set out to get a driver’s license for the Pitcairn Islands. Sounds random, right? But I figured, why not? It’s not something you hear about every day. Plus, I was curious about how different it might be from getting a license in, say, the US or Australia.
First, I did some digging around to figure out what the deal was with driving in the Pitcairn Islands. I learned that it’s a pretty small place, and not exactly a bustling hub of traffic. The roads there are, shall we say, a bit rugged. So, I wasn’t expecting a DMV office on every corner, like in some places.
Then I wanted to know if an International Driving Permit (IDP) would work there. Found out that the IDP situation for the Pitcairn Islands is a bit of a gray area. If I were in the US, I’d supposedly go to my local AAA office, but I’m not there. I discovered that in Australia, the automobile associations in each state issue IDPs. Some islands want you to get a temporary local permit.

- Looked up the Pitcairn Islands’ own rules: I tried to find some official info from the Pitcairn Islands government. No luck.
- Checked out forums and travel sites: A few people mentioned that you might need to get a local permit once you’re there, but it wasn’t super clear. Seemed like not a lot of folks have done this before.
- Checked out about driving in Japan with a license from Pitcairn Islands: I found out it is not valid.
- Checked out the procedure for getting a CNMI driver’s license: I have to go to the DMV in Susupe and pay at the Courthouse cashier first.
After all that, I thought, “Why not just try to buy one online?” I mean, it’s 2023, you can buy almost anything on the internet. I searched for some sites that claimed to sell driver’s licenses, including ones for the Pitcairn Islands.
Eventually, I managed to get my hands on one. It was easy. It’s not like I had to do a driving test or anything. The whole thing felt a bit surreal, to be honest.
So, there you have it. I got a Pitcairn Islands driver’s license without ever stepping foot on the island. Was it necessary? No. Was it an interesting little adventure? Definitely.