Okay, so I’ve been meaning to share this for a while, and today’s the day. It’s about how I got myself a Cook Islands driver’s license, and let me tell you, it was a bit of a ride.
First off, I landed in Rarotonga. Beautiful place, by the way. Anyway, I knew I wanted to rent a scooter to zip around the island, but I wasn’t sure about the whole license situation. My license from back home is in a non-English language, so I figured I’d need a local one.
So, my first step was to head over to the police station in Avarua. It’s right in the middle of town, you can’t miss it. I walked into the license division, feeling a bit like a fish out of water, and asked about getting a Cook Islands license. The officer there was pretty helpful, explaining the process and all. He confirmed my assumption, because my license was not in English I would need a Cook Islands one to rent.

Basically, I needed to provide my current license. They didn’t seem to care that it wasn’t in English as long as it was an official license.
I filled out some forms, paid a fee—I think it was around $20 NZD, but don’t quote me on that—and got my photo taken. It was all pretty straightforward, to be honest.
I had heard rumors that you might need to take a driving test, especially on a scooter, but that wasn’t the case for me. Maybe it’s because I already had a license, or maybe they just don’t do it anymore. Either way, I was relieved.
- Go to the police station in Avarua.
- Talk to someone in the license division.
- Fill out the application form.
- Pay the fee.
- Get your photo taken.
- Receive your Cook Islands driver’s license.
After all that, they handed me a temporary license, printed on a piece of paper. They said the real one would be ready in a few days, and I could just pick it up later. Sure enough, a couple of days later, I went back and got my official Cook Islands driver’s license. It’s a pretty cool souvenir, actually.
So yeah, that’s how I ended up with a Cook Islands driver’s license. It was way easier than I expected. If you’re ever in the Cooks and need a license, don’t sweat it. Just follow these steps, and you’ll be cruising around in no time.