Okay, here’s my experience about getting a Saint Barthelemy driving license, hope it helps.
So, I decided to move to Saint Barthelemy, a beautiful island. It’s also known as St. Barts. I packed my bags, got all my stuff in order, and flew over. The first thing I realized was that I needed to get around, and for that, I needed a car. But here’s the kicker, I needed a local driver’s license.
First off, I found out that St. Barts is part of France. So everyone there is a French citizen. And because of that, the rules are a bit different. I heard some folks saying that you might get by with a US license for a short visit, but since I was planning to stay, I needed the real deal.

Before anything else, I made sure I had my passport and visa ready. These are super important to even get into the country. I did some digging and learned that living in St. Barts is pretty expensive. Much more than in the US or Europe. They use the Euro there, and renting a place can cost you anywhere from $300 to over $1,000 a night!
Next, I started asking around about how to get a local driver’s license. It turns out, it’s not as simple as just showing up and swapping your old license. I needed to figure out the local requirements and get all the right documents together.
- Gathered Information: I talked to some locals, visited the local authorities’ office, and did a lot of online research to understand the process.
- Prepared Documents: I made sure I had all the necessary documents, which included my passport, proof of residency (which was a whole other adventure), and some passport photos.
- Learned the Rules: I studied up on the local driving rules. They drive on the right side of the road, just like in the US, but there are some specific regulations I needed to know.
- Submitted Application: After getting everything in order, I submitted my application for the driver’s license. There was a fee involved, of course.
- Waited for Processing: This part took some time. I had to be patient while they processed my application and conducted whatever checks they needed to do.
- Received My License: Finally, after a few weeks, I got my Saint Barthelemy driver’s license! It was a relief to finally have it in hand.
Here’s what I did:
Getting a Saint Barthelemy driver’s license was definitely a process, but I managed to do it. Now I can legally drive around this beautiful island. It’s a great feeling to explore and not have to rely on others for transportation. If you’re planning on moving to St. Barts, just be prepared for a bit of paperwork and some waiting time, but it’s totally doable!