How can I get a Belize driver’s license?

Although visitors to Belize may drive with a valid driver's license from their home country, after an extended period of time they are expected to obtain a Belizean license.  Some municipalities require a foreigner to apply for a Belize license after as little as 3 months in country, while others cite 6 months or a year as the requirement.  All agree that permanent residents of Belize must obtain a Belize license, even though in practice this is not well...

Although visitors to Belize may drive with a valid driver's license from their home country, after an extended period of time they are expected to obtain a Belizean license.  Some municipalities require a foreigner to apply for a Belize license after as little as 3 months in country, while others cite 6 months or a year as the requirement.  All agree that permanent residents of Belize must obtain a Belize license, even though in practice this is not well enforced and many foreigners continue to use their home country license indefinitely.

 

To apply for a license, you can go to the county or town Traffic Department office, depending on whether you live in town or in an unincorporated area.  You may also go to the Ministry of Transport in Belmopan.  You must provide your valid home country license and proof of where you live in Belize, such as a utility bill or a letter from your landlord.  You will be asked for passport type photos and payment of the processing fees, which vary with the issuing entity.

 

Since the Belize driver's license is evidence of Belize residence, showing it at national parks, museums, the zoo, etc., qualifies the bearer to pay the lower Belize resident entrance fee, often at considerable savings.

 

(Museum artifacts from the Mayan ruins at Nim Li Punit, pictured.)