You have a driver’s license issued within the Kingdom of the Netherlands and you want to drive on Bonaire
With a driver’s license issued within the Kingdom of the Netherlands—such as those from the Netherlands, Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten, and the two BES islands of Sint Eustatius and Saba—you may drive on Bonaire as long as it is valid. You do not need to exchange your driver’s license because it is equivalent to the Bonaire driver’s license.
You have a foreign driver’s license issued outside the Kingdom of the Netherlands and you want to drive on Bonaire
With a driver’s license issued outside the Kingdom of the Netherlands, you may drive on Bonaire for up to 6 months. After that, you must exchange your foreign driver’s license for a Bonaire driver’s license.
Exchanging Foreign Driver's Licenses for a Bonaire Driver's License
Procedure for exchanging driver’s licenses issued within the Kingdom of the Netherlands:
- Pay the application fee at the Civil Affairs Office;
- Submit a certificate of authenticity for the foreign driver’s license;
- Submit a medical certificate;
- Submit the foreign driver’s license, which will be retained and sent to the country of issuance.
- Once the application is approved, a Bonaire driver’s license will be issued by the Civil Affairs Office.
*Only those driver’s license categories on the foreign license that comply with Bonaire’s Road Traffic Regulations will be recognized.
Procedure for exchanging driver’s licenses issued outside the Kingdom of the Netherlands:
- Pay the processing fee at the Civil Affairs Office;
- Schedule an appointment to take a driving test at the Driver’s License Office;
- Submit a certificate of authenticity for the foreign driver’s license;
- Submit a medical certificate;
- Submit the foreign driver’s license, which will be retained and sent to the country of issuance.
- Upon approval of the application, a Bonaire driver’s license will be issued by the Civil Affairs Department, subject to passing a driving test at the Driver’s License Office.
*Only driver’s licenses listed in the Geneva Convention will be exchanged for a Bonaire Category “B” (Passenger Car) driver’s license after passing a driving test. To add additional categories to the driver’s license, a written and practical exam must be taken for each category.
