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Bermuda's Personal Transportation options for Residents

Options in automobiles, cycles, mopeds, scooters and licensing

By Keith Archibald Forbes (see About Us) exclusively for Bermuda Online

To refer by e-mail to this file use "bermuda-online.org/wheels" as your Subject

All tourists - airline via Bermuda International Airport or cruise ship or business visitors - should refer to Getting Around by Visitors.

Residents include locals and Work Permit approved newcomers and their dependents, and those buying or leasing a property or retired. They can apply for a Bermuda Driver's license from the Transport Control Department (TCD) of the Bermuda Government -  11 North Street, Hamilton HM 17, Post Office Box HM 718,  Hamilton HM CX. Or telephone (441) 292 1271, if resident for 30 consecutive days or can prove they will. Note the complexity of the rules and regulations applying in each category of motor vehicles.

In April 2007 the TCD began an island-wide deployment of an Electronic Vehicle Registration (EVR) system. Based on radio frequency identification (RFID) technology, EVR is used to maintain an accurate registration of the island’s 47,000+ 4-wheel or more vehicles and motorcycles. RFID tags on each vehicle interact with strategically placed readers around the island to ensure that all vehicles are properly registered, insured and inspected. The system operates similar to electronic tolling, popular in high volume traffic centers around the world and will frustrate those vehicle owners who would prefer to break the law by driving around in an unlicensed or uninsured vehicle. TCD data indicates this number is approximately 8% of Bermuda’s vehicle population. The Government does not include motorcycles and mopeds. It is hoped the RFID tags will reduce the number of vehicles operating without a licence — estimated to be in the region of just under 6,000 — and translates into a loss of $11 million a year because Government has been unable to enforce licensing requirements. 

Accidents

When involved in any kind of accident involving injury to a person or damage to a vehicle, the first thing to do is call the Police at 911. This is particularly important because insurance companies will not entertain claims without a police report.  To do so, it is recommended all drivers have a cell phone available. Insurance companies will not honor claims unless there is a Police report. Involved parties should always exchange names, addresses, home and business phone numbers and insurance companies. If you decide to pay for any damage you have caused without calling the Police, have an independent witness to verify the transaction to prevent fraud. Keep your Driver's License with you. Expect the Police to tell you, if the other driver does not, that the latter is licensed and insured. If not, object and decline to pay any damage yourself or via your insurance company.

All aspects of road traffic

Are under the control and administration of the Transport Control Department - e-mail tcd@gov.bm - of the Ministry of Transport of the Bermuda Government. Headed by Premier and Minister of Transport and Tourism Dr. Ewart Brown, JP,. MP, it manages and regulates public and private transportation in Bermuda, including the airport, weather services, buses and ferries.

"Traffic congestion in Bermuda is really becoming a headache. " So says advertisements by the Ministry of Transport, Department of Marine & Ports Services, for its new SeaExpress ferry service. Whichever way you travel when in Bermuda, note that the density per square mile of motor traffic on the roads is the highest in the world - more than 2,300 vehicles per square mile. (Most tourists don't commute during rush hours, so don't see the traffic chaos then). Also, many tourists on mopeds - one behind the other as two abreast is a no-no - go well below the speed limit, which makes locals want to pass them. (Nor does it help tourists or newcomers when locals pass them at double the speed limit, usually with no detection by Police).

A traffic study a few years ago said that if Bermuda had more than 15,000 cars on its total area of 21 square miles, it would reach saturation point. According to 2006 Transport Control Department (TCD) figures, the number of vehicles on Bermuda's 37 miles of roads are as follows:

The figures above are the equivalent of nearly every member of Bermuda's population having a motorized vehicle on the roads.

Note that some businesses - for example, those that deliver groceries to a home, visitor at an efficiency unit or business - are allowed only one truck. Overall, the traffic situation is so bad - so crowded - that 120 proposals are being studied for possible implementation. They include further limiting car ownership - already long reduced to a maximum of one per household - by any or all of the following:

• An upper limit on the number of cars in Bermuda.
• Banning all second-hand cars.
• Considering preventing certain members of the community from owning cars, such as non-Bermudians or single people without children.

In July 2008 legislation to cut down the number of cars clogging Bermuda's roads was enacted.  The new Motor Car and Landlord and Tenant Amendment Acts 2008  attempt to shut a loophole which allows people to have more than one registered vehicle per household. Methods to enforce the rule more rigorously include making people show two bills to prove their residence, and rendering landlords accountable. Those breaking the law face having their vehicle registration cancelled and prosecution. Reducing traffic would help cut air pollution, congestion, fuel consumption and increasing road safety concerns. 

In April 2007 it was announced that curbs on single and childless foreigners owning cars are on the cards as Government clamps down on Bermuda’s increasingly clogged roads. And a bill will be passed in the coming parliamentary session limiting the amount of cars available to expatriates in companies holding more than ten work permits. The measures were among a slew of initiatives announced by Premier Ewart Brown who hinted free public transport was on the way. Measures include:

• A 12-month moratorium on truck permits starting from July 1. 
• A bill to require motorists to live at the same address at which their car is registered. 
• A bill to impound unlicensed and uninsured vehicles and also where a driver is disqualified or without insurance.
• A demerit points system, likely to be ready by the summer, to ban motorists for too many infractions.

Government is planning to move against the second-hand car market which it blames for increasing vehicles on the roads as people upgrade but happily cash in on their old one. A 2002 transport report showed that 52 percent of vehicles on the road were second-hand. New restrictions might allow motorists to offload cars overseas so there was no net gain of vehicles on the road. Many of the policies were still being worked on, including the curb on car numbers for foreign workers in larger firms. It may be that employers will be expected to ration out vehicles, to include international businesses. It will be done by a formula that will give the business a certain number of cars and they will work out the distribution in-house. The measure would limit the expat from “buying a car at will” and also place the burden on employers to know their workers and assess their genuine needs. Additionally the Ministry of Tourism and Transport is actively formulating a policy on car ownership by our guest workers that will operate as a significant deterrent to the single or childless worker or couple owning a car. Work is also being done to curb abuse of assessment numbers with landlords leaving apartments empty to allow their family to run more than one car. Another trick, soon to be outlawed, is where landlords nab an assessment number for their own family’s use before renting out an apartment. It’s thought at least 200 cars could be taken out of circulation via rigorous enforcement of the one car per assessment number rule. Lost public transport revenue could be recouped by a variety of methods including increased gasoline tax.

April 9 2007. The Royal Gazette reported that Dr. Brown and his Cabinet, through their use of GP cars, are the leading exemplars of the abuse of the one car per household rule in Bermuda. There would have been no better way of showing that the Government was serious about reducing the number of cars on the road than having all Ministers give up their most obvious perk. That was not among the Dr. Brown’s proposals. Instead the package of changes primarily targets expatriates, who will cost the Government no votes. Some of the changes make sense. Government has made some good progress on making public transport more accessible, but must do more. The crackdown on abuse of assessment numbers is long overdue, and the move to impound vehicles of illegal drivers is also welcome as a safety measure, as is the long-awaited demerits system, although neither of the latter two policies will have a major effect on the amount of traffic. The moratorium on truck licenses will do something to reduce traffic, and should include a crackdown on licence holders. All Bermudians are tired of seeing trucks and vans being used as second cars. What is not clear is whether this is a total moratorium, with no licenses being granted at all, or a cap, in which existing licence holders can replace vehicles or new licence holders can get vehicles when businesses close or scale down. The most controversial aspect of Dr. Brown’s proposals concerns expatriates owning cars. It would be naïve to think that the Transport Ministry believes this part of the community is solely responsible for the growth in traffic, but it is being made solely responsible for limiting its growth, while Bermudians are being given a free pass, unless and until restrictions on the secondhand car market come into effect. At the same time, employers are being given an unwanted and unwarranted responsibility, through a yet to be announced formula by which companies employing ten or more non-Bermudians will be given a certain number of car licenses and will dole them out to their non-Bermudian employees. Whether this policy will be enforceable remains to be seen, and it seems likely that it will be abused. One wonders too whether Government itself will be subject to the same policy. Clearly, the main goal of the policy is political, since expatriates cannot vote and there will always be Bermudians who support putting the boot in into expatriates whenever possible. A better policy on car ownership would be a points system, in which age, family, length of residence in Bermuda, physical needs and the like were all taken into account, and which applied to Bermudians and non-Bermudians alike. Thus, a 25-year-old single person would have less right to own a car than a couple in their 30s with two school-age children. Instead, Government has taken the easy way out by targeting non-Bermudians and abrogating its responsibility for granting car licenses to employers. Instead of taking the opportunity to lead by example by reducing the number of GP cars, and then inviting all residents to make a joint sacrifice, Dr. Brown has picked on voiceless — and voteless — expatriates.

Main causes of road traffic accidents

• Bikes illegally and offensively far too loud
• Bikes speeding along the left hand side of cars
• Entering road carelessly
• Driving in an imaginary third lane
• Driving side by side to chat
• Failing to give left or right turn signals
• Following too closely
• Inattention
• Inexperience
• Not giving way on roundabouts
• Not stopping at a crosswalk or pedestrian crossing to let pedestrians pass
• Overtaking improperly
• Swerving between cars
• Using cell phones when in transit

All the above are among the extremely dangerous habits of residents that should be avoided at all costs by tourists.

In its total land area of 21 square miles, Bermuda has more vehicle accidents per square mile than anywhere else in the world. More than a thousand unsuspecting visitors end up in hospital each year because they have accidents on these vehicles.

For detailed statistics on accidents, ask the Bermuda Government or Bermuda Police.

Annual inspection procedure

All private cars must undergo and pass a rigorous annual inspection at the Bermuda Government's Transport Control Department (TCD) at North Street in the City of Hamilton by prior appointment which may be made up to three months on advance, to qualify for annual registration and annual licensing. Unlike in UK, USA, Canada, where signs of rust won't fail, in Bermuda they signify failures. Annual re-licensing must be done by the date of anniversary of birth of the owner or of the first-named co-owner. Only brand new private cars, after their initial inspection prior to registration and licensing, need not be inspected the next year. Owners or co-owners or their garages must bring in the vehicles for the inspection process. A checklist of what to look for and correct is available from the TCD. Inspectors check safety features and paint work carefully. Obvious signs of neglect, bodywork dents, rust, or illegally tinted windows, will cause a vehicle to fail its inspection. Rust spots must not be greater than the size of a quarter, with no more than one corrosion spot per panel and no more than three rust spots in total. Vehicles must not be able to roll when the handbrake is applied. Paintwork must match, with a maximum of three colors. Tints must be non-reflective. Only when vehicles pass inspection can they be re-licensed.

Annual and other examination, licensing and registration costs

They are the world's most expensive by far. Costs of annual registration and licensing or licensing of private cars and other vehicles in Bermuda vary greatly, depending on the licensing class of the vehicle. All costs shown are annual, in Bermuda/ US $. They are payable to the Bermuda Government's Accountant General.  The prerequisites are that the vehicle must be passed beforehand by inspection, paying the annual vehicle examination fee, and be covered by a prepaid Insurance certificate. Once the applicable annual fee shown below is paid, a decal is placed on the windscreen and the registration goes in the accompanying pocket.

Annual examination for all vehicles

See Transport Control Dept.

Annual licensing and registration

See See Transport Control Dept for fees. Bermuda's are the highest in the world by far.

Custom (otherwise known as personalized or vanity) American-style but Bermudianized license plates for private cars were allowed by law from mid 2000. 

Automobiles (cars)

In view of the huge local cost of gasoline (called petrol in the UK), at more than three times the consumer cost of gasoline in the USA - prospective buyers are urged to buy the vehicles offering the cheapest fuel cost, such as the Toyota Prius, shown first left, if the engine and cc fit in Bermuda. 

There is the local trade group, Bermuda Automobile Dealers Association. They also handle commercial vehicles imported at a lower Bermuda Government import duty rate. They include light vans, pickups, trucks, buses. Limited to registered businesses and often with only one per business. Not allowed instead of saloon cars or sedans or hatchbacks.

Cars include the following but unlike in the USA, UK and Europe where warranties extend for at least three years and sometimes up to 10 years, a typical Bermuda warranty will be for one year (although all new Toyota models have a 3-year warranty). Because of the huge customs duty rates on cars, local dealerships - to reduce their duty obligations - often ask the exporting companies (sometimes not the actual vehicle manufacturer) to reduce the declared value of a car while increasing non-dutiable charges such as shipping and commission. The importer pays the exporter the same amount for the product but the cost of duty is less.

• Only cars new or less than six months old are allowed to be imported into Bermuda. 
• Visitors to Bermuda - who can drive rented cars anywhere else in the world - are not allowed to rent any kind of 4-wheeled vehicle in Bermuda. 
• In Bermuda, cars are about twice the cost of those in the UK. 
• All prices are in Bermuda ( US) dollars. 
• Ask local dealer for prices.
• Newcomers should not hesitate to shop around for the best prices and ask for deals. They should also know that Bermuda's salt air is corrosive to cars, especially when they are not garaged at night. When newcomers live in places without garages, it is recommended they select a car with a three year guarantee or warranty. Very few dealers in Bermuda offer this routinely.
• When UK or other overseas prices are shown this is not being critical of Bermuda, merely giving another reason why the cost of living in Bermuda is so much higher for newcomers.

Effective 1 January 2004, under The Motor Car Act 1951 and Motor Car (Seat Belts) Regulations 2002, seat belts in cars are required, with certain approved exemptions. This is a source of revenue for the government as well as safety as expensive import duty is payable on seatbelts. 

Adults sitting in the front seat must wear a seat belt in all 4 -wheeled vehicles including Commercial and Taxis.  Adults in the rear seat are not required to do so. Children from birth to one year and 20 lbs in weight must be in a rear facing seat. Children from 1 year and 20lbs to 40 lbs must be in a forward-facing child seat. Children from 40 to 80 lbs must use a seat belt positioning device or booster seat. All children are safest in the back seat. The wording "one year" and "lbs" may sound awkward but is used in all jurisdictions to emphasize that the child must meet both the age and weight minimum to progress to the next seat.

The driver of the vehicle is legally responsible for ensuring compliance and may be fined for non-compliance. Occupants 18 and older are legally responsible for themselves. Older cars with no seat belts are not required to be modified. Non-compliance otherwise attracts a fine. No new cars will be allowed in without seatbelts fitted. Only those with old cars without seatbelts at all will be exempted. 

Automobiles are imported at a Bermuda Government import duty rate of up to 150%. Adults with a qualifying local residence may own and drive one private car for their household. If they are acquired second-hand instead of new, it is vital that the current owner have the vehicle "tested for transfer" - have it inspected and approved before passing it to the new owner- and that he or she immediately register the new car. It should be remembered that only one person or couple may own the vehicle at any one time.  Ensuring the proper paperwork is done at all times is essential. If registered owners or co-owners don't drive their private cars themselves, those whom they authorize to do so must have current private car driver's licenses. Only local medical doctors may own a second car. Only the Bermuda Government owns a fleet of private cars. They are used by government employees on business which means their spouses or families can use their own private cars. 

All in this category of private cars must be saloons, sedans, hatchbacks, or station wagons. Light trucks, pickups, trucks, vans and other vehicles that carry freight are NOT private cars but "commercial vehicles" and may NOT be owned by individuals, only by qualifying businesses - local businesses, not international or more than 40 percent not locally-owned businesses. If a business is no  longer in operation, it must return the license. This ruling effectively deprives any newcomer from abroad from owning any kind of truck or pickup or van. Most have steering on the RIGHT.

• All automobiles - except those below - must comply with stringent local qualifying standards in maximum length (169 inches); maximum width (67 inches); maximum engine capacity (2,000 c.c.) and maximum power to weight ratio of 10.5 kilograms per kilowatts - with paint designs approved by the Transport Control Department. Compare this to countries overseas there are no size, length or width restrictions.
• Current models of BMWs, Mercedes Benz, Volkswagen Beetle, Peugeots and most other larger cars are all too long or two wide or too powerful for Bermuda. Exceptions are for taxis, the Governor; the Premier and Government Ministers whose official cars (for example, GP 1 which carries the Premier and his chauffeur) owned by the Bermuda Government are not subject to the same rules. 
• If bought new, prices include import duty but not for initial registration, license plates, registration fee and inspection, and third party or comprehensive insurance costs. 
• Similarly, you won't see American vehicles on Bermuda's roads except the automobile used by the US Consul General; fleet of ambulances operated by King Edward VII Memorial Hospital and made by Chevrolet; funeral cars and hearses operated by funeral directors to transport caskets and coffins; tractor trailers used to haul containers to and from the shipping docks; and a few disabled who can afford PC-licensed vehicles.

Auxiliary cycles (including mopeds, scooters) and their procedures, sales and rentals

Dealers:

Helmets are required on all these vehicles. This is a source of revenue for the government as expensive import duty is payable on them. A moped has larger wheels, a scooter small wheels. Mopeds, with their bigger wheels, are generally considered to be safer than scooters. Presently, there are a large number of 2-stroke mopeds and scooters, but they are being phased out in favor of 4-stroke vehicles. 

With the passage of the Motorcycles and Auxiliary Bicycles Amendment Act 2002, it is illegal to import and sell 2-stroke motor cycles over 50cc after 31 December 2004. 125cc and 150cc sizes will be allowed, as was the case decades ago. Currently, because of the shortage beyond Bermuda of 100 cc units, local distributors must import 125 and 115 cc models and convert them to 100 cc. Customers pay for this expensive process. Individual driver's licenses are required, irrespective of whether an owner already has a local license to drive an automobile. Like automobiles, mopeds and scooters must be inspected, insured for at least Third Party liability, licensed and registered annually. The average price for a new model, with extra locks and basket as extras, is about $3, 000. 

Newcomers to Bermuda should be aware that while they can be fun to drive, instead of a car - and can be parked outside apartments and homes which do not allow another car to be registered there - they can be treacherous in rains and gales; much more dangerous than a car; and hugely more liable to theft. The theft rate is about 70% based on the fact that in 2004 alone, three out of four vehicles owned by friends of the author living in different parts of Bermuda have been stolen. It is a very serious social problem. It costs insurers millions of dollars a year each and has caused massive increases in insurance premiums.

 Insured persons have the choice of insuring for comprehensive insurances less excesses if there is no loan on the vehicle, or third party only - which means no insurance payout to the owner, only to an appropriate third party. An extra insurance is levied on all vehicles but it does not include any payment to persons whose vehicle is stolen.

Some newcomers have had as many as three different bikes stolen in one year. All newcomers should get their new vehicles U-Marked by the police, working with the dealer, before they take delivery, even if they have to wait longer. It will make criminals hesitate but it will not deter them in the slightest. It is also essential that not just one but two good locks be bought and used religiously. When a claim is made from a theft is reported to the insurance company involved, there is at least a two week waiting period while the insurance company checks with the Bermuda Police to see that a theft was reported. Of bikes are not recovered during that time, the insurance company will issue a settlement check. If bike parts are stolen, there will be at least a $200 excess. Because of the alarming rate of theft, it is virtually impossible to get third part, fire and theft for a reasonable price.  

Varieties include:

• Adly 
• Aprilia 
• Benelli 
• Daelim 
• Honda 
• Honda 
• Hyosung 
• Kymco 
• LaFree Lite 
• Malaguti 
• MZ 
• Peugeot 
• PGO 
• Piaggio 
• Qjiang 
• Renault 
• Suzuki 
• TGB 
• Yamaha 
• Yumbo 

Unlike visitors who are strictly limited to 50 cc rented vehicles, residents may own and operate mopeds or similar with a maximum 93 dbA noise limit, but this is chronically abused by many locals who deliberately make their bikes much louder and make the noise of traffic on main highways much louder and more unbearable than in downtown Manhattan or any US city. 

It is also illegal to alter the color of back lights, which must be red. 

Motorized kick scooters

Illegal in Bermuda.

Boats, private

See under "Boats" in Watersports. There is no restriction on how many, size or type a person may have, but all must be licensed annually and some require licensed moorings. Expect to pay from $79,000 for a 20' 6 inch boat new. There are very heavy Customs Duties (import duties) on all new boats. In the 2008-2009 Budget Bermuda's boat dealers were dealt a big blow by Government's decision to more than double the duty, from 33.5 percent to 55 percent. It will have a significant impact on and wide reaching implications for the way the Island's marine industry does business and operates in the future. The last time duties on boats were raised to such high levels was by the United Bermuda Party (UBP) 20 years ago, but, having seen the effect it had on the marine industry, it quickly backed down and cut them to 33.5 percent barely two years later. The marine industry, from a retail standpoint, is one of the most heavily taxed. Even duties on rowing boats are 55 percent. It often pays to compare what local dealers ask, and to import them yourself, even with transport and customs duty costs. All boat owners who claim on their insurance for damage should be prepared to offer their insurer proof that their mooring has recently been inspected - every year or every other year depending on mooring and insurer. Mooring certificates are required.

The Maritime Offences Procedure Act 2006 provisions include giving Police officers, Marine and Ports Services Officers and Fisheries Inspectors the power to issue tickets for a wide range of offences. The recipient will be able to pay within seven days without the need for the matter to go to court. Among the on-the-spot fines that could be issued are:

• $200 for plying a boat for hire without a licence.
• $100 for navigating a boat within 100 meters of the shoreline in excess of five knots. 
• $50 for throwing rubbish into the water.
• $100 for taking a lobster without a licence.

Driver's Licenses

Drivers who already have a valid licence from an overseas country should contact the TCD to find out whether they have to take a full test or are exempted from all or part of it, at least for the first year of residency, as all other Western countries and business jurisdictions allow. (There, only after the first year is it necessary to take a written and practical driving test for a regular license (valid for ten years or until the age of 65, whichever is the sooner, after 65 on a much more restricted basis).

Bermuda has no reciprocal arrangements with the United Kingdom or Canada or USA or any Caribbean island for mutual recognition of driving licenses. It means that when Bermudians or non-Bermudian newcomers go to the UK to work or study, they are not allowed to have the same arrangements there as do those holding driving licenses from Australia, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Canada, Cyprus, Gibraltar, Hong Kong, Japan, Malta, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa and Switzerland. It is up to Bermuda to make similar reciprocal arrangements and so far this has not been done. Even though Bermuda is a British Overseas Territory and Britain is part of the European Community, Bermudians in Britain cannot claim EC/EVA driving rights. However, they may drive on their Bermuda licenses for up to one year. But the same gesture is not extended by the Bermuda Government to newcomers retiring or working or visiting Bermuda. 

Newcomers from abroad may have to wait for a few weeks before they can get a local license and in the meantime are strictly forbidden to drive any 4 or 2 wheeled vehicle until then, except a rental moped or scooter. To obtain a local driving license, an application form must be completed, handwritten in block capitals, with acceptable proof of identity and age (such as birth certificates or passports) presented as well. The application includes a Declaration on physical fitness of the applicant which must be signed by a local medical practitioner. This necessitates a medical appointment with one at the applicant's cost.

Since September 2004, a Bermuda driver's licence has been in a new, redesigned photo ID format meeting international standards.  It also contains numerous security features, such as micro-printing, images visible via ultraviolet light, and a holographic image of the Bermuda crest.

The full Bermuda residential address must be given as Post Office Box numbers and businesses addresses are not accepted. The correct Land Valuation Assessment Number of the residential property concerned must be shown.

Non-Bermudian applicants for a public service or commercial vehicle license - distinct from a private car license - must have a permit from the Department of Immigration. A Driving Test is required to be taken, arranged by appointment only (via telephone numbers 292-2255 or 292-1271) and must be confirmed by 12:00 noon on the previous working day or will be subject to cancellation.

The Driving Test is in two parts, practical - with an official Examiner with you, on the road, to assess your skill - and written. A separate appointment is required for the written part, which will test your knowledge of the local Highway Code. (A booklet is available at moderate cost as a guide). Both parts of the test are carried out by the Examinations Section of the Transport Control Department, on North Street in the city of Hamilton. Newcomers must pass both parts to be issued with an automobile's registration, licensing and a current Bermuda driver's license (recognized by most overseas jurisdictions for up to six months).

Applicants for a driver's licence can take the test on an ATM-like touch-screen computer terminal that will automatically record the answers selected and grade the test. Each test is individually constructed in a random fashion from a database of over 250 questions. This makes certain that no two test applicants ever get the same test, and goes a long way in protecting the integrity of the tests by virtually eliminating cheating.

Bermuda drivers' licenses are now valid for up to ten years for most applicants (until 65 years old), when they expire automatically. They, and the vehicle's annual registration, expire on the applicant's (owner's) birthday. When there are co-owners as well, the owner or co-owner with the first birthday during the calendar year is the one selected for the vehicle's annual registration date. In Bermuda, unlike all countries overseas, persons aged between 65-74 years require a medical and competency certificate every third year. Those 75 years or older require an annual medical and competency certificate.

If your Bermuda Driving License has expired, bring it with you and contact directly the Transport Control Department about when it expired, your age and driving record abroad, whether it can be renewed without testing, what time limits apply if applicable and what the fee will be. Be prepared to wait at TCD until your turn comes to be served. 

Driver's License fees

See Transport Control Dept.

Types of licenses

A license granted to drive one type of vehicle (for example, a private car) does NOT qualify the applicant to drive any other type of vehicle. Separate Driving Tests are required for all other types of vehicles. Details of other types of vehicles for which you have passed the appropriate tests and are licensed to drive are entered on your Driver's License.

Bermuda is one of the most expensive places in the world to purchase and operate any motor vehicle, partly because of extremely high import duties on motor vehicles. Plus, there are high annual costs of vehicles - more than twice those imposed by London, 4 or more times the cost of most American cities.

Government import duty on motor vehicle parts was raised less than a decade ago from 22.5 to 33.5 percent of FOB cost for importers, substantially more for consumers. Government import duty on cars was raised at the same time from 55 percent to 75 percent and higher of F.O.B. cost for importers, substantially more for consumers. 

Owners of vehicles pay hugely more per square mile for annual licensing of their vehicles than anywhere else in the world.

Other Bermuda Government entities involved

• Private Cars and Cycles Advisory Committee. Under the Constitution of Bermuda (2-1 Section 61 (4). See Bermuda Government Boards.
• Public Service Vehicles Licensing Board. See Bermuda Government Boards.
• Public Transportation Board. See Bermuda Government Boards.
• Trucks Advisory Committee. See Bermuda Government Boards. Note that some businesses - for example, those that deliver groceries to a home, visitor at an efficiency unit or business - are allowed only one truck.
• Technical Advisory Panel. See Bermuda Government Boards.

Driving-related organizations overseas, for newcomers from Great Britain, include

The Driver & Vehicle Licencing Agency is the licencing agency in the UK for all types of motor vehicles and has a booklet showing who can drive what, when, for how long and what are the specifications for each vehicle. There is no equivalent booklet in Bermuda and UK laws do not apply in Bermuda, nor do Bermuda laws apply there.

Driving under the influence

Drivers in Bermuda of cars or auxiliary cycles or motorbikes or any other type of vehicle caught under the influence of alcohol (the legal limit of alcohol is 80 mgs in 100 mls (mL) of blood) or drugs merit on conviction automatic suspension of all driving privileges for no more than one year and also a $1,000 fine. 

Explanation: 

• The legal limit for alcohol is 80 milligrams of ethyl alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood ( 80 mg%). This is also often expressed as 0.08 grams of ethyl alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood, commonly expressed as .08% blood alcohol concentration. 
• 80mls of ethyl alcohol in 100mls is 160 proof (100 proof is 50% alcohol by volume).  Good Scotch (whisky in UK) is only 80 proof!

This is, unfortunately for Bermuda and its reputation for driving, where there is already a higher concentration of traffic than anywhere else in the world, a low penalty and not a criminal offence - unlike in the USA, Canada and UK where it taken much more seriously for its potential impact on drivers, passengers and the general public. There is no USA or Canada type long automatic suspension of 3 or more years plus mandatory driving class, anger management class or drug or alcohol program. There is a Bermuda Professional Counselling Service DUI program (phone 296-6785 or 799-3938) but it is neither mandatory nor free. As a result, there are more road deaths per square mile and injuries from speeding vehicles than anywhere else in the world on a country-by-country basis. Driving under the influence of  drink or drugs is a deadly menace on Bermuda roads. It has a potentially very serious impact on all residents, visitors, tourists and newcomers. 

Electric mopeds/scooters

Not the type for the physically handicapped or disabled. Now sold are EVT electric scooters, extensively tested them on Bermuda's roads since the fall of 2006 and deemed to have good performance and reliability. Currently for sale at Gorham's they now have the battery charger already on board allowing the bikes to be connected directly to a regular 110 volt power outlet.

Ferries

Available for working commuters as well as visitors. See under "Ferries" in Transportation for Visitors. 

Gasoline and oil costs

Bermuda is the most expensive place in the world for gasoline (petrol). Bermudians, locals and visitors pay per liter (more than 4.5 liters per gallon) what US consumers pay per gallon.  It is due to an extremely high Bermuda Government import duty on all motor fuels. 

Importation privately of private cars

If you decide to bring in a car privately instead of buying a new model from a dealer in Bermuda, note the following:

• They must be the first owners and cannot have owned the car for more than six months prior to the date of shipment to Bermuda. Demonstration models and classic cars do not qualify, they are considered as used or previously owned.
• The car must not exceed the current maximum allowable length including bumpers, maximum allowable width, maximum allowable engine capacity of 2,000 cc and maximum power to weight ratio.
• Any designs, such as splash paint, must be below the bumper.
• The Transport Control Department must be informed in advance, in writing via a personal letter from the importer, of the specific make and model, with an example of any paint design (if necessary), and a manufacturer's showroom brochure showing the vehicle's power to weight ratio and other specifications.
• Applications are scrutinized very carefully and then referred to the Private Car and Cycle Committee and Bermuda's Minister of Transport.
• Applicants must give the Transport Control Department a bill of sale, certification of ownership, and vehicle registration in the jurisdiction the vehicle is registered, with the owner's manual and vehicle brochure.
• Applicants must pay the Bermuda Government import duty. There is an initial 75 percent rate on the first $12,000 of the vehicle's value, then 150 percent on any amount exceeding $12,000. As prices are appreciably lower in the UK, Canada and USA for new vehicles, those planning to bring them to Bermuda if they fit the length, width, cc and other measurements, should ask whether prices in those countries apply, not those in Bermuda.
• Applicants must pay the cost of shipping the vehicle to Bermuda and clearing it through Customs. Ocean freight alone for a private car costs at least $6 per cubic foot from New Jersey, USA, to Bermuda. A small private car shipped from an eastern USA port will incur a shipping cost of at least $1,950 - appreciably more from elsewhere.
• Vehicles must be equipped with set belts for every passenger. This will - and the wearing of them - has been required by law since 2001.

Insurance costs

Bermuda has by far more vehicles per square mile than anywhere else in the world - all of which must be insured for at least 3rd Party liability by a Bermudian insurance company licensed and registered to offer insurance business. Comprehensive coverage is required for people paying a bank or other lender for their vehicles. Thus insurance coverage, from a licensed local insurance company only, is mandatory. Without current coverage, a private car will not be licensed or re-licensed. 

Medical Reference Committee

A Bermuda Government committee under the Motor Car Act 1951 to determine the fitness or otherwise of licensed Bermuda drivers, especially those over 75 years old. See Bermuda Government Boards.

Motor Insurers Fund

Established on July 1, 1990 at the initiative of local insurance companies who agreed with the Bermuda Government to establish a method of compensation for people injured by uninsured drivers or untraced drivers in “hit and run” cases. All drivers who buy or renew motor insurance in Bermuda pay a surcharge of $5 per bike and $10 per car. However, the maximum payout the fund can make is $250,000. Exists because of a serious problem of uninsured and unlicensed vehicles despite police searches and periodic traffic delays for the purpose. An uninsured vehicle on its own and with a rider are a burden for the Motor Insurer’s Fund should they cause an accident or bodily harm to another individual.  

Road Safety Council 

Bermuda Government appointed under the Motor Car Act 1951, members are shown in Bermuda Government Boards.

Speed Limits on local roads and waters

35 kilometers per hour (21 mph) is the maximum speed allowed on all Bermuda's roads; less in marked built-up zones. All caught speeders are fined heavily. Speeding is appalling and dangerous.  On local waters, many places have a 5 knot maximum and wake limits.

Used car buyer's checklist

Unlike in the United Kingdom, etc there are no consumer laws offering Bermuda consumers any protection on used cars. When buying a used car, always insist on it being transfer-tested first by the Transport Control Department. But do not rely in this alone, as it is largely limited to paintwork and lights.  Always get a good garage to make a thorough inspection for roadworthiness and make an offer conditional on this. It will cost you to do this but is well worth the cost. Also, get an indication from your insurance company on the present insurance value of the vehicle as an indication of market price. And ask or do the following:

• Be wary about high-mileage vehicles especially. 
• Any maintenance records?
• Has the vehicle has been involved in any accidents or collisions?
• Mismatched colors on vehicle's body?
• Gaps between panels uneven?
• Body lines straight on vehicle's exterior?
• Evidence of repairs, good or bad?
• Engine or transmission repairs?
• Aerial in good shape?
• Leaks from engine?
• Engine dirty and oily?
• Suspicious sounds from engine, or smoke?
• Acceleration delay?
• Where is the vehicle kept at night. In a garage or out in the open?
• Do air-conditioning, heater, stereo, etc. work? 
• How does driver's seat fit?
• Only buy a vehicle advertised in the media as "transfer tested" less than a month earlier by the Transport Control Department and by the person or persons selling the vehicle. Make sure the transfer test does not expire before you take possession.
• Even when cars have passed their superficial transfer test, it is merely an indication it can be re-licensed for a year by the new owner. It is not an endorsement of the vehicle. 
• Check with your motor insurance company before you buy to see what the vehicle is worth as a model and in mileage; and if possible whether it has been involved in any accidents.
• Note that if and when you buy a second-hand private car instead of a new vehicle, it will be your only private car for your household. It must be insured, licensed and registered in your own name.

Once you make an offer to buy a vehicle in writing, you will be held to it.

Taxis

See Get Round. Imported at a Bermuda Government import duty rate of 10%. 

Tyres

Available brands include Bridgestone,  Dunlop, Goodyear and Kelly. Prices per tire range from $50 to $350. Sizes for automobiles are 12-17 inches. Most cars in Bermuda are front-wheel drive which means more weight on the front wheels, making the tires wear faster.