Rules for overlanding in Guyana
Updated October 2026
Our summary of the country advice published by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Viaggiare Sicuri) on 14 June 2026.
🌐 Italiano · Français · Español
Which driving licence do I need in Guyana?
- All vehicles — A foreign visitor holding a valid driving licence can use it in Guyana for 60 days from entering the country. Check what applies to the licence you hold.
An International Driving Permit states the categories it covers: check yours covers what you will actually drive. A car licence does not cover a motorcycle, and a heavy camper or a truck can need a higher category.
At the wheel
- Left-hand traffic — Traffic drives on the left.
- Land borders — The border between Guyana and Brazil is open. Travel to and from Venezuela is not currently permitted.
- Crash risk — Road accidents are very frequent, both because of the state of road maintenance and because of the reckless driving of public transport drivers. Minibuses account for most of the country's road accidents, so keep clear of them.
- Doors locked — Whenever you are driving, keep the doors locked and the windows closed.
What catches travellers out
- Drugs and parcels — Drug trafficking is a serious problem in Guyana and penalties for being caught in possession are very heavy, starting at three years in prison. Lock your luggage properly and never carry a package of doubtful origin: free flights to Guyana are increasingly offered to people who are then asked to take parcels home that normally hold drugs. The anti-drug authorities are well informed and often stop or seek out people travelling alone.
- Declare all currency — On entering the country you must declare all the foreign currency you are carrying. At the airport there is also a departure tax of 4,000 GYD, payable in cash in local currency, dollars or pounds.
- Same-sex relationships — Same-sex relations remain formally illegal, with sentences that can reach life imprisonment, although the laws are not in practice enforced and the LGBTI community has not so far been subject to particular violence.
- Pets — Dogs and cats can only enter Guyana with a veterinary certificate issued at least 14 days before departure.
Going with your own vehicle?
One local guide on GuideMeet works in Guyana: they know the roads, the permits and the areas to avoid. You contact them directly, free and with no commission.
- Sushil Ramlal · Paramaribo, Suriname
Before you rely on this
This is our summary of advice written by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Italian travellers, published on 14 June 2026. We summarise in good faith, but we cannot guarantee it is accurate, current or complete, and we take no responsibility for decisions made on the basis of it. Rules change without notice and are applied by officials at the border, not by websites. Always read the original source and the travel advice your own government publishes for Guyana before you travel. Where a guide's profile shows “Licence verified”, we found that licence in the official public register; otherwise GuideMeet has no way of checking whether an individual guide meets any standard mentioned here — ask them directly.
Source: Viaggiare Sicuri — Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, updated 14 June 2026. Last checked by GuideMeet on 7 October 2026.