The Saint Christopher and Nevis Licensing Authority (Traffic Department) of the Royal Saint Christopher and Nevis Police Force is tasked with the responsibility of administering Driver and Vehicle Licences and is empowered under the Chapter 15.06 Vehicles and Road Traffic Act. The Licensing Authority works closely with the Inland Revenue Department which issues both the drivers licence card and the vehicle licence decal, after payment of the appropriate fees.

Following are the procedures that govern renewal of driver licences. While this site gives you a brief outline of the basic rules and guidelines, you should also read the Chapter 15.06 Vehicles and Road Traffic Act to get a proper understanding of the mandate of the Licensing Authority. The act also specifies the various fines for persons who try to circumvent the law and clearly identifies the responsibilities of vehicle owners.

It is important to note that to operate a vehicle, both the driver and the vehicle must be licenced and the vehicle is always driven on the left side of the road. There are no exceptions to these rules.

An applicant for a drivers licence must first be issued with a Learner’s Authority (permit) from the Inland Revenue Department. The applicant must be at least seventeen (17) years of age at the time of the application. You must have Proof of age (i.e.: passport, birth certificate or social security card). A Learners Authority is valid until the 31st December in each year. If the Learners Authority is received after July 1st in any given calendar year, the fee is reduced by fifty percent (50%). An individual learning to drive must have a valid learners permit and be accompanied by a licenced driving instructor. The cost of the Learner Authority for one year is EC $ 62.50. On the 1st day of July the fee is reduced to EC $ 31.25.

When the applicant is ready to take the driving tests, they must schedule a time with the Licensing Authority to take the written exam. Having passed the written exam you will then be scheduled for a driving (road) test with an examining officer. On successful completion of the driving test, a Certificate of Competency is issued and must be collected from the Inland Revenue Department, where after payment of the required fees, the drivers licence is issued.

To obtain a drivers licence you must first present:

• A valid learners authority,
• Two (2) pieces of ID (i.e.: passport, social security card, national identification card).
• Other supporting documents may be required.

It is illegal to drive a motor vehicle without a valid drivers licence. A Certificate of Competency is not a licence to drive.

PERSONS RESIDING IN SAINT CHRISTOPHER (ST. KITTS) AND NEVIS

A permanent drivers licence is valid for a maximum period of three years and as little as two years, depending on the date it was renewed. The licence always expires on the holder’s date of birth. The Inland Revenue Department recommends that drivers examine their licence before their birthday to ensure that it has not expired.

Drivers Licences must be renewed before the printed expiration date. However, they cannot be renewed more than 30 days before the expiration date. Renewal of a licence is completed at the Inland Revenue Department during regular operating hours of, 8:00am to 3:00pm, Monday through Friday.

PERSONS RESIDING OUTSIDE OF SAINT CHRISTOPHER (ST KITTS) AND NEVIS

If you are overseas, you must complete the Renewal of Drivers Licence for Persons Residing Outside of Saint Christopher and Nevis form. This application is intended for individuals residing outside of the Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis only. You must complete all of the sections indicated in the Instructions section of the form. If you fail to complete all sections in their entirety, the renewal process may be delayed.

Restrictions on Overseas Applications

There are restrictions to this type of application.
(1) An individual cannot renew their licence by this method, if more than five  years have passed, since the expiration of the last licence renewed through the normal channel.
(2) An individual cannot renew their licence by this method, if the renewal will extend the licence period beyond ten years, since the expiration of the last licence renewed through the normal channel.
(3) An individual cannot renew their licence more than three times using this method of renewal.

The fee for renewal of your licence is EC $187.50 or 70.00 USD. All overseas payments must be made by Managers cheque or International Money Order in (USD), payable to the Accountant General. Allow for a period of up to six (6) weeks for an overseas cheque to clear. Do not send cash. When submitting an application from overseas, use a courier service such as Federal Express (FEDEX), United Parcel Service (UPS) or DHL, with return service prepaid.

Items Required

1. A notarized copy of your Birth Certificate or notarized copies of the page(s) of your valid passport which contains your passport number, photograph, name, date and place of birth and the expiration date of the passport.
2. Your expired driver licence must be submitted with the application.

3. Your signature in black, using a fine point writing marker, fully contained within the box provided at the bottom of the first page of the application.

4. Signature, date and stamp of a notary public.

If the application is approved you will be contacted by the Licencing Authority to submit a digital photo in .jpg format (not scanned, but directly from a digital source). This photo should be taken full face, including only the shoulders, neck and head. Hats, caps or any object that conceals the head or face or any part of either must be removed. Photographs not conforming to these rules will be rejected. The background of the picture must be solid white and clothing must be a contrasting colour. Please submit an e-mail address when completing this application. In any correspondence to the departments, identify yourself within the correspondence by giving your full name and date of birth and the number on your last licence.

If you require additional information, contact the Saint Christopher and Nevis Licensing Authority.

If a licence is lost or stolen, it must first be reported to the police. The fee for replacing a licence is seventy-five dollars ($ 75.00). If the stolen/lost licence is valid, the new licence will be issued with the same expiration date. If the stolen/lost licence has expired, the holder will be required to renew the licence as outlined under the
RENEWAL OF DRIVERS LICENCE and the fee is EC$ 187.50.

A temporary driver licence will only be issued to individuals holding a valid driver licence from another country. Temporary driver licences which are valid for three months or one year are issued at the Inland Revenue Department and authorised car rental agencies. The cost of a temporary licence is EC$ 62.50 for three months and EC $ 125.00 for one year.

To obtain a driver licence card you must first present:

• a valid non-national driver licence.
• two (2) pieces of Identification are required including a passport. Company Identification cards are not acceptable.
• Additional documents may be required.

The temporary licence is valid for the period stated on the licence.

Based on the type of vehicle in which you take your driver’s test, you will be given a licence to drive that particular class of vehicle. The classes are listed below.