My son-in-law visiting several years ago, who had obtained a Cayman driving licence when he used to work here more than a decade ago, was asked to pay all back fees for his old Cayman licence in order to drive here whilst on holiday. Is that nonsensical rule still in place?
Ask Auntie sponsor
Auntie’s answer: A Department of Vehicle and Driver’s Licensing (DVDL) official confirmed that the rule is no longer applicable. The way the procedure works now is that once a driver’s licence has been expired for more than five years, it basically ceases to exist.
If your son-in-law or anyone else wanted to apply for a new Cayman licence after the original one has been expired for more than five years, he or she would have to go through the entire process again.
But if the licence has been expired for fewer than five years, the driver would have to pay the back fees plus the renewal fee for the period going forward.
For information on getting a Cayman Islands driver’s licence, go to the DVDL website.
I lived in Cayman for 11 months back in 2007. I have moved back with my family in June 2018. I literally just spent 3.5 hours at the DMV after passing my written test to find out that I cannot transfer my Canadian license since I can only do that once and that was done back in 2007. I now have to take a road test as well. With more than 20 years driving experience it is nothing more than a cash grab and an insult…..more than anything its a massive inconvenience and is really annoying. But that’s the way she goes I guess.
Anybody who has lived here previously and is coming back should be aware of this. They wont tell you until you’ve wasted your whole day waiting. Feel like I’m 16 again.
Makes no sense. If you’re visiting for 2 weeks you either rent a car….and get a temp license, or you borrow someone’s car and use your overseas license for the period you’re here.
Only in Cayman would you have such a stupid rule
It is not stupid when you stop to think about it.
Well finally DVDL found someone with a little common sense to change the old rule, but the new one is still very onerous, If you can prove you left the island permanently why charge 5 years back fees for a two week holiday?.
Can’t you apply for a visitor’s permit?
Only in Cayman!
If the license is expired, there should not be a penalty of back fees for all yrs expired, yes they fixed that.But the replacement is even more distanced from a comprehensive reform.Asking a 55 yr old person who drove all their life for so long to do a written or road test all over again after so many years, -the entire process all over is dumb, humiliating, and stupid.
The resolution should be a flat fee of $100 penalty plus license cost to reinstate .Nothing else! They sneak these fees on Caymanians because nobody says anything.lts also a roadblock setup by lawmakers and career civil servants who are insecure about educated Caymanians returning back home with an education, skill and expertise to compete, and work among those locals that look at them in contempt and as a threat. Humiliating such an individual that may outshine or outperform them is the preferred attitude. Hold em back is what the beaurocrats do. Let them suffer, and struggle to get up on their feet. T hats the way to go for the aristocrats making the decisions to hold back their own people.Yet a tourist or expat can arrive and drive around with their DRL from their homeland, or they present it to get a driving permit risking lives of hundreds of people on a daily basis for the privilege of driving as an expat on the wrong side of the road, seeing that the law requires that drivers drive on the left side of the road in this region.