Renting a Car or Taking Taxis in Anguilla with Kids: What Families Need to Know

Anguilla has no public bus system and taxis run on fixed zone fares rather than meters, so most families end up choosing between a rental car and taxis for every leg of the trip — airport or ferry transfers, beach-hopping, and dinner runs. Anguilla drives on the left, and the road network is compact enough that either option works, but the right call depends on how many stops you’re making per day and whether you’re comfortable driving on the left with young kids in the car.

This guide covers what a temporary driving permit actually costs and requires, how car seat logistics work with rental agencies, when taxis make more sense than a rental for families, and what to expect on Anguilla’s roads.

Fast Facts

• Visitors need a temporary Anguilla driving permit — $40 EC for 3 days or $67 EC for 3 months — available from the Inland Revenue Department or most car rental agencies on arrival with a valid driver’s licence and photo ID
• Anguilla drives on the left; most rental cars are left-hand drive (steering wheel on the right), which takes adjustment for U.S.-based drivers in the first day
• Taxi fares are set by a government-regulated 10-zone system, not by meter or mileage — a licensed taxi should be able to show you the official zone rate chart on request
• Car seats aren’t automatically included with a rental — some agencies rent them as a paid add-on, others don’t stock them at all — confirm availability and reserve one when you book, or bring your own
• Open-air Mini Moke rentals are common on Anguilla and popular with visitors, but they offer less protection than an enclosed SUV — worth weighing for families with young kids
• Taxi fares typically run in the $25–45 USD range for common resort-to-airport or resort-to-ferry routes for two passengers, with add-on charges for extra passengers, extra luggage, and late-night pickups — confirm current rates with the driver or dispatcher before the ride
• Several agencies handle both rental cars and private airport/ferry transfers, so it’s possible to mix approaches — a transfer on arrival day, then a rental car for the rest of the stay

Do You Need a Rental Car in Anguilla?

Anguilla is about 16 miles long and 3 miles wide, and most resorts, beaches, and restaurants sit within a 20-minute drive of each other. Families staying at a single all-inclusive-style resort with on-site dining and a private beach may not need a car at all — taxis or the resort’s own shuttle can cover the occasional excursion. Families planning to visit multiple beaches, eat at restaurants off-property, or explore beyond the resort each day will generally find a rental car cheaper and more flexible than repeated taxi trips, especially with the zone-fare system adding per-passenger and per-bag charges that scale with family size.

Getting a Temporary Driving Permit

Foreign visitors need a temporary Anguilla driving permit to drive legally on the island — a valid driver’s licence from home does not work on its own. The permit costs $40 EC for 3 days or $67 EC for 3 months and requires a passport or other valid photo ID. Most car rental agencies process the permit for you as part of the rental paperwork, so this usually doesn’t mean a separate stop at a government office; confirm with your agency when booking whether the permit fee is included in the rental price or charged separately. If you’re comparing agencies before you go, DiscoverCars aggregates rates across the local agencies operating on the island.

Driving on the Left with Kids in the Car

Anguilla drives on the left, British-style, which means most rental vehicles have the steering wheel on the right side. This is the single biggest adjustment for U.S.-based families — right-hand turns across oncoming traffic, a handful of roundabouts scattered around the island, and instinctively reaching for the wrong-side stick or wipers all take a day or so to feel normal. Watch for speed bumps and drainage ditches along the road edge, which catch new drivers off guard more often than the left-side driving itself. If you’re nervous about left-side driving with kids in the car, consider a taxi or private transfer for the first arrival day and easing into a rental once you’ve had a chance to observe traffic patterns, or skip renting altogether.

Car Seats and Rental Vehicle Types

Car seats are not automatically included with an Anguilla rental — some agencies offer them as a paid add-on (roughly $5/day at agencies that stock them), while others may not have one available at all, or not one that matches your child’s age or weight. Call ahead to confirm availability and reserve one when you book the car, or plan to bring your own (a lightweight travel car seat checks easily at most airlines’ gate check). Open-air Mini Moke rentals — small, roofless four-seaters — are a popular, distinctly Caribbean way to get around Anguilla, but they offer far less protection than an enclosed vehicle and no easy way to secure a car seat the way a standard SUV or sedan does; families with infants or toddlers are generally better served by a conventional rental car. Check directly with your resort about arrival transfers and any on-property shuttle service before deciding whether you need a rental car at all — policies vary by property; see our full review of Four Seasons Anguilla for one example of what a luxury resort’s guest services can look like.

When Taxis Make More Sense

Anguilla’s taxis run on a government-regulated zone-fare system rather than a meter — the island is divided into roughly 10 zones, and the fare depends on which zones your pickup and drop-off fall in, not distance driven or time in traffic. A licensed taxi should be able to show the official rate chart on request. Typical visitor fares run in the $25–45 USD range for a two-passenger trip between the airport or Blowing Point ferry terminal and a resort area, with add-on charges for additional passengers, extra luggage, and pickups late at night — confirm the current rate for your specific route before you get in, since exact figures can shift. Taxis are the simpler choice for the arrival-day transfer regardless of whether you’re renting a car for the rest of the trip, since navigating an unfamiliar left-side road system straight off a flight with jet-lagged kids is its own kind of stress. For a pre-booked private transfer instead of a curbside taxi, Welcome Pickups lets you lock in a driver and price before you land — useful if you’d rather not negotiate zone fares with a jet-lagged toddler in tow. For more on the ferry and flight options into Anguilla itself, see our full guide to getting to Anguilla with kids.

Nearby Hotels and Resorts

Four Seasons Resort and Residences Anguilla
Booking.com | Expedia | Hotels.com

Malliouhana, Auberge Resorts Collection
Booking.com | Expedia | Hotels.com

Cap Juluca, A Belmond Hotel
Booking.com | Expedia | Hotels.com

Shoal Bay Villas
Booking.com | Expedia | Hotels.com

Practical Tips for Getting Around

Fill the tank before returning a rental car — most agencies charge a premium refueling fee if you return it empty. Keep a printed or saved copy of your temporary driving permit and rental agreement in the car in case of a police checkpoint, which are routine rather than a sign of trouble. Cell coverage is generally reliable island-wide, so a phone-based map app works for navigation, though it’s worth screenshotting your route in advance in case of a dead zone near the coast. If your stay overlaps with a boat race day (a significant local event on Anguilla), expect road closures and heavier traffic near race routes — check with your resort for the schedule.