Members of the public are advised that the Barbados Licensing Authority has temporarily suspended the printing of driving licence cards until further notice.

Persons that need to renew their driving licence with the Barbados Revenue Authority should proceed as normal. During the period in which printing is suspended, drivers are advised to keep the payment receipt along with the expired driving licence card.

For those who are travelling and need to renew their licence to drive overseas can request a Driving Record Letter from the Barbados Licensing Authority after renewing their driving licence with the Barbados Revenue Authority.

International Driving Permits continue to be available as normal from the Barbados Licensing Authority location at The Pine, St. Michael.

Update #1 – August 20th, 2024:

Printing has resumed for the following cases:

• persons who are first time card holders;
• persons who require international driving licences;
• persons who require the replacement of lost licences; and
• persons who are transferring from an overseas driving licence.

Those to whom any of these cases apply are advised to bring their receipts and a valid form of identification to the Barbados Licensing Authority at The Pine, St. Michael.

Persons requesting international driving licences must produce their travel itinerary along with their receipt and a valid form of identification. For those who are transferring to a Barbadian driving licence must also present their overseas driving licence.

The Government of Barbados announced, as at April 30th, 2024, a total of 5,164 applications have been received under the Welcome Stamp visa programme since its inception. Among the applications received, 3,058 have been approved, signifying an overall acceptance rate of 59%.

Since the last review in December 2023, a total of 227 applications were received and of which 93 were approved, signifying an acceptance rate of 40%.

The top leading countries were the United States, the United Kingdom, Nigeria, Canada, India and the Republic of Ireland.

In July, 2021, the Remote Employment Act, 2020 was amended to allow persons on the Welcome Stamp to apply for a renewal of their visa, for a further 12 months, at a 25% discount on the visa application fee.

Persons who wish to apply for a renewal of their Welcome Stamp visa can do so by visiting the official website.^‍

Please be advised that the Barbados Water Authority is installing a new metre at Canefield, St. Thomas between 1 PM and 5 PM on Friday, June 26, 2024.

Residents in the following areas will be affected: Canefield, Mount Misery, Porey Spring, Church Gap, Highway D, Highway C, Yearwood Road, Plum Tree, Blunts, Airy Cot, White Hill, Mose Bottom, Turners Hall and surrounding areas.

During this time, residents in the affected areas will experience low or no water. Persons are advised to store an adequate supply of water ahead of the maintenance window.

The Barbados Water Authority apologises for any inconvenience the work may cause.

Please be advised there are two upcoming bank holidays, during which many businesses will be closed:

Emancipation Day on the 1st August, 2024.

Kadooment Day on the 5th August, 2024.

We would like to remind visitors and residents that hurricane season officially starts June 1st, 2024, and runs through to November 30th, 2024. While the likelihood of a hurricane directly impacting Barbados is low, it always remains a possibility each year.

In 2021, Barbados was directly hit by a category 1 tropical cyclone, known as Hurricane Elsa. A few weeks before, a sudden 'freak storm' caused damage to dozens of homes across Barbados.

Please make sure you are prepared for the hurricane season. Familiarise yourself with the Emergency Shelters List for 2024, published by the Department of Emergency Management.

Make sure you have adequate supplies, including non-perishable foodstuffs and potable water that will last you and your family for a minimum of two (2) weeks. See page 29 of the shelters list for a detailed list of supplies you should have as part of your Disaster Emergency Kit.

In addition to hurricane preparedness, you should also be mindful that Barbados lies within an area of relatively high earthquake activity and therefore can be impacted by tsunamis at any time during the year. Always obey the 'natural signs', that is to say:

Persons are advised that a low pressure area centred in the far north Atlantic is predicted to cause large northerly swells propagating southward into the eastern Caribbean waters, affecting the western coastlines of Barbados on March 12th, 2024 and March 13th, 2024.

The Barbados Meteorological Services advises beachgoers and small-craft operators to exercise caution on western coastlines. Beachgoers should use beaches with on-duty lifeguards.

Choppy sea conditions with swells ranging from 1½ to 2 metres (5 to 7 ft) are expected on the western coastlines on Tuesday, March 12th, 2024 and Wednesday March 13th, 2024.

Persons who are registered under the Profession, Trade and Business Registration Act, Cap. 373 are reminded that the deadline for renewing their registration and paying the prescribed annual fee is January 31st, 2024. Any person who fails to pay the prescribed fee before the deadline will also be required to pay a penalty of the same amount.

It is now possible to pay the annual licence fee online via EZPay+, the official payment gateway of the Barbados Government.

Please note it is not possible to use EZPay+ for first time registrations. Persons who are not registered will need to attend in person to have their documentation authenticated and to pay the prescribed fee.

For first time registrations with the Registrar of the Supreme Court, visit the Registration Department at Whitepark Road.

For first time registrations with the Chief Labour Officer, visit the Ministry of Labour, Social Security and Third Sector at the Warrens Office Complex.

If you are self-employed, learn more about professional registration to determine if you need to register under the Act.

Residents and visitors in Salters, St. George are advised that C.O. Williams Construction Ltd will be conducting roadworks on Highway 4 between Salters and Constant Roundabout starting January 13th, 2024.

Milling will take place on January 13th, 2024 and January 14th, 2024 between the hours of 7:30 AM and 5:30 PM.

Paving will take place from January 15th, 2024 through January 19th, 2024 between the hours of 7 PM and 6 AM.‍

During the roadworks, access to this section of Highway 4 will be restricted to local traffic and emergency vehicles only.

Motorists approaching from Errol Barrow Highway will need to turn left at Salters (see map). After passing Chefette, bear right to stay on the current road (see map). Turn right at the junction with the Glebe Public Market (see map). For persons travelling to Constant or Dash Valley, turn right just before St. George Primary School (see map). For persons travelling to Brighton, Ellerton or Lower Greys, drive past St. George Primary School and bear right to stay on the current road (see map).

Motorists approaching from Dash Valley or Constant will need to take the north exit at Constant Roundabout towards St. George Primary School (see map). Continue straight ahead for about 1km. At the end of the road, turn left towards the Glebe Public Market (see map). At the junction with the Glebe Public Market, turn left (see map). At the Sol Gas Station, turn left onto Salters (see map). For persons travelling to Errol Barrow Highway, continue for about 1.6 km to the junction with Highway 4 and turn right (see map).

Please be advised there are two upcoming bank holidays, during which many businesses will be closed:

New Years Day on Monday, January 1st, 2024.

Errol Barrow Day on Monday, January 22nd, 2024.

On November 7th, 2023, the Minister of Finance announced major changes to Corporation Tax effective January 1st, 2024.

‍The 5.5% to 1% sliding scale corporation tax regime is being abolished for all companies, except:

• International shipping companies.
• Multinational enterprises subject to the Global Anti-Base Erosion Rules and whose Ultimate Parent Entity is based in any jurisdiction which has not implemented an Income Inclusion Rule, or whose Constituent Entities are not subject to an Income Inclusion Rule or an Undertaxed Profits Rule.

All other companies will be subject to a corporation tax rate of 9%, except:

• Companies registered as a Class 1 insurance business will be subject to a tax rate of 0%.
• Companies registered as a Class 2 or Class 3 insurance business will be subject to a tax rate of 2%.
• Companies registered under the Small Business Development Act, Cap. 318C and whose gross income does not exceed $2 million will be subject to a tax rate of 5.5%.
• Companies not registered under the Small Business Development Act, Cap. 318C but where (a) the gross income does not exceed $2 million; (b) the paid-up capital does not exceed $1,000,000; (c) the number of employees does not exceed 25 persons; and (d) at least 75% of the shares of the company are beneficially owned by a resident of Barbados, will be subject to a tax rate of 5.5%. Where a company is a member of a group, all members of that group must meet the foregoing criteria (a) through (d) to be eligible. ^[1]
• Multinational enterprises subject to the Global Anti-Base Erosion Rules and whose Ultimate Parent Entity is based in a jurisdiction which has implemented an Income Inclusion Rule or Undertaxed Profits Rule will be subject to a tax rate of 9% plus a top-up tax that brings the effective tax rate to 15%.

Learn more about the new Corporation tax rates.