Belize BZ
Belize currently prohibits the temporary importation of drones for recreational/personal use by tourists, according to the Belize Tourism Board. The Belize Department of Civil Aviation (BDCA) only accepts drone authorisation applications from international operators commissioned to do work for an approved local Belizean business or organisation — general tourist sightseeing flights are not a recognised category. A new BDCA Operational Directive for UAS (registration by weight/camera class, Remote Pilot Certificate of Competence, 120 m ceiling) was in public consultation from around January-May 2026 with a proposed six-month transition period, and may eventually open a path for recreational/hobbyist flying, but this was not confirmed as finalised at the time of writing.
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Visitors can't fly drones in Belize
- Recreational drone import currently blocked
The Belize Tourism Board states that Belize currently prohibits the temporary importation of drones for recreational/personal use. Only international drone operators commissioned to perform work for an approved local Belizean business or organisation can currently apply for BDCA authorisation. BDCA has a new Operational Directive for UAS in progress (public consultation ran roughly January-May 2026, with a proposed 6-month transition period for existing operators) that may open a recreational category, but it was not confirmed finalised — check directly with BDCA before travelling with a drone.
- Flying not allowed for visitors
Belize currently prohibits the temporary importation of drones for recreational/personal use by tourists, according to the Belize Tourism Board. The Belize Department of Civil Aviation (BDCA) only accepts drone authorisation applications from international operators commissioned to do work for an approved local Belizean business or organisation — general tourist sightseeing flights are not a recognised category. A new BDCA Operational Directive for UAS (registration by weight/camera class, Remote Pilot Certificate of Competence, 120 m ceiling) was in public consultation from around January-May 2026 with a proposed six-month transition period, and may eventually open a path for recreational/hobbyist flying, but this was not confirmed as finalised at the time of writing.
Flying
- Temporary importation of drones for recreational/personal use by tourists is currently prohibited by government policy, per the Belize Tourism Board
- The only current authorisation route for a foreign drone operator is being commissioned to do work for an approved local Belizean business or organisation, via a BDCA application
- Under the proposed new Operational Directive: fly at or below 120 m (400 ft) AGL, maintain visual line of sight, stay at least 50 m from uninvolved persons, do not fly over populated areas, and stay at least 5 km from aerodromes without authorisation
- No-fly zone: within 3 miles (about 5 km) of an airstrip without prior BDCA approval
- Night flying is prohibited without special authorisation
Commercial use: Commercial/professional drone work by a foreign operator requires a BDCA permit tied to being commissioned by an approved local business or organisation — submit identification documents and pay the associated fee (reported around BZ$30 under the current process, likely to change under the new directive). Under the proposed directive, flying drones above 250 g in the Open Category will additionally require a BDCA Remote Pilot Certificate of Competence (training, knowledge exam, medical/vision-hearing check, minimum age 16, renewed every 24 months).
Registration & classes
| Registration | Yes (all drones) No person may operate a drone in Belize without BDCA registration. Under the proposed new directive, even drones under 250 g must be registered if they carry an integrated onboard camera — effectively covering almost all consumer camera drones regardless of size. Weight classes proposed: Micro UA (≤250 g), Small UA (250 g-2 kg), Light UA (2-25 kg), Heavy UA (>25 kg). This entire framework is in transition; confirm current status with BDCA directly. |
|---|---|
| Pilot test | Sometimes (mixed, from 250 g) BDCA Remote Pilot Certificate of Competence (proposed). Under the proposed new Operational Directive, flying a drone over 250 g in the Open Category requires a Remote Pilot Certificate of Competence: approved training, a knowledge exam (covering airspace, weather, emergencies, airports, privacy, substance awareness, night operations), a medical assessment (vision/hearing), minimum age 16 for Open Category (18 for advanced operations), renewed every 24 months. This was still in consultation/rollout as of the sources reviewed and is not confirmed as a current binding requirement for ordinary tourists, who in any case currently cannot import a drone recreationally. |
| Remote ID | Unknown No broadcast Remote ID requirement was found, either under the current process or the proposed new directive. |
| Insurance | Unknown No public information on a statutory insurance requirement was found in the sources reviewed for either the current process or the proposed new directive. |
| Foreign registration accepted | No Recreational/personal drone importation by tourists is currently prohibited by government policy; there is no simple hobbyist registration route today. The only current route for a foreign operator is commercial: being commissioned to do work for an approved local Belizean business or organisation, with a BDCA application including identification documents and a fee. BDCA is developing requirements specifically for recreational drone travellers as part of its new Operational Directive, but this was not confirmed finalised — check civilaviation.gov.bz or contact BDCA directly before your trip for the current status. |
Weight classes
| Class | Weight | Rules |
|---|---|---|
| Micro UA | ≤ 250 g | Proposed category; still requires registration if the drone has an integrated onboard camera, which covers most consumer models. |
| Small UA | 250 g – 2 kg | Proposed category; registration and, in the Open Category, a Remote Pilot Certificate of Competence. |
| Light UA | 2 kg – 25 kg | Proposed category; registration and pilot certification requirements, likely more extensive. |
| Heavy UA | > 25 kg | Proposed category; expected to require full aviation-style approval. |
Import & export
- None currently for recreational/personal use: the Belize Tourism Board states temporary importation of drones for recreational/personal use is prohibited. There is no confirmed personal tourist exemption; only drones tied to an approved commercial BDCA authorisation (commissioned work for a local business) have a clear import path.
- Not addressed in available sources; likely to be clarified once the new Operational Directive is finalised.
- Batteries: Not addressed in available sources for the tourist case, since recreational import itself is currently blocked; standard international lithium-battery limits (carry-on only, up to 100 Wh freely, 100-160 Wh with airline approval) would apply to any authorised commercial shipment.
- Do not bring a drone to Belize expecting to use it recreationally under current policy — contact BDCA (civilaviation.gov.bz) directly before travelling to check whether the new directive has opened a hobbyist/tourist path.
- If you have a genuine commercial purpose, you need to be commissioned by an approved local Belizean business or organisation and apply through BDCA in advance; this is not a same-day airport process.
Export
- No drone-specific export controls were found; general Belizean customs and any applicable dual-use/strategic-goods rules would apply to specialised or military-grade UAV technology, not ordinary consumer drones.
Costs
| Operator registration | 30 BZD (≈ €13.7) · Reported fee under the current (pre-directive) permit process; likely to change once the new Operational Directive is finalised. Validity: Not specified in available sources |
|---|---|
| BDCA Remote Pilot Certificate of Competence (proposed) | Unknown |
| Import taxes | ? % duty + ? % VAT Usually only for drones you buy abroad and bring in to keep. |
Guides
Bringing a drone to Belize as a tourist — check before you fly Visitors
- Assume recreational import is currently blocked
The Belize Tourism Board states temporary importation of drones for recreational/personal use is prohibited; there is no confirmed hobbyist path as of the sources reviewed.
- Check BDCA directly for the latest status
BDCA's new Operational Directive for UAS was in consultation/rollout in 2026 and may add a recreational category — confirm the current rules before travelling. Open
- If you have a commercial purpose, arrange local sponsorship first
The current process only accepts applications from operators commissioned by an approved local Belizean business or organisation — arrange this and apply to BDCA well in advance.
- Do not attempt to fly on spec without authorisation
Belize's Director of Civil Aviation has publicly emphasised protecting low-altitude manned aviation (aircraft operate around 500 ft locally), so enforcement is a real consideration.
- Plan for ground-based photography as a fallback
Given the current restriction on recreational drones, be ready to rely on handheld or tripod photography for your trip.
Sources
- Belize Tourism Board — Belize Drone Requirements · accessed 24 Sept 2026
- The San Pedro Sun — Drone Regulations Under Review in Belize · accessed 24 Sept 2026
- Policy Tracker — Belize's New Drone Regulations: What Businesses and Operators Need to Know · accessed 24 Sept 2026
How the score is built
- Drone flying banned for visitors−95
- Drone import banned−95
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