💰 Quick Context: British Territory, US Dollars, Boat Fees
The British Virgin Islands are a British Overseas Territory, but their currency is the US dollar, so Americans have nothing to change. Every visitor pays a $10 environmental and tourism levy on arrival. Sailing visitors also meet cruising permits and National Parks mooring fees, usually built into a charter. Cards work in Road Town and at resorts, but the smaller islands, Jost Van Dyke and Anegada, have few or no machines, so carry cash.
🎧 Order US Dollars Before You Fly
The BVI use US dollars, so Americans have nothing to order. A Wise card covers visitors from elsewhere.
Order USD → CEI Currency ExchangeA British Territory on US Dollars
Since 1959. The British Virgin Islands are a British Overseas Territory with a governor appointed from London and the King on the stamps, but they have used the US dollar as their official currency since 1959. Their economy was already tied to St Thomas and St John next door, and to American visitors. Pounds are not accepted in shops.
For American visitors. There is nothing to exchange, but the BVI are still foreign for your card issuer: a purchase in Road Town is made abroad, and a card with a foreign transaction fee usually adds it, often 3 percent, even though it is a dollar purchase. Use a card without one.
For British and European visitors. Your card converts pounds or euros to dollars. If a terminal offers to charge you in pounds, decline it. Our DCC explainer shows why.
The $10 Levy, Departure Tax and Customs
The Environmental and Tourism Levy. Every visitor pays $10 per person on arrival, by air or by sea, at every port of entry, with some exemptions for young children. It funds conservation and tourism projects. At the ferry docks it is collected with the customs and immigration fees; keep cash and a card ready.
Departure tax. A departure tax applies when you leave. For flights it is usually included in the fare; ferry passengers pay it at the terminal.
Day trips from St Thomas. A day trip across from the US Virgin Islands therefore costs more than the ferry ticket: add the levy, port and customs fees, and the US re-entry on the way back. You need a passport; the BVI are a separate country for immigration purposes.
Charter Boats: Cruising Permits and Park Moorings
A sailing destination. The BVI are one of the world's busiest bareboat charter grounds: dozens of anchorages within a few hours' sail, protected by the long line of islands. The money side of a charter has a few BVI-specific lines.
Cruising permits. Every boat in BVI waters needs a cruising permit, charged per person, per day. Boats based in the BVI pay a lower rate than visiting boats. In 2026 the government raised the charges for visiting vessels, which hit charters coming over from the US Virgin Islands; most BVI-based charter companies include the permit in their price.
National Parks moorings. The National Parks Trust manages the moorings at the marine parks, including the wreck of the Rhone and the snorkel sites around Norman Island and The Indians. A National Parks permit covers their use, usually bought through the charter company. Private moorings in popular anchorages are paid nightly to a collector who comes round by dinghy, often $30 to $40 a night, in cash or by card through an app.
Beach Bars, Swimming to Pay and the Smaller Islands
The Soggy Dollar. On Jost Van Dyke's White Bay, boats anchor offshore and visitors swim to the beach bar, which is how the Soggy Dollar Bar, home of the Painkiller cocktail, got its name: customers paid with wet notes. Today it takes cards too, but a waterproof pouch with some cash is still the practical way to arrive.
Islands without a machine. Jost Van Dyke, Anegada with its lobster dinners, Cooper Island and the other small islands have few or no cash machines. Restaurants there take cards when the connection works, and cash when it does not. Lobster dinners on Anegada are priced by the pound and are expensive, often $50 to $90 a person; reserve by radio or phone in the afternoon.
Virgin Gorda and The Baths. The granite boulders and pools of The Baths charge a small National Parks entry fee at the gate. A CIBC Caribbean machine now serves Virgin Gorda, but carry cash from Tortola anyway.
Best ATMs to Use in the BVI
Machines in the BVI dispense US dollars and charge a few dollars a withdrawal, plus your own bank's fee. The territory is not part of the Global ATM Alliance; Scotiabank's former BVI business now belongs to Republic Bank.
Republic Bank (BVI)
Took over Scotiabank's BVI branches and machines in 2020. Machines in Road Town around Wickham's Cay and on the main road.
Top Pick
FirstBank
The Puerto Rican bank has the most visitor-friendly spread: its Road Town branch, the Road Town ferry terminal, Nanny Cay marina and, since 2026, a 24-hour machine at the airport.
Recommended
CIBC Caribbean
Formerly FirstCaribbean International Bank. Machines in Road Town and a newer one on Virgin Gorda.
Recommended
Banco Popular
Another Puerto Rican bank with a Road Town branch and machine. Police have warned about late-night robberies at its downtown machine; withdraw in daylight.
Recommended⚠️ Withdraw on Tortola, by Day
Machines are concentrated in Road Town, and the smaller islands have few or none. Withdraw what you need for the boat or the out-islands before you leave Tortola, in daylight, and use a machine inside a bank or marina where you can.
Taxis, Ferries and Getting Around
Fixed-rate taxis. BVI taxis, many of them open-sided safari trucks, charge fixed fares set by the government, often per person with a minimum. Fares are posted at the airport and ferry docks; confirm the total before you get in. Most drivers prefer cash.
Inter-island ferries. Ferries link Road Town and West End on Tortola with Virgin Gorda, Jost Van Dyke and Anegada, and with St Thomas, St John and San Juan. Tickets are sold at the terminal, by card at the larger operators and cash at the smaller ones.
Hire cars. Tortola's roads are steep, narrow and driven on the left, in American left-hand-drive cars. Hire desks require a temporary BVI licence, bought at the desk, and a credit card for the deposit.
Tipping in the BVI
American habits, with a service charge. Many restaurants add a gratuity of 10 to 15 percent to the bill; check before adding more. Otherwise leave 15 to 20 percent. On a crewed charter, the crew tip is typically 15 to 20 percent of the charter price, paid at the end. Taxi drivers and dive guides get a few dollars.
Frequently Asked Questions
What currency do the British Virgin Islands use?
The US dollar, which has been the official currency since 1959, even though the islands are a British Overseas Territory. British pounds are not accepted in shops. The territory's own commemorative coins exist but do not circulate.
Is there a tourist tax in the BVI?
Yes. An Environmental and Tourism Levy of 10 dollars per person is collected on arrival at every port of entry, by air or sea, with some exemptions for young children. There is also a departure tax, usually included in airfares and collected at the ferry terminal for sea departures.
Do I need cash in the British Virgin Islands?
Yes, especially away from Tortola. Road Town, the resorts and most restaurants take cards. Taxis, many beach bars, moorings paid to collectors, Jost Van Dyke and Anegada lean on cash. Carry 100 to 200 dollars in small notes, more if you are sailing.
How much does the ferry from St Thomas to Tortola cost?
Roughly 50 to 70 dollars one way, or around 100 to 130 return, depending on the operator and route, plus port and customs fees and the 10 dollar levy on arrival in the BVI. The trip takes 45 minutes to an hour. Bring your passport.
What fees do charter boats pay in the BVI?
Charter boats pay a cruising permit charged per person per day, and National Parks fees for using the park moorings and visiting the marine parks. Most BVI-based charter companies include them in the price. Boats chartered in the US Virgin Islands pay a higher cruising permit, raised in 2026, on clearing in.
Which ATMs should I use in the BVI?
Machines from Republic Bank, FirstBank, CIBC Caribbean and Banco Popular, mostly in Road Town around Wickham's Cay, plus FirstBank at the airport, Nanny Cay and the ferry terminal, and CIBC on Virgin Gorda. Expect a fee of a few dollars. There is no Bank of America Global ATM Alliance partner here.
British Virgin Islands money toolkit
Deep-dive guides for specific banks, airports, and traveler nationalities in the British Virgin Islands. Each one builds on this overview with card-by-card fee math, exact ATM locations, or terminal-by-terminal directions.
Go deeper: the Virgin Islands and the Eastern Caribbean
Most visitors reach the BVI through St Thomas in the US Virgin Islands, or through San Juan or Antigua. The guides below cover the American side, and the British islands nearby that use the Eastern Caribbean dollar instead.
Hero photo: Cane Garden Bay, Tortola, by Balou46, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.