The UAE Ministry of Internal (Ministry of Interior) has announced that residents of more than 50 nationalities can now drive vehicles using their country’s national driving license during the UAE visit. For this, they will not need to give any kind of theory or practical test, provided they are not living permanently in the UAE.
The Ministry said in its latest update on social media platforms that if people of these nationalities start residing in the UAE, they can fulfill some of the conditions and convert their national driving license into a UAE driving license. The Ministry has set 6 conditions for this, on the basis of which this license exchange is possible.
The ministry has clarified that License Recognition means that when a person is non-resident in the UAE, he can use his country’s national driving license and can drive in the UAE, without any additional examination. At the same time, License Exchange means that when a person legally resides in the UAE (ie is a resident), he can convert his national driving license into a driving license issued by the UAE. For this, it is necessary to fulfill the conditions set by the Ministry.
The new federal traffic and road law recently implemented in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) exempt certain categories from the need to obtain UAE driving license. The following are these categories:
Drivers who are driving vehicles that are registered and licensed in foreign countries, and which do not require registration and licensing under the UAE Act – provided they have a valid driving license issued by those countries, and those licenses are recognized by the UAE.
Valid international driving license holders, who are driving vehicles during travel or transit in the United Arab Emirates, will not require local driving license.
Valid international or foreign temporary driving permit holders – they will also be allowed to drive a vehicle temporarily in UAE.
Individuals who allow the UAE to live without habitat, as determined in the law and its executive regulations – they will not need to get local driving license.
Six Conditions to convert foreign driving license into UAE license:
The license should have been issued by a country that is recognized by UAE (Eligible for Exchange).
The age of the applicant should be according to the legal driving age limit.
The driving license should be valid.
The applicant has a residential visa of that Emirates or a certified residential, workplace or study place.
It is mandatory to pass Eye Test.
In cases of some countries, the original driving license must be submitted, as determined in the mutual agreement (MoU).
Required documents:
Legally translated copy of original foreign driving license (legal translation)
A copy of the original driving license
Exchange fee: AED 600
Service Access:
This service is available under the “MuroorKhous” initiative on the digital platform of the Ministry of Interior, which:
Lets visitors to use their country’s license in UAE and to exchange it when they get a residency.
The UAE allows citizens to drive abroad with their license and make a permanent residence there to change the local license.
Process:
Login on the portal of smart services
Upload required information and documents
Get license electronically or by courier
Recognition without exchange in UAE:
Foreign driving license should be valid
The purpose of the arrival should be non-residency (tourism, transit, etc.)
52 countries whose citizens can drive in UAE with their driving license or change the license:
Europe and Asia:
Estonia, Albania, Portugal, China, Hungary, Greece, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Slovenia, Serbia, Cyprus, Latvia, Luxembourg, Lithuania, Malta, Iceland, Montenegro, Israel, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Ujbakest, Turki, Turki, Turki, Turki, Turki, Kosovo, North Macedonia
Middle East and Africa:
South Africa
America and Australia:
America (including Texas), Canada, Australia, New Zealand
Asia and Oceania:
Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, South Korea (Exchange is allowed only on residency)
Western Europe:
France, Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, Italy, Sweden, Ireland, Spain, Norway, Romania, Denmark, Netherlands, Austria, Finland, United Kingdom, Croatia, Poland
