DRIVE
Rent a car. Check your licence first.
Two different rules: a visit visa, and a residence visa. Mixing them is how people get fined. Confirm the country list on the official RTA site.
- Visit: some countries drive on the home licence. Others need an IDP from home — not from Dubai.
- Residence stamped: foreign licence stops. Exchange if your country is on the RTA list, or go to school.
- The licence you hold matters more than your passport. A UK photocard can be exchanged even if you are Indian.
Find your country
Albania
- Visit: home licence (IDP if not English/Arabic)
- Resident: exchange at RTA (no driving school)
Argentina
- Visit: home licence + International Driving Permit
- Resident: RTA driving school and tests
Australia
- Visit: home licence (IDP if not English/Arabic)
- Resident: exchange at RTA (no driving school)
Austria
- Visit: home licence (IDP if not English/Arabic)
- Resident: exchange at RTA (no driving school)
Azerbaijan
- Visit: home licence + International Driving Permit
- Resident: exchange at RTA (no driving school)
Bahrain
- Visit: home licence (IDP if not English/Arabic)
- Resident: exchange at RTA (no driving school)
Bangladesh
- Visit: home licence + International Driving Permit
- Resident: RTA driving school and tests
Belarus
- Visit: home licence + International Driving Permit
- Resident: exchange at RTA (no driving school)
Belgium
- Visit: home licence (IDP if not English/Arabic)
- Resident: exchange at RTA (no driving school)
Brazil
- Visit: home licence + International Driving Permit
- Resident: RTA driving school and tests
Bulgaria
- Visit: home licence (IDP if not English/Arabic)
- Resident: exchange at RTA (no driving school)
Canada
- Visit: home licence (IDP if not English/Arabic)
- Resident: exchange at RTA (no driving school)
- G1 / G2 learner stages usually cannot be exchanged.
China
- Visit: home licence + International Driving Permit
- Resident: exchange at RTA (no driving school)
- Residents from China can exchange. Visitors still need an IDP with the original licence.
Croatia
- Visit: home licence (IDP if not English/Arabic)
- Resident: exchange at RTA (no driving school)
Cyprus
- Visit: home licence (IDP if not English/Arabic)
- Resident: exchange at RTA (no driving school)
Czechia
- Visit: home licence (IDP if not English/Arabic)
- Resident: RTA driving school and tests
- Often accepted as a visitor. Exchange: confirm RTA — not always on the 57-country list.
Denmark
- Visit: home licence (IDP if not English/Arabic)
- Resident: exchange at RTA (no driving school)
Egypt
- Visit: home licence + International Driving Permit
- Resident: RTA driving school and tests
Estonia
- Visit: home licence (IDP if not English/Arabic)
- Resident: exchange at RTA (no driving school)
Finland
- Visit: home licence (IDP if not English/Arabic)
- Resident: exchange at RTA (no driving school)
France
- Visit: home licence (IDP if not English/Arabic)
- Resident: exchange at RTA (no driving school)
Germany
- Visit: home licence (IDP if not English/Arabic)
- Resident: exchange at RTA (no driving school)
Ghana
- Visit: home licence + International Driving Permit
- Resident: RTA driving school and tests
Greece
- Visit: home licence (IDP if not English/Arabic)
- Resident: exchange at RTA (no driving school)
Hong Kong
- Visit: home licence (IDP if not English/Arabic)
- Resident: exchange at RTA (no driving school)
Hungary
- Visit: home licence (IDP if not English/Arabic)
- Resident: exchange at RTA (no driving school)
Iceland
- Visit: home licence (IDP if not English/Arabic)
- Resident: exchange at RTA (no driving school)
India
- Visit: home licence + International Driving Permit
- Resident: RTA driving school and tests
- IDP from India before you fly. Residents go to driving school. A UK/EU licence you also hold can be the one you exchange.
Indonesia
- Visit: home licence + International Driving Permit
- Resident: RTA driving school and tests
Ireland
- Visit: home licence (IDP if not English/Arabic)
- Resident: exchange at RTA (no driving school)
Italy
- Visit: home licence (IDP if not English/Arabic)
- Resident: exchange at RTA (no driving school)
Japan
- Visit: home licence (IDP if not English/Arabic)
- Resident: exchange at RTA (no driving school)
Jordan
- Visit: home licence + International Driving Permit
- Resident: RTA driving school and tests
Kazakhstan
- Visit: home licence + International Driving Permit
- Resident: RTA driving school and tests
- MoU signed June 2026. Wait until it is on the RTA list before assuming an exchange.
Kenya
- Visit: home licence + International Driving Permit
- Resident: RTA driving school and tests
Kosovo
- Visit: home licence (IDP if not English/Arabic)
- Resident: exchange at RTA (no driving school)
Kuwait
- Visit: home licence (IDP if not English/Arabic)
- Resident: exchange at RTA (no driving school)
Kyrgyzstan
- Visit: home licence + International Driving Permit
- Resident: exchange at RTA (no driving school)
Latvia
- Visit: home licence (IDP if not English/Arabic)
- Resident: exchange at RTA (no driving school)
Lebanon
- Visit: home licence + International Driving Permit
- Resident: RTA driving school and tests
Lithuania
- Visit: home licence (IDP if not English/Arabic)
- Resident: exchange at RTA (no driving school)
Luxembourg
- Visit: home licence (IDP if not English/Arabic)
- Resident: exchange at RTA (no driving school)
Malaysia
- Visit: home licence + International Driving Permit
- Resident: RTA driving school and tests
Malta
- Visit: home licence (IDP if not English/Arabic)
- Resident: exchange at RTA (no driving school)
Mexico
- Visit: home licence + International Driving Permit
- Resident: RTA driving school and tests
Montenegro
- Visit: home licence (IDP if not English/Arabic)
- Resident: exchange at RTA (no driving school)
Morocco
- Visit: home licence + International Driving Permit
- Resident: RTA driving school and tests
Nepal
- Visit: home licence + International Driving Permit
- Resident: RTA driving school and tests
Netherlands
- Visit: home licence (IDP if not English/Arabic)
- Resident: exchange at RTA (no driving school)
New Zealand
- Visit: home licence (IDP if not English/Arabic)
- Resident: exchange at RTA (no driving school)
Nigeria
- Visit: home licence + International Driving Permit
- Resident: RTA driving school and tests
North Macedonia
- Visit: home licence (IDP if not English/Arabic)
- Resident: exchange at RTA (no driving school)
Norway
- Visit: home licence (IDP if not English/Arabic)
- Resident: exchange at RTA (no driving school)
Oman
- Visit: home licence (IDP if not English/Arabic)
- Resident: exchange at RTA (no driving school)
Pakistan
- Visit: home licence + International Driving Permit
- Resident: RTA driving school and tests
Philippines
- Visit: home licence + International Driving Permit
- Resident: RTA driving school and tests
Poland
- Visit: home licence (IDP if not English/Arabic)
- Resident: exchange at RTA (no driving school)
Portugal
- Visit: home licence (IDP if not English/Arabic)
- Resident: exchange at RTA (no driving school)
Qatar
- Visit: home licence (IDP if not English/Arabic)
- Resident: exchange at RTA (no driving school)
Romania
- Visit: home licence (IDP if not English/Arabic)
- Resident: exchange at RTA (no driving school)
Russia
- Visit: home licence + International Driving Permit
- Resident: RTA driving school and tests
Saudi Arabia
- Visit: home licence (IDP if not English/Arabic)
- Resident: exchange at RTA (no driving school)
Serbia
- Visit: home licence (IDP if not English/Arabic)
- Resident: exchange at RTA (no driving school)
Singapore
- Visit: home licence (IDP if not English/Arabic)
- Resident: exchange at RTA (no driving school)
Slovakia
- Visit: home licence (IDP if not English/Arabic)
- Resident: exchange at RTA (no driving school)
Slovenia
- Visit: home licence (IDP if not English/Arabic)
- Resident: exchange at RTA (no driving school)
South Africa
- Visit: home licence (IDP if not English/Arabic)
- Resident: exchange at RTA (no driving school)
South Korea
- Visit: home licence + International Driving Permit
- Resident: exchange at RTA (no driving school)
- Residents can often exchange. Visitors: bring an IDP — desks still ask.
Spain
- Visit: home licence (IDP if not English/Arabic)
- Resident: exchange at RTA (no driving school)
Sri Lanka
- Visit: home licence + International Driving Permit
- Resident: RTA driving school and tests
Sweden
- Visit: home licence (IDP if not English/Arabic)
- Resident: exchange at RTA (no driving school)
Switzerland
- Visit: home licence (IDP if not English/Arabic)
- Resident: exchange at RTA (no driving school)
Thailand
- Visit: home licence + International Driving Permit
- Resident: RTA driving school and tests
Turkey
- Visit: home licence (IDP if not English/Arabic)
- Resident: exchange at RTA (no driving school)
Ukraine
- Visit: home licence + International Driving Permit
- Resident: exchange at RTA (no driving school)
- On the 2026 exchange list. Visitors: IDP is the safe desk answer.
United Kingdom
- Visit: home licence (IDP if not English/Arabic)
- Resident: exchange at RTA (no driving school)
United States
- Visit: home licence (IDP if not English/Arabic)
- Resident: exchange at RTA (no driving school)
- Texas has a separate agreement. Restricted US permits (learner) do not count.
Uzbekistan
- Visit: home licence + International Driving Permit
- Resident: exchange at RTA (no driving school)
Vietnam
- Visit: home licence + International Driving Permit
- Resident: RTA driving school and tests
How to rent
- Tourist: original home licence + passport with entry stamp. IDP if your country is not on the recognised list, or if the licence is not in English or Arabic.
- Resident: UAE driving licence + Emirates ID. A foreign licence stops counting the day the residence visa is issued.
- Age: most desks 21 for a small car, 25 for SUV / luxury. Licence held about 12 months.
- Credit card in your name for the deposit. Typical hold: AED 1,000–5,000. Luxury more. Released after Salik and fines post — often 2–4 weeks.
- Economy cars often AED 80–180 a day off-peak. Event weeks (ATM, GITEX) cost more. Fuel is extra. Super 98 is AED 3.80 a litre (Sep 2026).
- Salik (Dubai toll) and Darb (Abu Dhabi) are billed after. Do not skip a gate.
- Insurance: third-party is required by law. Collision excess is yours unless you buy a waiver. Police report for any bump.
- You cannot get an IDP in Dubai as a tourist. Get it at home before the flight.
Official desks (book on their site, not a WhatsApp broker)
Resident: exchange or school
- Eye test at an RTA-approved optical centre.
- Apply on the RTA site or at a Customer Happiness Centre. You must go in person with the original licence.
- Fees are usually about AED 1,000–1,500 for a straight exchange. Driving school is thousands and weeks.
- Official form: RTA licence exchange
Also: Metro and NOL · Traffic fines · Salik and parking