International Driving License?

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gem_guy (gem_guy) 2010-02-09 22:01:15 +0500 #1

I had a few questions regarding International Driving Permits and driving in Dubai. Hopefully the answers to these will also help anyone else visiting UAE. Any help would be appreciated.

1) If I have a UK License and a International Driving Permit (IDP) from the UK, is it valid for driving a friend's car in the UAE ? (on a visit visa) If yes, is there any procedure to go through? Any temporary license to apply for? How long will it be valid for?

2) If I have a PK License and a International Driving Permit (IDP) from Pakistan, is it valid for driving a friend's car in the UAE ? (on a visit visa)

3) From what I can remember, if someone had a Driving License from a European Country or USA/AUS/NZ, it could be converted to a UAE license. But some time ago, I heard rumours that this cannot be done anymore unless you are a national of that respective country. Is this true?

4) What is this all about?
International Drivers License Permits - Order, Buy, Purchase, Apply, Register, Find, Renew, IDL | IDriverLicense.com
International Driver's Document
International Drivers License, International Driving Licence
idl-uk.com

Are these websites trying to sell something genuine? It looks a bit scammy to me, coz they all have the same generic descriptions on them. There's actually a typo in the last link.

IF these are for real, will this type of license (alongwith a native license) be usable in UAE without any additional documentation?

P.S. Please provide any supporting links/evidence for the answers.

Thanks

hunnyahmed (hunnyahmed) 2010-02-10 04:40:42 +0500 #2

2) If I have a PK License and a International Driving Permit (IDP) from Pakistan, is it valid for driving a friend's car in the UAE ? (on a visit visa)

Ans. Yes you can.

khanji (khanji) 2010-02-10 05:26:20 +0500 #3

gem_guy;2072811:

I had a few questions regarding International Driving Permits and driving in Dubai. Hopefully the answers to these will also help anyone else visiting UAE. Any help would be appreciated.

1) If I have a UK License and a International Driving Permit (IDP) from the UK, is it valid for driving a friend's car in the UAE ? (on a visit visa) If yes, is there any procedure to go through? Any temporary license to apply for? How long will it be valid for?

2) If I have a PK License and a International Driving Permit (IDP) from Pakistan, is it valid for driving a friend's car in the UAE ? (on a visit visa)

3) From what I can remember, if someone had a Driving License from a European Country or USA/AUS/NZ, it could be converted to a UAE license. But some time ago, I heard rumours that this cannot be done anymore unless you are a national of that respective country. Is this true?

4) What is this all about?
International Drivers License Permits - Order, Buy, Purchase, Apply, Register, Find, Renew, IDL | IDriverLicense.com
International Driver's Document
International Drivers License, International Driving Licence
idl-uk.com

Are these websites trying to sell something genuine? It looks a bit scammy to me, coz they all have the same generic descriptions on them. There's actually a typo in the last link.

IF these are for real, will this type of license (alongwith a native license) be usable in UAE without any additional documentation?

P.S. Please provide any supporting links/evidence for the answers.

Thanks

I am a Norwegen national having a Norwegien Driving lisence, when ever i am on visit to Pakistan, i get an international driving lisence from here, which i can get within 5 minutes, and this is valid whole of the world along with my original dr lisence except Norway, and it is valid for one year,

breal (breal) 2010-02-10 05:41:36 +0500 #4

as far as i remember...Driving licence of European Countries are valid in UAE but still you will be required to give a driving test....and one more thing you cannot drive your friends car on a visit visa.

ShahSawaar (ShahSawaar) 2010-02-10 05:55:53 +0500 #5

You can get international driving liscence from any of Travel Agency in your country., Provided u have the driving liscence of the country ur living in...

Jesa ke

Mei jub bhi Qatar se Pakistan UAE SAUDI ARAB ya phir UK jaonga to Travel agency se Fee dey kar 5 minutes mei Mil jata hay. It is valid for all the countries around the world.

Simple as that...

And i it works in pakistan for sure, bcoz once a policeman asaked me in Paksitan for liscence, i showed him that licence, he was MAROOB as well as JAYE JAYE...

gem_guy (gem_guy) 2010-02-10 09:49:35 +0500 #6

My friend, if I have to give a driving test, that completely negates the point of carrying a driving license from another country.
By the way, what you and hunnyahmed are saying are 2 complete opposites.:o

breal (breal) 2010-02-10 15:38:15 +0500 #7

i will confirm it for you tomorrow....

khanji (khanji) 2010-02-10 16:55:01 +0500 #8

Sir, i dont think any travel agency is authorise to issue a valid driving lisence,

as for as Pakistan is consern, i have been also using my Norwegien lisence,
trafic police in Pakistan consider it as international lisence.

butt i have no idea how the other contries consider it.

gem_guy (gem_guy) 2010-02-12 20:24:50 +0500 #9

Aight now, thanks for your response people.

I've done some further investigation myself. Firstly, I dont understand why Dubai has ATCUAE, and RTA and Dubai Police. So many authorities taking care of the same things. They're just building up redundant companies to move money around or what?:S

But, here's an undesirable twist in the story.

I emailed RTA with all my questions. Their replies were unusually prompt, but always incomplete; so it took me 3 emails to get the job done. Anyhow, here's the summary:

"Referring to your enquiry, Kindly be informed the holders of exchangeable driving license which mentioned in below list are allowed to drive with there local driving license in U A E while they are on visit visa and for other nationalities are only allowed to drive in U A E if they hold an international driving license . You can drive rent a car and first degree relative's car with international driving permit."

On the ATCUAE website though, here's a conflicting statement:

"In order to drive in UAE you need to have an International Driving Permit issued outside the UAE. Please note that tourists are allowed to drive only rented vehicles (Rent-a-Car). "

gem_guy (gem_guy) 2010-02-12 20:25:11 +0500 #10

Now all I can think of is that there's a difference between the 'tourists' and 'visitors'. Tourist visas are when you visit the UAE through a travel agent(referring ATCUAE's statement), but if your Dad is sponsoring a Visit Visa for you, its a slightly different story.

I passed a tailored question to RTA for my personal case, so I think what they've said is more applicable here.

fahdchhapra (fahdchhapra) 2010-02-13 01:42:27 +0500 #11

salaam

as far as the international drivers licence is conceded i think you cannot drive a car if you do not have the car insurance under your name , well this rule applies in USA don't know about UAE

bye.

muzammilrafiq (muzammilrafiq) 2016-09-02 18:03:46 +0500 #12

No you cannot. to drive a car of the resident of UAE you must have a 6 months temporary driving license. However, if you are renting a car from a local rental company, then you will only need your IDP + DL (both from the home country of your residency).