By Mohammed Rashad Hussain, Managing PartnerPublished 4 min read
Can you drive in Dubai on a foreign licence?
Yes, if you are a visitor and your licence qualifies. The UAE Ministry of Economy says visitors from the GCC states can drive on their home licence. So can holders of licences from 25 listed countries: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Japan, South Korea, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States.
Residents are different. A resident needs a UAE licence, so this guide is for visitors.
Which countries need an International Driving Permit?
Every nationality not on that list. The Ministry’s wording is that an international driving licence is mandatory for all other nationalities. If you hold, for example, an Indian, Pakistani, Chinese or Russian licence, get the permit at home before you fly and carry it with your original licence. Issue rules are set by your own country, so do not plan to sort it out on arrival.
Rental companies can be stricter than the law, on licence age, permit format or deposit. Send them your licence details before you land.
What do rental companies ask for?
Expect to show:
- your passport and entry stamp or visit visa
- your home licence, plus the permit if you need one
- a credit card in the driver’s name for the deposit
The legal driving age is 18, but the Ministry of Economy puts the minimum rental age at 21. Some supercar firms ask for over 25. If you land at Dubai International and want a car waiting instead, our guide to DXB Terminal 3 arrivals shows where a driver meets you.
Which UAE road rules catch visitors out?
Four things catch visitors out most:
- Speed cameras. The main roads such as Sheikh Zayed Road and Emirates Road are monitored. The posted limit changes along a road, so follow the signs, not the limit you drove at five minutes ago.
- Lane discipline. Slow traffic keeps right. Tailgating and late lane changes are common reasons for fines.
- Phones. Holding a phone at the wheel is an offence.
- Alcohol. Do not drive after any drink. The penalties for drink driving are severe, so use a driver instead.
We could not verify individual fine amounts against an official table, and some blogs disagree on the speeding tiers. Check the current schedule on the Dubai Police website before you rely on any figure.
How Salik, Darb and parking land on a rental bill
Dubai’s tolls are 10 Salik gates. A pass costs AED 6 in the weekday peaks (6 to 10 am and 4 to 8 pm), AED 4 off-peak and on Sundays, and nothing from 1 am to 6 am, plus 5% VAT since 1 June 2026. The rental company pays Salik through its tag and bills you, often adding an admin fee. The full gate list is in our Salik guide.
Driving to Abu Dhabi adds Darb tolls, AED 4 per crossing, which follow the plate and have their own unregistered-vehicle fines. Parking in Dubai is paid by zone, and the Dubai parking guide covers how.
Fines, black points and speed cameras
Fines on a rental car are recorded against the plate. The company traces them to the contract holder and bills your card, usually with a processing fee. Serious offences can carry black points on the licence. The contract says how long after return the company may still charge you, so read that line before you sign.
When is hiring a driver easier than self-drive?
A driver wins in four cases: a late-night flight, a day with several stops, a group that wants to go out for dinner, and any trip between emirates. Peak traffic matters too. Read Dubai rush hour and you will see why a short cross-city hop can take far longer than the map suggests.
Assure runs a car with driver by the hour and a private driver for longer stays. For a one-off airport run or a city day, the chauffeur service page lists the cars. If you want to weigh the two options side by side, see self-drive versus chauffeur, chauffeur versus taxi versus Uber and, for a supercar, exotic car with chauffeur versus self-drive. The Dubai travel guide has the wider picture.
Photos in this guide
Towers and a Dubai Metro station beside Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai, with traffic in the foregroundEditQ / Wikimedia Commons, CC0
Traffic on the E11 Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai under overhead signs for Sharjah and Dubai airportCoolcaesar / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
A Salik toll tag stuck to a car windscreen behind the rear-view mirrorAppusviews at Malayalam Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
A blue overhead road sign for Jabal Ali and Abu Dhabi with a Salik toll gate warning 6.0 km aheadSteven Lek / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
