International Driving Permit in United Arab Emirates

🗓 Facts checked against United Arab Emirates's road-traffic law and official sources. Research last updated: 28 July 2026. You may copy this information only if you provide a link back to this page.

⚠ This page is general information about driving rules, not legal advice. Rules change, and each authority applies its own — confirm your case with the relevant authority before you drive.

ℹ We are a private company. We are not a government body, a licensing or issuing authority, or a treaty organisation, and we are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting for any of them. The International Driver's Document we sell is a translation of your national driving licence: it is not a driving licence, and it is not a government-issued document.

• Driving in United Arab Emirates: key facts
• Do you need an International Driving Permit in United Arab Emirates?
• What side of the road does United Arab Emirates drive on?
• How long can you drive in United Arab Emirates with a foreign licence?
• Is United Arab Emirates a party to the 1949 or 1968 Road Traffic Convention?
• Why acceptance of your licence varies from place to place
• Can you drive in United Arab Emirates with your country's licence?
• Where to get an International Driving Permit
• Which countries can convert a licence in United Arab Emirates without an exam?
• Driving rules in United Arab Emirates tourists get fined for
• Read more about driving in United Arab Emirates
• Sources

Driving in United Arab Emirates: key facts

Do you need an International Driving Permit in United Arab Emirates?

Nationality-gated, not universal: visitors from the GCC and from 25 approved countries may drive on their home national licence alone; for all other nationalities official guidance makes an IDP mandatory alongside the national licence (moet.gov.ae: 'For all other nationalities, an international driving license is mandatory'). The legal hook is Art 9(3) of Federal Decree-Law 14/2024, which exempts 'holders of valid international or Foreign Driving Licences... permitted to remain in the State for non-residence purposes, in accordance with the controls specified in... its Executive Regulations' — i.e. the law accepts either an approved foreign licence or an international licence, with the approved-country controls set at regulation/guidance level (the MOI 'Markhoos' initiative). The UAE acceded to both the 1949 Geneva and 1968 Vienna conventions on 10 Jan 2007 (UN MTDSG XI-B-1 status PDF and XI-B-19 status page, UAE rows '10 Jan 2007 a'), and the law says only 'valid international Driving Licences' without a convention gate — so both IDP types work. No IDP/foreign licence works once you hold a UAE residence visa (see the residents section below).

• Tourists and short-term visitors: carry your national licence together with the document named in the row for your country of issue, in the table below — for most non-exempt licences that is an IDP.
• Car renters: Rental desks enforce the nationality gate strictly: home licence alone only for the 25 approved countries + GCC tourists; everyone else is refused without an IDP, and driving without the required IDP risks fines and denial of insurance cover after an accident.

No specific penalty for driving without the required document was verified from an authoritative source. Official source.

What side of the road does United Arab Emirates drive on?

United Arab Emirates drives on the right-hand side of the road, and overtaking is done on the left. Cars in United Arab Emirates are left-hand drive.

How long can you drive in United Arab Emirates with a foreign licence?

Status-based, not time-based: a foreign or international licence is valid for the duration of a visit/tourist/transit stay — the law's only clock is being 'permitted to remain in the State for non-residence purposes'. There is no fixed day/month cap for tourists; the right ends the moment you take up UAE residence (residence-visa holders must obtain a UAE licence — RTA FAQ: a US national on an investment visa 'No, you have to exchange it to be able to drive in Dubai'). Visit-visa drivers are limited in Dubai to light vehicles and motorcycles (RTA FAQ verbatim: 'You can drive only light vehicles and motorcycles in Dubai if you have a visit visa and a Driving Licence from a GCC or exception country'). (Art. 9(2)-(3), Federal Decree-Law No. (14) of 2024)

Planning to move to United Arab Emirates? Different rules apply once you become a resident — see the residents section below.

Is United Arab Emirates a party to the 1949 or 1968 Road Traffic Convention?

United Arab Emirates is a Contracting Party to both United Nations Conventions on Road Traffic — the Geneva Convention of 19 September 1949 and the Vienna Convention of 8 November 1968. International Driving Permits of both the 1949 and the 1968 type are therefore issued against its framework; which types United Arab Emirates accepts from visitors is shown in the table above.

• 1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic: accession on 10 Jan 2007.
• 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic: accession on 10 Jan 2007.

Why acceptance of your licence varies from place to place

Whether a foreign country accepts your driving licence hangs on a tangle of variables: three different road-traffic conventions signed decades apart (1926, 1949, 1968) — the oldest predates the United Nations itself, and only the latter two were concluded under it — countries at different stages of joining each (signed vs. accepted vs. ratified), licences printed in alphabets local police can't read, vehicle-category systems that don't line up between countries, document generations that may not meet a convention's format even when the country is a member, bilateral deals between individual states, and local laws that are looser in one place and stricter in the next. The same licence can be fine at one border and rejected at the next — even at the next rental desk. The International Driving Permit exists to cut through most of it: a standardized, multilingual presentation of your existing licence, with harmonized category symbols, that most officials can read at a glance. It doesn't replace your national licence or grant new rights — you carry both — and it doesn't guarantee acceptance: a handful of destinations still require a local permit alongside or instead of it, but for most it meaningfully improves your odds.

Can you drive in United Arab Emirates with your country's licence?

This table is for tourists and temporary visitors. Moving to United Arab Emirates as a resident? Different rules apply — see the residents section below. Find your licence's country of issue below. The UAE gates visitor driving by nationality: tourists from the GCC and citizens of 25 approved countries (US, UK, most Western Europe, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, South Africa...) can drive on their home licence alone, while every other nationality must carry an International Driving Permit together with their national licence (Federal Decree-Law 14/2024, Art 9 + official guidance). The UAE joined both the 1949 Geneva and 1968 Vienna conventions on the same day (10 Jan 2007), so either IDP type is accepted. The right is strictly visit-only — the moment you hold a UAE residence visa your foreign licence stops working, and you must exchange it (recognised countries, no test) or pass the full UAE test. Driving on a non-recognised foreign licence is a criminal offence: AED 2,000–10,000 for a first offence (Art 37). Rules change — confirm with official sources before you travel. Last verified: July 2026.

Legend: "1949" — Geneva Convention on Road Traffic (IDP valid up to 1 year); "1968" — Vienna Convention (IDP valid up to 3 years).

What the Status column means on this page:

• National licence OK — the destination lets a visitor drive on the national licence itself. The row for your country of issue, in the table below, gives the basis, and any period or condition that qualifies it.
• National licence OK — IDP advised — the destination does not require an IDP for this licence, but carrying one is advised. The row for your country of issue, in the table below, gives the reason and any conditions attached.
• IDP required — the destination requires an IDP in addition to your national licence. The row for your country of issue, in the table below, says which IDP to carry and what else to carry with it.
• Not recognised — the record shows no route to drive here as a visitor on this licence; ask the local authorities about conversion or a temporary permit. The row for your country of issue, in the table below, says what stands in the way.
• Not established — the record does not settle whether you may drive here on this licence; confirm with the destination's licensing authority before you rely on it. The row for your country of issue, in the table below, says what could not be confirmed.

Sources and notes for the table above

[1] Art. 9(2)-(3), Federal Decree-Law No. (14) of 2024 + moet.gov.ae approved list (25 entries)

[2] UN Treaty Collection, Multilateral Treaties Deposited with the Secretary-General — status of the 1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic (chapter XI-B-1) and of the 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic (chapter XI-B-19) — XI-B-1, XI-B-19

[a] Licence categories do not follow the convention A–E scheme — rental staff may ask for an IDP to map them.

Where to get an International Driving Permit

An International Driving Permit must be obtained before you travel, and only certain countries may issue one to you — you cannot buy an official IDP from an unrelated country. Under the 1968 Vienna Convention it may be issued only by the Contracting Party where you normally reside and which issued or recognizes your licence — by that Party's competent authority or by an association it has duly empowered. Under the 1949 Geneva Convention it is issued by the competent authority of a Contracting State, or by an association that authority has duly empowered. Which body that is varies by country: a government agency in some, an authorized motoring club in others.

• Travelling from United Arab Emirates? United Arab Emirates's official IDPs are issued by Automobile & Touring Club of the UAE (ATCUAE) — applications are accepted online. Official site.
• Travelling from another country? Ask that country's driving-licence authority which body it authorizes to issue IDPs — a government agency in some countries, an authorized motoring club in others.

Separately, IDA offers a digital International Driver's Document — a translation of your national licence that you carry alongside it. It is not an International Driving Permit issued under the 1949 or 1968 conventions by the body your country authorizes for that purpose, and it is not a certified, sworn or otherwise official translation: no authority certifies it, and where a country requires an official or certified translation by law, our document does not satisfy that requirement. It is a private translation meant to make your national licence readable at rental desks and roadside checks.

Which countries can convert a licence in United Arab Emirates without an exam?

Foreign licences are for visitors only — the exemption in Art 9(3) is expressly for 'non-residence purposes', and once a UAE residence visa is issued you must hold a UAE licence (no grace period is published; RTA FAQ tells even a US national on an investment visa to exchange before driving). Exchange without driving school or road test exists for licences from states recognised by Council of Ministers decision or via bilateral agreements/MoUs concluded with the Ministry (statutory basis: Art 11, Federal Decree-Law 14/2024). Dubai's RTA put the recognised total at 57 countries in Jan 2026 (5 GCC + 38 European + 13 Asian and Latin American + 1 African; recent additions: Kyrgyzstan, Kosovo, North Macedonia, the US state of Texas, Croatia — per the Dubai Media Office release of 20 Jan 2026). The RTA service page (updated 22 July 2026) publishes verbatim a table of 20 'exception countries' whose licences any nationality may exchange (exactly 20): Austria, Belgium, Britain, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, USA — translation required for Hong Kong/Japan (legalised) and Turkey (embassy certificate). For other recognised countries, nationality generally must match the licence (RTA two-passport FAQ: entering on a non-exception-country passport bars exchange). Procedure: electronic eye test, valid original licence presented (surrendered only 'if required'), fees ~AED 600 federal licence fee / AED 1,010–1,050 all-in Dubai (RTA breakdown: 200 traffic file + 600 licence + 50 manual + 180 eye test + 20 innovation = 1,050); licence valid 1 yr (<21) or 2 yrs (21+).

The 20-country table above is the verbatim, countable official list (RTA serviceId=121, 'List of the 20 countries eligible for exchange', Nationality column = 'All countries' for every row; updated 22 July 2026; exactly 20). The wider 57-country federal total (Dubai Media Office, 20 Jan 2026: 5 GCC + 38 European + 13 Asian/Latin American + 1 African = 57) could not be stably enumerated from a static official page — the MOI/Markhoos list sits behind a JS-only portal, and while the RTA page also carries a longer nationality-restricted eligibility table (containing e.g. Australia, Canada, Cyprus, Greece with nationality conditions), repeated readings of it returned inconsistent row counts, so it is deliberately not reproduced here; third-party enumerations conflict (52 vs 57). Licences from these issuers are not replaceable at all (RTA verbatim, re-verified): Guam island, Jersey island, Liechtenstein, Monaco, North Mariana, Puerto Rico, Andorra (7 counted). GCC nationals must surrender the GCC licence on exchange. Diplomats accredited in the UAE are fee-exempt with a MoFA NOC. Official source.

Driving rules in United Arab Emirates tourists get fined for

• Mandatory equipment: Seat belts: driver and all passengers (MD 178/2017 item 51: AED 400 + 4 black points); children under 4 must be in a child seat (item 50, AED 400); no one under 10 years old or shorter than 145 cm in the front seat (item 49, AED 400); mobile phone use / distracted driving AED 800 + 4 pts (item 32). All four rows are in the u.ae PDF. No warning-triangle/vest carry requirement found in the federal fines list (PDF grepped: zero hits for triangle/vest).
• Drink-driving: Zero tolerance — the law sets no permissible BAC: Art 35(1) criminalises driving 'under the influence of alcoholic beverages' with no numeric threshold, and FCDO guidance states 'It is illegal to drink and drive, no matter how small the amount, and your insurance is likely to be invalidated in the event of an accident' (tier: law + guidance). Art 35(1) Federal Decree-Law 14/2024: imprisonment and/or fine AED 20,000–100,000; court suspends the licence >=3 months (1st), >=6 months (2nd), cancels it (3rd). Drugs/psychotropics: AED 30,000–200,000 (Art 35(2); suspension >=6 months, 1 year on 2nd, cancellation thereafter). Administratively: fine 'Decided by court' + 23 black points + 60-day vehicle impound (MD 178/2017 item 2, u.ae PDF).
• Speed limits: No federal numeric limits in the law — limits are set per road by each emirate's authority via signage: typically 25–40 km/h residential, 60–80 urban, 100–140 km/h motorways (E11 Abu Dhabi cut from 160 to 140 km/h on 14 Apr 2025 — per press coverage of the Abu Dhabi announcement; since then no public 160 road). Speeding fines (MD 178/2017 items 34–40, u.ae PDF, law-subordinate): AED 300 (<=20 over), 600 (<=30), 700 (<=40), 1,000 (<=50), AED 1,500 + 6 pts + 15-day impound (<=60 over), AED 2,000 + 12 pts + 30 days (>60 over), AED 3,000 + 23 pts + 60-day impound (>80 over). Pedestrian-linked rule in primary law: pedestrians may not cross roads signed above 80 km/h (Art 7(4)).
• Rental desks enforce the nationality gate strictly: home licence alone only for the 25 approved countries + GCC tourists; everyone else is refused without an IDP, and driving without the required IDP risks fines and denial of insurance cover after an accident.
• Minimum rental age is 21 (25+ at supercar rentals) even though the licence age is 18; many rental companies also want the licence held for 12+ months (company policy, not law).
• On a visit visa with a GCC/approved-country licence you may drive light vehicles and motorcycles only — not heavy vehicles; and you may not drive a Saudi-plated (KSA) vehicle in the UAE on a UK licence except while crossing the border ('No, you can only drive it while crossing the borders from KSA to the UAE').
• Any measurable alcohol invalidates insurance in practice and is prosecuted; Sharjah is a dry emirate. High accident rate and undisciplined lane behaviour reported; speeding is camera-enforced everywhere; police can impound vehicles for violations considered minor elsewhere (AED 50,000 + fines to release, per FCDO).

Read more about driving in United Arab Emirates

• 7 tips on how to drive safely in Dubai
• 10 Interesting Facts About UAE
• Best places to visit in United Arab Emirates
• What is the United Arab Emirates Famous For?

Watch what driving in United Arab Emirates looks like

A few minutes of real POV footage is the fastest way to feel confident before your first drive in United Arab Emirates:

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Sources

1. National road-traffic law
2. Resident licence conversion — official list
3. u.ae — Getting a driving licence (ages, exchange, Markhoos)
4. Ministry of Economy & Tourism — Renting a Car (25-country visitor list, IDP rule; direct fetch flaky, read via a plain-text view)
5. Dubai Media Office — RTA: licences from 57 countries recognised for exchange (Jan 2026)
6. u.ae — Road safety (new decree-law summary, fines PDF)
7. Ministerial Resolution No. (178) of 2017 — traffic fines list (PDF, u.ae)
8. u.ae — Handling emergencies (999/998/997; corrected URL — the previous 'important-phone-numbers-' deep link now 404s)
9. UN MTDSG XI-B-1 — 1949 Geneva Convention status PDF (UAE row: '10 Jan 2007 a')
10. UN MTDSG XI-B-19 — 1968 Vienna Convention status (UAE acceded 10 Jan 2007)
11. UK FCDO travel advice — UAE driving and zero-tolerance alcohol
12. MOI — Markhoos initiative (recognition and exchange of driving licences; JS portal)
13. Automobile & Touring Club of the UAE (ATCUAE) — authorized IDP issuer in United Arab Emirates
14. UN Treaty Collection — 1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic
15. UN Treaty Collection — 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic