Do you have any immediate plans to travel to the UAE? If so, you might be interested in independently driving around and discovering the country. But what are the regulations that visitors must follow if they want to drive in the United Arab Emirates?
Find out if you need an International Driving Licence
As long as they have a driver’s licence that is recognised in the UAE, tourists and visitors can easily rent a car there and drive it.
They may drive a vehicle with their current licence if it can be converted to a UAE driving permit. They would have to apply for an international driving licence if they didn’t.
You can easily rent a car and drive on the licence from your home country if you possess one of the driving licences that can be converted into a UAE driving licence. While you are on a visit visa, you are not required to convert the licence into a UAE driving permit.
If you are a national of the following countries and have a driving licence issued by the country, you are eligible to swap your licence for a UAE driving licence:
- GCC Countries
- Lithuania
- Portugal
- Hungary
- Bulgaria
- Latvia
- Serbia
- Luxembourg
- Iceland
- Estonia
- Cyprus
- Slovakia
- Malta
- Albania
- Romania
- Germany
- Italy
- Switzerland
- Poland
- Finland
- Spain
- Holland
- Greece
- Sweden
- Belgium
- Ireland
- Turkey
- Denmark
- Austria
- France
- Britain
- Norway
- The Republic of Montenegro
- United States of America
- Canada
- Japan
- South Korea
- Hong Kong
- People’s Republic of China
- Australia
- New Zealand
- Singapore
- South Africa
If you do not currently possess a driver’s licence from one of these nations, you will need to apply for an international driving licence, which is also available in the UAE, in order to have your current licence changed.
Therefore, all you need to rent a car is a copy of your passport and a current driver’s licence.
Check your insurance cover
Companies that rent cars also recommended customers be careful about the kind of insurance coverage they buy.
You should be aware of the insurance coverage, the deductibles (the sum you would be required to pay in the event of a claim), and the extent of the coverage.
When purchasing auto insurance at a rental agency, it’s crucial to pay close attention to the details and ask the right questions to be sure you are getting enough coverage.
For drivers travelling to the UAE, the cost difference between complete cover and basic insurance is only a few hundred dirhams.
As an example, the price of a basic car or hatchback might be Dh100 plus Dh40 for comprehensive insurance. Similar to this, while the daily rental charge for a higher-end four-wheel drive may be Dh500, good insurance would cost you an extra Dh80 per day.
How much deposit does one need to pay?
When you hire a car, the rental service provider could require you to pay a security deposit, which can range from about Dh1,000 for a basic automobile to Dh5,000 for a high-end car.
We advise the guest to use an overseas credit card to pay the security deposit. This is due to the fact that if you paid the deposit in cash, you would have to wait to receive it back because the deposit is repaid after 22 days. However, if you blocked the money using your credit card, it can still be refunded without your physical presence being required in the UAE. Therefore, even if you travel back, you can still get your money back.
Why does one need to wait to receive the deposit back?
One of the reasons car rental businesses require a waiting period before returning the security deposit is to get the latest information on any fees or fines the driver might have earned while using the vehicle.
Prior to the deposit being refunded, any speeding tickets or Salik crossing fines will be deducted.
It is therefore advisable to become familiar with UAE driving regulations, such as speed limits, parking rules, and toll gate fees.
