Italians come to Dubai in many ways: couples for a week in December, families over Christmas or Easter, groups of friends chasing the sea and the desert. Most share one thing: a car is never just transport, and in Dubai plenty of people want to drive something they would not get to drive at home. Here are the documents, the payment side and the ways local roads differ from Italian ones.
Italian licence: do you need an IDP
No. Italy is in the EU, and national licences from all 27 EU countries are accepted in the UAE for visitors without an International Driving Permit. The list of recognised countries is approved by the UAE Ministry of Interior and applies in every emirate. The Italian card licence, printed in Latin script, does the whole job: the car is released on it, and it is what you show the police if stopped.
The country that issued the licence is what counts. If you hold an Italian passport but a licence from a country outside the list, you will need an IDP together with the original. If unsure, check with us before booking. Moving to the UAE on a residence visa ends the validity of foreign licences, and an Italian one is exchanged for a UAE licence at an RTA service centre without a test.
What to bring
- Passport with a valid UAE visa or entry stamp.
- Your original Italian licence, valid for the whole rental.
- The licence and passport of a second driver, if there is one, so they can be added to the contract.
- A Visa or Mastercard, cash or an e-wallet for payment.
Drivers must be at least 21 with 1 year of experience. There are no young-driver fees.
Salik instead of autostrada toll booths
On the autostrada you take a ticket on the way in and pay on the way out. Dubai has no toll booths at all: the main highways have Salik gates without barriers, and a tag built into the car is read as you pass. There is nothing to set up.
| When | Cost per crossing |
|---|---|
| Mon-Sat, 6:00-10:00 and 16:00-20:00 | AED 6.30 |
| Mon-Sat, other hours | AED 4.20 |
| Sunday, all day | AED 4.20 |
| Night, 1:00-6:00 | free |
The renter pays Salik at actual cost, with no markup. Crossing data comes through with a delay, so the final amount may be billed after you return the car. Abu Dhabi has its own separate system, Darb.
Cameras, fines and city driving
If at home you know where the speed cameras are on your usual autostrada, Dubai will take that confidence away: speed is enforced mainly by cameras, and there are a lot of them. Sheikh Zayed Road is posted at 100 or 120 km/h depending on the section. In Dubai cameras typically record from about 21 km/h over the limit, while Abu Dhabi has no tolerance at all. Fines arrive electronically and are paid by the renter at actual cost.
City driving is calmer than central Rome or Naples: wide streets, clear markings and few scooters weaving between lanes. Multi-lane interchanges and roundabouts do call for choosing your lane early, and on a roundabout you give way to traffic coming from the left. There are no restricted traffic zones like Italy's historic centres, but parking is paid almost everywhere and linked to the number plate through an app or meter.
A Ferrari or a Lamborghini in Dubai
Many Italians tell us Dubai is where they first drive a car from Maranello or Sant'Agata. Our fleet has about 365 cars from 56 brands, supercars among them. The general requirements are the same, 21 or older with 1 year of experience, but some supercars have stricter terms, shown on the page of each car. The same page shows whether a deposit applies.
Winter is the moment: from November to March you can drive with the roof down in daytime without overheating, so convertibles and spiders are worth booking well ahead in season.
Payment, deposit and insurance
Italian Visa and Mastercard cards generally work in the UAE without trouble, though it is wise to tell your bank about the trip. When paying by card, the rental amount may be held as a pre-authorisation and charged at the end. Cash and e-wallets are also accepted.
Most cars need no deposit; if one does, it is shown on its page. Some cars come from a partner company with a 1,000 AED deposit, a minimum of 3 or 7 days and no driving to Oman. For other cars, ask about Oman when booking. Insurance is included and applies when the driver is named in the contract and holds a valid licence.
Travelling as a family
For a family with children an SUV or minivan is the practical choice: room for suitcases and a pushchair, a high seating position and strong air conditioning. Day trips to Abu Dhabi (about 140 km) or Al Ain (about 130 km) run on excellent highways, with no need for four-wheel drive. 250 km per day is included. On rentals of 7 days or more, delivery and return anywhere in Dubai are free; for shorter rentals they cost 210 AED together. Our office in Princess Tower, Dubai Marina, is open daily 10:00 to 19:00.
