South Africans are used to long distances, bakkies and trips out of town, and much of the UAE will feel familiar except one thing: the side of the road. First, though, the paperwork, which is simple for South African citizens.
A South African licence: one document is enough
South Africa is on the list of countries whose national licences are accepted in the UAE without an International Driving Permit (IDP). The list is approved by the Ministry of Interior and is the same in every emirate. The licence must be in Latin script and issued in South Africa. We hand over the car on that document, and a police officer at a stop will not ask for more.
- Passport with a valid UAE visa or entry stamp.
- South African licence, the original, valid for the whole rental.
- Age and experience: 21 or older with at least a year of driving. There is no young-driver fee. A few supercars have stricter terms, shown on the car page.
- A second driver: their licence and passport are needed at handover so they can be added to the contract.
The rule is for visitors. If you receive a UAE residence visa, you cannot drive on a foreign licence and need a local one. Holders of licences from recognised countries normally exchange them at an RTA centre without a test.
Home versus Dubai: what changes
| Situation | South Africa | UAE |
|---|---|---|
| Side of the road | left | right |
| Steering wheel | right | left |
| Roundabout | clockwise, give way to the right | anti-clockwise, give way to the left |
| Overtaking lane | right | left |
| Speed | km/h | km/h |
The units are familiar, but the other rows need rewiring in your head. The most common mistakes happen at empty junctions and when leaving a car park, where there are no other cars to follow. For the first half hour repeat to yourself: "right side". Depending on the car, the indicator and wiper stalks may be on the opposite side from what you are used to, and switching on the wipers instead of the indicator on day one is normal. You now sit by the left edge, so your feel for the right side of the car is off: leave extra room when parking and passing.
The best first drive is a wide, well-marked highway rather than tight streets. Sheikh Zayed Road is posted at 100 or 120 km/h depending on the stretch. Enforcement is mostly by camera: in Dubai cameras typically record from about 21 km/h over the limit, and Abu Dhabi has no margin at all. The fine arrives electronically.
Bakkies and SUVs
For a South African a bakkie is not just a vehicle, it is a familiar format, and the fleet has a good choice. Prices are as of October 2026, and the current price is on each car page.
| Car | Day, AED | Week, AED | Month, AED |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toyota Hilux 2025, 2.7 L | 230 | 1,380 | 4,600 |
| Ford Ranger 2024 | 250 | 1,500 | 5,000 |
| Suzuki Jimny 2025, all-wheel drive, 4 seats | 200 | 1,300 | 4,400 |
| Toyota Fortuner 2024, 7 seats | 280 | 1,680 | 5,600 |
| Ford Everest 2024, 7 seats | 280 | 1,680 | 5,600 |
| Toyota Land Cruiser 70 2024 | 300 | 1,800 | 6,000 |
| Toyota Land Cruiser Prado 2024, 7 seats | 400 | 2,400 | 8,000 |
For the city and tarmac trips a bakkie is not required: Abu Dhabi (about 140 km, an hour and a half), Hatta (about 130 km) and Al Ain with the Jebel Hafeet road (about 130 km) can be done in any car. A bakkie or Land Cruiser makes sense if you plan to head into the desert. If you want a simple city car, the Toyota Raize at AED 109 a day or the Volkswagen T-Roc at AED 200 will do.
Payment and terms
We accept cash, bank cards and e-wallets. Visa and Mastercard cards from South African banks usually work, but tell your bank about the trip. When you pay by card, the rental amount may be held as a pre-authorisation and charged at the end. Most cars need no deposit. If one does, it is shown on its page: some cars come from a partner company with its own terms, a deposit of AED 1,000 and a minimum rental of 3 or 7 days. Insurance is included, and 250 km per day is included.
Tolls, parking and the office
Salik toll gates have no barriers, and a tag is built into the car. A crossing costs AED 6.30 at peak times Monday to Saturday (6:00 to 10:00 and 16:00 to 20:00), AED 4.20 otherwise, a flat AED 4.20 on Sundays and is free from 1:00 to 6:00. Salik and speeding fines are paid by the renter at actual cost with no markup. Parking in Dubai is paid almost everywhere and linked to the number plate through an app or meter.
On rentals of 7 days or more, delivery and return anywhere in Dubai are free, and for shorter ones they cost AED 210 together. Our office is in Princess Tower, Dubai Marina, open daily 10:00 to 19:00, with Russian-speaking support. Ask about driving to Oman when booking: it is not allowed on partner cars.
