What an IDP actually is
Many visitors treat the International Driving Permit as a separate licence, but it is not. An IDP is a translation of your national licence into several languages. It is invalid without the original licence, so an officer in the UAE will expect to see both documents together.
The UAE recognises the IDP under the 1968 Vienna Convention. Permits issued under the 1949 Geneva Convention by some countries are also accepted, though less consistently, so the Vienna version is the safer one to carry.
Who needs an IDP
The UAE Ministry of Interior keeps the list of countries whose licences are accepted without an IDP. It covers all 27 EU member states, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong, China, Turkey, Serbia, Albania, South Africa, Israel and the Gulf states: Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman. The licence should be in Latin script or carry a Latin-script duplicate.
An IDP alongside the national licence is needed for citizens of Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Moldova, India, Pakistan, the Philippines, Indonesia, Egypt, Morocco and most countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America. If your country is on neither list, check with us before booking.
In practice, some Dubai companies hand over a car to Indian, Filipino or Russian visitors on the national licence alone if it has Latin-script entries. The trouble comes later: at a police stop, after an accident, or in an insurance claim. The insurer can refuse to pay and the rental company will pass the repair bill to you. That is why we recommend getting the permit.
How to get an IDP at home
At home it is almost always quicker and cheaper than sorting it out on holiday. These are the routes for the countries we hear from most often:
- Russia: through the Gosuslugi portal or any traffic police office in one visit, valid three years.
- Kazakhstan: through a public service centre or egov.kz, usually ready in a day.
- Ukraine: at an MIA service centre, on the same day.
- India: at the RTO with Form 4A, up to a week.
- Pakistan: at the traffic police licensing office, usually the same day.
- Philippines: through the LTO or the Automobile Association Philippines.
Other countries work differently and we will not guess: ask the authority that issued your licence, or write to us.
Forgot it? A digital IDP through us in Dubai
If you have already landed or simply forgot, we can arrange a digital International Driving Permit in Dubai. You need your passport, your national licence and a photo. This is a legal service through a licensed operator, not a home-made card from the internet.
| Option | Price | Ready |
|---|---|---|
| Digital IDP (arrives on your phone) | AED 250 | same day |
| Printed IDP | AED 500 | next day |
Both versions are valid for three years, so the permit stays useful in any other country that does not recognise your licence directly. If you want to collect a car on the day you land, tell us in advance so the permit is ready by handover.
What happens if you drive without one
If your licence comes from a country outside the recognised list and you have no IDP, the fine for driving without a valid licence is up to AED 2,000. The car may be impounded, and sorting that out with the rental company is on you. After an accident the insurance may not apply, and the repair cost then falls on the driver.
A document check in Dubai is calm and short. The officer comes to the driver's door, you lower the window and stay in the car. He asks for your licence, the IDP, your passport (a copy is accepted) and the vehicle documents. The registration card and the rental contract are in the glovebox as originals: we place them there at handover. The database check takes a few minutes.
If you are a UAE resident
With a residence visa you cannot drive on a foreign licence, even with an IDP. Rental companies require a UAE licence from residents, and we check visa status at handover. Holders of licences from recognised countries usually exchange them at an RTA centre in a day without a test; everyone else goes through a driving school.
Quick checklist
- Passport and proof of entry.
- Your national licence: it is required in every case.
- An IDP if your country is not on the recognised list.
- The licence and passport of a second driver, if someone else will drive: they are added to the contract.
Our minimum driver requirements are the same for every class of car: 21 years old and at least one year of driving experience. Some supercars may have stricter terms, shown on the car page.
