Can you drive in UAE with GCC licence? Eligibility and exchange rules explained
TL;DR
GCC nationals can drive in the UAE using their home country licence while visiting.
Once a GCC national becomes a UAE resident, they must exchange their licence.
License exchange is done via the UAE's digital MuroorKhous platform for AED 600.
Former GCC residents with non-approved nationalities must pass theory and road tests.
The UAE now recognises and allows exchange with licences from 52 approved countries
Last week,
the UAE government approved a major update
to its 'Markhoos' initiative under the Ministry of Interior. The decision expanded the number of countries eligible for driving licence recognition and exchange, reinforcing the UAE's direction toward streamlining government services and improving mobility for residents and visitors alike.
Among those covered by these developments are nationals from Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia, who already have unique arrangements with the UAE in terms of driving privileges. These arrangements, while long-standing, are now clarified and reinforced under the official license recognition and exchange framework, providing clear guidelines on what GCC nationals, expatriates, and former residents must do based on their residency status and nationality.
Driving in the UAE with a GCC-Issued Licence
Citizens of GCC countries enjoy broad flexibility when it comes to driving in the UAE. Their national licences are recognised under mutual agreements and require no further authentication during short-term visits.
If you are a GCC national visiting the UAE, you may legally drive in the country using your existing national driving licence. This applies regardless of whether you are using a private car or driving a vehicle temporarily, such as during a visit.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
No annual fees for life
UnionBank Credit Card
Apply Now
Undo
However, once a GCC national obtains UAE residency, they are required to apply for a UAE driving licence. This involves converting their home country's licence through the UAE's official exchange process. Continuing to drive with a GCC licence after becoming a resident is not permitted under UAE traffic laws.
Official Recognition vs. Exchange: Defined Under UAE Law
The UAE distinguishes between two licensing procedures: recognition and exchange. Each has specific requirements and is tied to the individual's residency status and the nature of their visit.
Recognition (for visitors)
Recognition applies to individuals entering the UAE on a visit or tourist visa. It allows them to drive using their valid national licence without needing to apply for a UAE licence, provided the UAE has a reciprocal recognition agreement in place with the issuing country.
Key conditions for recognition:
The driver must not hold UAE residency.
The driver must possess a valid national driving licence.
The licence must cover the appropriate vehicle category (light vehicle, motorcycle, etc.).
Recognition is limited to the duration of the visit or temporary stay.
This applies to both citizens and expatriates residing in GCC countries who are visiting the UAE temporarily.
Exchange (for residents)
Once an individual becomes a UAE resident, they are no longer permitted to drive using their foreign or GCC-issued licence. Instead, they must exchange their existing valid national licence for a UAE licence through the official channels.
Eligibility and conditions for licence exchange:
The applicant must be a citizen of a country approved for licence exchange.
A valid UAE residence permit is required.
The national licence must be full and permanent (not temporary or probationary).
The applicant must be at least 17 years old.
A vision (medical) test must be completed.
Legal and administrative requirements under UAE law must be fulfilled.
In some cases, the original foreign licence may need to be surrendered if required under the bilateral agreement.
Former GCC Residents: Specific Testing Requirements
A common situation arises with individuals who previously lived in a GCC country and obtained a driving licence there but are no longer GCC residents.
Under UAE rules, holding a licence from a GCC country does not automatically qualify for exchange unless the applicant's nationality is also from a recognised country.
This means that an expatriate from a non-recognised country (not included in the UAE's 52 approved nations or the GCC) who previously held a GCC licence must undergo testing before receiving a UAE driving licence.
These applicants must:
Pass the knowledge (theory) test.
Pass the road test.
Driving classes are not mandatory in such cases, which helps reduce costs.
The applicant can go directly to testing after opening a traffic file.
Estimated cost range: AED 2,000 to AED 2,500, which may vary slightly by emirate or driving school. This includes:
Opening a traffic file
Taking the knowledge test
Taking the road test
This regulation ensures that driving competence is assessed while recognising previous driving history, even if the applicant is no longer a GCC resident or citizen.
Application Process and Fees
All eligible applicants, including GCC nationals, residents from the 52 approved countries, and others qualifying under bilateral agreements, must complete the exchange process through the UAE's dedicated digital platform.
Steps to exchange a licence:
Apply through the MuroorKhous online platform.
Submit:
A copy of the original foreign driving licence.
A legal translation of the licence (if not in Arabic or English).
Undergo a vision test at an authorised centre.
Pay the AED 600 fee for processing and issuance.
Choose between receiving the licence electronically or by courier.
The new UAE driving licence is issued without the need for further theory or road testing if the applicant meets all conditions under the exchange agreement.
Also read:
UAE now allows visitors from 52 nations to drive with their home country licenses
Countries Eligible for Recognition and Exchange
The updated list under the Markhoos initiative now includes 52 countries including the GCC countries. Citizens of these countries may either drive during their visit using their national licences or exchange them upon obtaining UAE residency:
Estonia, Albania, Portugal, China, Hungary, Greece, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Slovenia, Serbia, Cyprus, Latvia, Luxembourg, Lithuania, Malta, Iceland, Montenegro, Israel, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Uzbekistan, the United States of America, France, Japan, Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, Italy, Sweden, Ireland, Spain, Norway, New Zealand, Romania, Singapore, Hong Kong, the Netherlands, Denmark, Austria, Finland, the United Kingdom, Turkey, Canada, Poland, South Africa, Australia, Croatia, Texas, the Republic of North Macedonia, the Republic of Kosovo, the Kyrgyz Republic.
Important Note:
Citizens of South Korea are allowed to exchange their licence after obtaining UAE residency, but they cannot use their national licence during a visit for driving purposes.
FAQs:
Q. Can I drive in the UAE with my GCC licence as a visitor?
Yes, GCC citizens can drive in the UAE with their national licence while on a visit.
Q. Do I need to exchange my GCC licence if I become a UAE resident?
Yes, once you obtain residency, you must exchange your GCC licence for a UAE one.
Q. What if I used to live in a GCC country but no longer do?
If your nationality isn't from an approved country, you'll need to pass theory and road tests.
Q. How much does it cost to exchange a foreign licence in the UAE?
The fee is AED 600 through the MuroorKhous platform.
Q. Which countries are eligible for direct exchange?
GCC countries and 52 others; full list available in the article and on the Ministry of Interior website.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Tourism dept spent Rs 25cr to lure domestic travellers to Goa
Porvorim: Goa's tourism department spent Rs 26.3 crore to promote Goa internationally through roadshows and international travel expos since 2022, tourism minister Rohan Khaunte told the legislative assembly on Thursday. The tourism department's data suggests that a nearly similar amount — Rs 24.9 crore — was spent to promote Goa in India itself during the same period. The department's expenditure on international roadshows and trade events jumped from Rs 1.3 crore in 2020 to Rs 10.9 crore in 2024, not including travel allowance and other expenses for the officials who attended the events. The visits were approved by chief minister Pramod Sawant, said Khaunte. Data shows that the department spent Rs 24.9 crore on 31 roadshows organised by it and Goa Tourism Development Corporation from March 2022. Between Jan and June, Goa recorded a total of 57.1 lakh tourist arrivals, with domestic tourists pegged at 34.6 lakh through Goa International Airport at Dabolim and 22.5 lakh through Manohar International Airport at Mopa. In contrast, international arrivals stood at 3.2 lakh. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Learn more about Sterilization Using Autoclave Technology contentcuehub Search Now Undo Khaunte said that the 'targeted international roadshows' aim to tap into emerging markets such as Poland, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan, which previously had limited or no direct tourism linkage with the state. The minister said that international tourist arrivals and international flights increased because of the department's sustained global destination promotion. The opposition has repeatedly attacked the tourism department for wasteful expenditure on roadshows, both in domestic markets and at international travel marts. The tourism department has been visiting Germany, Spain, Dubai, Singapore, London, Austria, Japan, and Portugal to attract international tourists to Goa. Khaunte said that the state has asked govt to offer the visa-on-arrival facility to select countries.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
ANPR cameras installed at Theni Road checkpost to boost monitoring
Madurai: City police commissioner J Loganathan on Thursday inaugurated a set of advanced automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras at the Theni Road checkpost as part of efforts to strengthen road safety and traffic enforcement in Madurai. The new system uses AI-enabled cameras that can capture clear images of vehicle number plates even at high speeds. These cameras are linked to the city's integrated command and control centre and the National Informatics Centre (NIC), allowing real-time identification of traffic violations and automatic generation of challans upon approval. So far, three ANPR cameras were installed — one at Kalavasal junction and two along Thiruparankundram Road. Officials said the network will be expanded to 15 key locations across the city within two months. The next phase of installation is expected to focus on the Dindigul–Madurai Bypass Road and other major intersections. Each camera, costing around 1.5 lakh, is capable of storing data for up to 45 days. In addition to identifying vehicles, the system can also capture driver images, making it useful for tracking stolen vehicles and flagging habitual violators. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like American Investor Warren Buffett Recommends: 5 Books For Turning Your Life Around Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo Alongside the tech rollout, awareness campaigns are being conducted in schools and colleges to sensitise young commuters on road safety. Special instructions were also issued to bus drivers and conductors to prevent students from travelling on footboards.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Govt should give stakeholders greater clarity on rare earth magnets, says Bajaj Auto MD Rajiv Bajaj
Bajaj Auto MD discusses the extent of the impact of rare earth magnet shortage, looming production halt , and the broader implications for the EV ecosystem in an interview with Shally Seth Mohile. He outlines the challenges in finding short- and medium-term alternatives, uncertainty over government policies, and troubling delays in state-level EV incentive reimbursements. With the festive season approaching and supply chains disrupted, Rajiv Bajaj voices concern not just for his company, but for suppliers, dealers, and industry momentum at large, urging for greater clarity and policy integrity. What has been the impact of the rare earth magnet import curbs on Bajaj Auto? How many days of inventory do you have to ensure continued production of Chetak and electric three wheelers? Explore courses from Top Institutes in Please select course: Select a Course Category healthcare others Artificial Intelligence Project Management Management MCA Operations Management Cybersecurity CXO Public Policy Others Data Science Finance Healthcare Product Management Design Thinking Degree Data Analytics MBA Leadership Digital Marketing Data Science Technology PGDM Skills you'll gain: Duration: 11 Months IIM Lucknow CERT-IIML Healthcare Management India Starts on undefined Get Details Bajaj Auto had in recent months achieved pole position in both the electric scooter segment with its Chetak and the electric three-wheeler segment with its GoGo. Hence, since our volume requirements are quite high, particularly with the festive season approaching, we have been hit quite hard by the unavailability of heavy rare earth magnets as opposed to some of the smaller low-volume manufacturers. EV calculator How much will I save if I choose an electric vehicle? SELECT vehicle type Calculate by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Many Are Watching Tariffs - Few Are Watching What Nvidia Just Launched Seeking Alpha Read More Undo Our component inventory saw us through until June, but we are down by half in terms of production in the current month, and I am afraid that we are looking at a zero month in August as of now. Should that happen, it would be not just a significant impact on our leading share and revenue, but also on our Ebitda (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation) as our EV portfolio is now reasonably profitable. What are the alternative mid-to-long term strategies you are looking at to circumvent the shortage? In the short-term, there are no alternatives. In the medium-term, the two obvious alternatives are to look for an alternative to the high rare earth magnet and/or to look for an alternative to the source i.e. China. Live Events However, changing product design and/or the supply chain is easier said than done because it sets you back on what is already a rather steep learning curve in terms of quality and cost. Have there been any assurances by the policy makers on relaxation of DVA norms under PLI scheme if companies have to rely on import of motors/ sub-assemblies? I believe that there have been discussions with respect to DVA, PLI., etc, in the context of the import of sub-assemblies/assemblies in place of components. While Bajaj has not sought such a waiver, I am supportive of those who have, given that this is an acute situation brought on by unusual circumstances. However, we have not heard anything conclusive in this regard from the ministry or from any other regulatory authority. What implication will it have on the cost of production? Will you be able to pass it on to buyers? The per product cost implication is hard to estimate at this stage. There is no doubt that there will be some cost impact ranging from a relatively small one if a suitable product substitute becomes available from the current supply chain to a relatively large amount should this not materialise. What impact will the magnet shortage have on the e-scooter growth story? Well, in the scooter segment, EVs have achieved a relatively high penetration of the order of about 25% unlike with cars where I believe that it is still around just 2%. In some of the large metro markets, the penetration is even higher, and in such markets, there will be a definite demand contraction as a section of consumers that are now recalibrated to the joys and advantages of riding an electric scooter will resist reconciling to an ICE product. However, my greater concern is for our suppliers who have invested heavily in EV development and production as well as for our dealers who have set up exclusive distribution facilities for EVs. These relatively small entrepreneurs and their employees will be hit very hard if the current status quo becomes chronic. Finally, the momentum of the progress that the Indian industry was collectively making with EVs in line with the vision of the government will be seriously hampered. What in your opinion can New Delhi do with regards to dialogues with Beijing on the rare earth magnet issue? It is not for me to say what our government can do vis-a-vis their Chinese counterparts, but I would certainly say that our government should as much as possible be giving all of the stakeholders mentioned above greater clarity on what the exact situation is and what their best judgement is in terms of the near term outlook. For as of now, except for being given to understand that efforts are on, we know precious little. ET has learnt the Maharashtra government has inordinately delayed reimbursing EV incentives to manufacturers. What has Bajaj Auto's experience been? The electric scooter and electric three-wheeler segments are significant in the state of Maharashtra and Bajaj Auto being the market leader by far in both with over 50% market share is entitled to receive a large incentive from the state government basis its EV support policy and which, in turn, we pass on to our customers. However, for over two years now, for reasons that we are unaware of, we have received almost nothing, barring a tiny tranche that came in a couple of weeks ago whereas we have already passed on the entire amount to individual customers. This delay obviously has a significant impact on cash flow, and of course, the state never makes good the loss of interest. But more worrisome is what we informally hear, which is that the state finances may not permit the state to fulfil its policy obligation. Should there be a failure of policy integrity, it will certainly bode poorly for Maharashtra, which is otherwise deemed to be one of the finest destinations for business investment.
