How to get an international driving licence in the UAE

Apply before you travel, while you are still in the country. An International Driving Permit is issued by the Automobile and Touring Club of the UAE, at RTA offices, through Emirates Post, at the Dnata office on Sheikh Zayed Road, through ATCUAE affiliate members, or in the Ministry of Interior’s MOI UAE app. It is valid for one year.

Bring or upload the following:

• The IDL form.
• A copy of your Emirates ID.
• A copy of your passport and your valid residency.
• A copy of your valid UAE driving licence.
• Two passport sized photographs.

The IDP is a United Nations convention and a legal requirement that allows motorists to drive their vehicles outside the UAE legally, without the need for further tests and applications.

u.ae, the official portal of the UAE Government

What this does not mean

Read that quote carefully: the permit is for driving outside the UAE. It does not replace a UAE licence at home, and it is not a way around the local test, which is why it will not help a visitor or a new resident who wants to drive here. Nor does it stand on its own abroad, since it accompanies your UAE licence rather than replacing it, and it expires after a year. Some countries also have their own conditions, so it is worth checking which ones will exchange a UAE licence before you rely on it.

If what you actually need is a licence to drive in the country, that is a different process, covered in how to get a driving licence in Dubai.

Sources: u.ae, Driving abroad (who must apply, one year validity, the document list and the issuing bodies).