Licences from GCC states, the US, UK, Canada, EU/EEA countries, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, South Africa and several others are accepted directly for tourists. All other licences must be paired with an International Driving Permit, and any licence not in English or Arabic needs an IDP regardless. Your licence generally must be at least 12 months old.
Accepted directly (tourists)
If your licence was issued in the GCC, the US, Canada, the UK, an EU/EEA country, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, Singapore or South Africa — among several others — you can rent with the home licence alone. Desks see these every day and the pickup is routine.
Everyone else: licence + IDP
Licences outside the accepted list must be presented together with an International Driving Permit. The IDP is a translation, not a standalone document — carry both. And whatever your country, a licence not printed in English or Arabic needs the IDP regardless. One more rule: UAE residents must rent on their UAE licence, not a foreign one.
Age and validity of the licence itself
- Held for at least 12 months in most cases — brand-new licences are commonly refused.
- Valid beyond the rental period, not expiring mid-trip.
Bring the plastic
Desks want the physical licence — digital licence apps on your phone are not accepted, however official they look at home. Pack the card, add the IDP if you need one, and pickup takes minutes. Compare rental cars in Dubai, and run through the full document checklist in car rental help before you fly.