If you are a driver in Dubai, then you definitely know there are only two ways of safely hitting the road in Dubai. One way is an international driving license, and the other is a Dubai driver’s license.
But what happens after the expiration of a driver’s license. You have to renew it.
Renewing your driver’s license in Dubai can be pretty simple, but you might have questions about it.
In this blog post, I will discuss almost everything you need to know about renewing your driving license in Dubai.
It doesn’t matter if you’re an Emirati or an expat. You’ll find all the information you need to renew your driving license successfully.
Who needs to renew their driving license in Dubai?
All residents of Dubai, whether citizens or expatriates, need to renew their driver’s license every 5 years for expatriates and every 10 years for Emiratis. Driving licenses must be renewed in order to ensure that all drivers are fit to drive and have the necessary knowledge to do so safely.
All applicants must pass a vision test to ensure that their vision is up to standard before being allowed to renew their driving license in Dubai.
When do they need to renew it?
In Dubai, Emiratis must renew their driver’s license every 10 years and expats must renew their driving license every 5 years. And this is an important process that must be completed to remain compliant with the rules and regulations of the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA).
In order to stay up to date with your driving license, make sure you keep track of when it needs to be renewed in order to avoid any inconveniences or penalties. Once your driving license in Dubai is expired, it cannot be renewed until all necessary paperwork and documents are completed and submitted to the RTA.
What is the process?
If you live in Dubai and need to renew your driver’s license, the process is fairly straightforward.
First, you will need to get an eye test done at an approved center. The RTA website has a list of all the approved centers in Dubai. Once you have done this, you can fill out the renewal application form on the RTA website. You will also need to attach a few documents including your current driving license, passport copy and Emirates ID.
Once the application is complete, you can pay the fees online or through an approved payment center. Once the payment is done, you will receive your renewed driving license in Dubai within 7-10 working days.
What documents are needed?
When renewing your driver’s license in Dubai, you’ll need to provide some documents. These documents include:
- A valid eye test report from an approved center.
- Your existing driving license Dubai.
- A copy of your Emirates ID or residence visa.
- Your passport and a copy of its information page.
- Two recent passport-size photographs.
- Any documents related to previous traffic violations or fines if applicable.
All the above documents must be in their original format. And any document in a foreign language must be accompanied by an official certified translator into Arabic or English.
How much does it cost?
Driving in Dubai requires having a valid driver’s license. The renewal cost of driving license Dubai varies depending on the age of the driver.
According to RTA Dubai, for customers younger than 21 years old,
- The renewal fees are 100 AED
- 20 AED for Knowledge and Innovation fees
- 500 AED additional fees when requesting the mobile truck service for the eye test and license renewal.
For customers 21 years and older,
- Renewal fees are 300 AED
- 20 AED for Knowledge and Innovation fees
- 500 AED additional fees when requesting the mobile truck service for the eye test and license renewal.
The most important is that if the driver’s license has not been renewed for more than 10 years. Then an evaluation test will be required. The fees include,
- 200 AED training file opening fees
- 100 AED learning application fees
- 50 AED handbook manual fees
- 200 AED RTA test fees
- 500 AED delay fees in renewing the driving license
- 300 AED driving license renewal fee
- 20 AED Knowledge and Innovation fees
Additionally, there is a delay fine (10 AED). And this is calculated monthly from the expiration date of the license, with a maximum of 500 AED.
For expats having a foreign license
If you are an expat living in Dubai and have a driver’s license from your home country, you can use it to drive in Dubai. However, if you would like to convert your foreign license to a UAE driver’s license, then you need to take the following steps.
First, you must have a valid residency visa in order to apply for a driving license in Dubai. Then, visit any of the RTA approved driving schools and register for a driving course. Once the course is completed, you need to submit the required documents and complete a medical test at an approved clinic. After that, you will be required to pass a theory test and a practical driving test at the RTA’s Testing & Licensing Centers.
Once you have passed both tests, you can proceed to the nearest customer service center and apply for the conversion of your foreign license to a UAE driving license. The cost of converting your license varies depending on the type of license you have. The average cost ranges from AED 600- AED 1000. Once all the paperwork is done, you will receive your new UAE driving license in 10-15 days.
You also need the translation of your foreign language driving license into Arabic language. And for driving license translation, you have to hire a professional translator like 4M Legal Translations or Quality translations, etc. the choice is yours! But I suggest you to first investigate to find a qualified translator for this job.
Best of luck…😊
