Driving in Dubai on an Indian Licence

Is an Indian Licence Valid in Dubai?

India is not on the UAE's list and is not in the GCC, so a India licence needs an International Driving Permit alongside it. Both documents have to be carried.

The list is published by the UAE Ministry of Economy and Tourism and it is the list rental companies here work from, so the answer does not change from one company to the next. The full table of all 30 accepted countries is on our International Driving Permit in Dubai page.

Sources: the UAE Ministry of Economy and Tourism page Renting a Car (updated 2026-09-13) and the RTA. We last checked both on 2026-09-14. Government rules can change — check the source before you fly.

What to Bring

• Your passport, plus the entry stamp or visa page.
• Your original India driving licence — the physical card, not a photo of it.
• An International Driving Permit issued in India, carried together with the licence itself. An IDP is a translation, not a licence: on its own it is not valid here.
• A credit card in the driver's own name for the refundable hold. A debit card is not accepted for the hold.

Minimum age 21 on standard cars and 25 on luxury, sports and exotic models. A licence held under 6 months carries compulsory full insurance (CDW) and a 25% surcharge. Dubai drives on the right.

What It Costs

There is no cash deposit: a refundable hold goes on a credit card in the driver's name and is released within 21 days of return. Comprehensive insurance and 250 km a day are in the price; 5% VAT, Salik tolls and any traffic fines are added, and delivery is free (monthly rentals). Every charge, with its figure, is listed on our International Driving Permit in Dubai page.

Cars start at AED 100 a day, AED 650 a week and AED 1,700 a month, plus 5% VAT, with comprehensive insurance and 250 km a day already in the price. Economy from AED 100 (cheap car rental), SUVs from AED 120 (SUV rental), seven-seaters from AED 150 (7 seater rental) and the luxury fleet from AED 525 (luxury car rental). If you would rather not drive at all, a car with a driver is the alternative.

From India: Driving on the Right

India drives on the left. Dubai drives on the right, in left-hand-drive cars, and most of what feels different follows from that: you sit on the left of the car, keep to the right-hand lanes unless you are overtaking, and overtake on the left.

Roundabouts run anticlockwise, the opposite of home, and traffic already on the roundabout has right of way. Give yourself the first day on quieter roads before the motorways. Speed and red-light cameras are everywhere, and a fine reaches the rental at the fine amount plus AED 50 admin and 5% VAT.

The Hold Needs a Credit Card

The refundable hold has to go on a credit card in the driver's own name. A debit card cannot take it, and neither can a prepaid forex travel card of the kind many visitors from India carry. Check before you fly that you have a credit card in your own name with room on it for the hold.

Apply for the International Driving Permit in India before you travel: it has to be issued in the country that issued your licence, so it cannot be arranged after you land.

Collecting the Car

We hand the car over in the arrivals hall at DXB Terminal 1, 2 or 3, or at your hotel, with the contract signed digitally beforehand, so there is no counter and no queue. Delivery and collection are free (monthly rentals); see car rental at Dubai Airport.

Visitors Versus Residents

One rule catches people out. A Indian licence works while you are a visitor. The moment UAE residence is issued, the foreign licence stops being valid for driving here — residents need an Emirates ID and a UAE licence, which for some nationalities is a straight exchange at the RTA and for others means taking the test. If your visa status changed while the car was with you, tell us, because it changes what the insurance covers.