Who's exempted from Dubai driving test?

Dubai - UAE driving licence aspirants, rejoice, if you belong to one of these countries!

By Web Report

Published: Wed 26 Oct 2016, 2:25 PM

Last updated: Tue 18 Apr 2017, 4:16 PM

Applying for a driving licence in UAE can be a difficult process for many residents, however Dubai has exempted citizens of a few select countries from the driving test.
According to the Dubai Government portal, if you have a valid driving licence from a list of countries provided on the portal, citizens of those countries would be exempted from the driving test in Dubai.
In that case, you may simply transfer your existing driving licence without taking any training or test.
Applicant must be a UAE resident and a citizen of that country while applying for the licence - this means former UAE residents with valid driving licences need to follow all the steps to get a new licence.
Watch: 10 mistakes Dubai drivers should avoid in RTA road test

The list of countries from which citizens can transfer their driving licences is as follows:

Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Kuwait, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States.
(Please call RTA on 8009090 for any changes to this list.)

Also read: Step-by-step guide to getting a driving licence in UAE
Driving licence holders of some countries require translations or consulate letters:
(i) Canada
A letter from the Canadian Consulate in Dubai to verify that the licence is genuine is required.
(ii) Driving licence holders from Greece, Canada, Cyprus, Poland, Turkey, Japan & South Korea will require a translation of their driving licence from their respective consulates.
The following documents are required for converting a foreign driving licence in Dubai:
- A valid original driving licence
- Valid residence visa issued by Dubai
- A completed form for replacement of licence
- No objection letter from sponsor to replace licence and optometry form accredited by the health authority in the emirate.
(Source: Government of Dubai portal)