Up to 3 months in jail, Dh5,000 fine for driving without licence
Same penalty applies if the licence is not meant for the type of vehicle being driven
The UAE allows holders of valid driving licence issued by certain countries to convert their licence to a UAE driving licence.
UAE’s Public Prosecution has reminded residents to only drive a vehicle if they have the right licence issued by the relevant authorities.
If not, they face a jail term as well as a financial penalty, according the UAE’s traffic laws.
In a post on their social media channels on July 10, UAE Public Prosecution informed people of the fines and penalties for driving in the UAE without a valid driving licence.
In the post, the UAE Public Prosecution referred to Article 51 of the Federal Traffic Law, as amended by Federal Law No. 12 of 2007, dated 19/08/2007, which states: “Whoever drives a vehicle on the road without a driving licence or a licence not allowing him to drive that type of vehicle shall be sentenced to a period not in excess of three months imprisonment and/or to a minimum fine of Dh5,000.”
Getting a driving licence in the UAE
If you are new to the UAE and wish to get a driving licence, you can apply for one at a driving school in the UAE.
Driving schools across the country have a clear training process, and as a driving student you will have to take a written test, a parking test as well as a road test before a driving licence is issued.
Alternatively, certain applicants can convert their existing driving licence to a UAE driving licence. The UAE allows holders of valid driving licence issued by certain countries to convert their licence to a UAE driving licence as well. To find out if you are eligible to convert your current driving licence to a UAE driving licence, or to read a detailed guide on how you can get a driving licence in the UAE, log on to gulfnews.com/ living-in-uae or write to us at readers@gulfnews.com.