For many residents, driving in Dubai is a daily need. Someone who holds a licence from their own country first asks: will my licence be exchanged, or do I have to train from scratch? The answer depends on the country that issued the licence. This article is based on two service pages of Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA): "Issue a new driving licence or a new category by exchanging a licence" and "Apply for or manage a driving licence". Both pages were updated on 20 October 2026 and checked on 24 October 2026.
Who can exchange a licence?
RTA describes this service as being for "residents holding a valid licence issued in one of the exchangeable countries". The main conditions:
| Condition | What RTA says |
|---|---|
| Residence | A valid UAE identity card |
| Foreign licence | Must be valid |
| Residence from another emirate | To add a category, proof of living, studying or investing in Dubai is needed |
| Licence from a Gulf Cooperation Council country | Must be valid and be handed in |
| Heavy truck and heavy equipment categories | Only from countries that exchange all categories |
| Restricted licence | Not exchanged |
The list of exchangeable countries
On 24 October 2026 the RTA page listed these countries: Albania, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Belarus, Belgium, the United Kingdom, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kosovo, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, Montenegro, the Netherlands, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Norway, Oman, the People's Republic of China, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Kazakhstan, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the State of Texas (USA), Türkiye, Ukraine, the United States of America (except Texas) and Uzbekistan.
Iran is not on this list. According to RTA, licences issued in Guam, Jersey, Liechtenstein, Monaco, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico and Andorra are not exchangeable either.
Translation and data certificates
| Country | What is needed besides the main documents |
|---|---|
| Hong Kong | A certified legal translation |
| Japan | A certified legal translation |
| Türkiye | A translation from the embassy or consulate, and a "licence data certificate" from the embassy or consulate attested by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
| Any licence without security features | A certificate from the issuing country's embassy or consulate confirming the data |
Documents
For the 20 countries RTA lists in a separate table (Austria, Belgium, the United Kingdom, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye and the USA), it names these three documents:
- a valid UAE identity card;
- a valid electronic eye test;
- the original driving licence.
For the other countries on the list, the page's list of documents varies with the type of application, and in some cases it also mentions the results of the knowledge test and the road test; ask RTA what your own country requires.
Fees
| Line | Licence exchange | Adding a new category by exchange |
|---|---|---|
| Traffic file | AED 200 | — |
| Driving licence | AED 600 | AED 200 |
| Handbook | AED 50 | — |
| Electronic eye test | AED 180 | AED 180 |
| Knowledge and Innovation | AED 20 | AED 20 |
| Total | AED 1,050 | AED 400 |
According to RTA, the eye test costs from AED 140 to AED 180 depending on the centre. Delivery of the physical card is separate: standard delivery AED 20, same day AED 35, within 2 hours AED 50 and international delivery to Gulf Cooperation Council countries AED 50.
Steps
| Step | Task |
|---|---|
| 1 | Sign in to the RTA website with the identity card, passport or UAE Pass and confirm with a one-time password |
| 2 | Enter personal details, upload the documents and get a tracking number |
| 3 | Enter the current licence's details and upload a copy, with a translation if needed |
| 4 | Take the eye test at one of the approved centres |
| 5 | Present the original licence at a service centre, if asked |
| 6 | Pay the fees through the link sent by SMS |
| 7 | Receive the digital licence in the RTA app, or the physical card from a kiosk or by delivery |
RTA describes the service time as "instant". A licence issued to someone under 21 is valid for one year, and for 21 and over for two years.
If your licence's country is not on the list: the "Golden Chance"
In the "Apply for or manage a driving licence" service, RTA says holders of a previous, non-exchangeable licence use the "Golden Chance": they can take the knowledge test and the road test without training hours, and the chance is given only once. The general path of this service is: choose a driving school, get a learning permit, take the eye test and pass the tests. For the light vehicle category RTA lists these fees: learning permit AED 100, traffic file AED 200, handbook AED 50, eye test AED 140 to AED 180, Knowledge and Innovation AED 20, and the licence itself AED 100 for under 21 or AED 300 for 21 and over. The driving school and test fees are separate and vary with the school and the number of tests.
Two examples
These examples are hypothetical and only put the official fees side by side.
**Example 1: a Dubai resident with a Turkish licence.** Türkiye is on the list, so an exchange is possible: a translation from the embassy or consulate and a data certificate are needed.
| Line | Amount |
|---|---|
| RTA exchange fees | AED 1,050 |
| Standard card delivery | AED 20 |
| Total RTA fees | AED 1,070 |
The cost of the translation and the embassy certificate is separate.
**Example 2: a 30-year-old Dubai resident with an Iranian licence.** Iran is not on the list, so an exchange is not possible. This person can use the Golden Chance once: with the official fees above (learning permit 100, file 200, handbook 50, eye test up to 180, Knowledge and Innovation 20 and licence 300), the RTA fees listed come to up to AED 850, plus the driving school and test fees.
Practical points
- Check your licence's validity before travelling to the UAE; an expired licence is not exchanged.
- If your licence needs a translation or a data certificate, get it from the embassy or consulate before applying.
- If your residence is from another emirate and you want to add a category in Dubai, prepare proof of living or working in Dubai; for a tenancy, see the article on registering a tenancy contract in Dubai (Ejari).
- The Golden Chance is given only once; prepare before the test.
Royal Golden does not give legal advice. This article is general information, and the decision on any licence rests with Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority.
Sources
- Roads and Transport Authority Dubai (RTA), Issue a new driving licence or a new category by exchanging a licence — https://www.rta.ae/wps/portal/rta/ae/home/rta-services/service-details?serviceId=121 (checked on 24 October 2026)
- Roads and Transport Authority Dubai (RTA), Apply for or manage a driving licence — https://www.rta.ae/wps/portal/rta/ae/home/rta-services/service-details?serviceId=617 (checked on 24 October 2026)