If you live in the UAE on a Residential Visa / Work Permit, you need a valid UAE Driving License. To get a UAE Driving License, you need driving lessons and pass the driving test from an RTA-approved Driving Institute in UAE: Galadari | Belhasa | Emirates Driving Institute

If you are visiting the UAE as a tourist and want a rental car to get around, you need to have a valid International Driving Permit (IDP) a.k.a. International Driving License and your original Driving License, both from your home country.

Passport holders of GCC, US, UK, Canada and certain other countries can drive on their home country license in the UAE

Rent a car with Driver in Dubai is very easy now with OneClickDrive. Browse the cars from different suppliers, select the one you want to hire and choose the rental duration. The chauffeur will then arrive with your selected car at the location of your choice.

Check the below 2018-updated list to find out.

*Original + Translated Copy required
For all other countries, an International Driving Permit is essential from the driving license holder’s home country.

Download image: Country Driving Licenses Valid in the UAE

There are no overheads unless otherwise specified by the car hire company. You only need to pay the full rental amount for the period you need the car as a daily / weekly / monthly deal. However, a refundable deposit amount of AED 1500 or more per car is blocked by the car hire agency. Some companies accept the deposit amount in cash too.

Since traffic fines sometimes generate several days after the incident is recorded / reported by the RTA, companies block the deposit amount on a credit card as a safety net for fines incurred on their leased cars while they were rented by you. This also helps in times when a rental car is damaged by the driver.

Salik charges are also recorded in a few days by the rental company to be paid by the driver.

Incase there are no fines or deductibles, the blocked amount is released within 30 days. On request, you can settle the additional charges in cash too if you do not wish to use your credit card.

Salik is Dubai’s electronic toll collection system. There are no toll booths in Dubai providing you a continuous drive across the UAE without any interruptions.

When you cross a Salik, charges are also recorded by the rental company through the RTA Salik system. You, the car renter / driver, pays the Salik charges.

Car hire companies mark up the cost to AED 5 per salik. Here is a complete list of Salik Toll Booths in Dubai.

Note: You also pay for Salik charges when your hired taxi crosses a toll in Dubai such as on Sheikh Zayed Road.

In the UAE, all rental cars come with an air-conditioner (AC) and FM radio. Most rental cars (newer models especially) come with a USB music player / mobile charging port so don’t forget to carry your USB data cable for your mobile phones.

Chargeable extras such as GPS, Baby or Child Seats, WiFi may also available on request from the car rent shops.

Basic insurance is included in the car rental charges as per RTA Dubai regulations. Full-coverage insurance and additional insurance options may be available at an extra charge by the respective car rental company.

CDW insurance is Collision Damage Waiver which means that you are covered if there are any accidental damages to the car in a collision, no matter who is at fault. However, it is essential to get a Police Report (whichever emirate you are in).

Consider getting CDW insurance for stress-free driving.

Comprehensive insurance covers you incase of any accidental damage to the vehicle, provided it isn’t your fault. A police report proving the same with a green or white slip must be produced for the same.

An additional driver can be registered on the same hired car and insured by submitting the required documents. Additional costs may incur depending on the car hired and car rental company policies.

If the car rented by you meets with an accident and the person in the driving seat is not registered, the Police might consider you at fault besides incurring other fines.

In a city, where there are more than 500 car rental companies. It’s unadvisable to settle with the first car rental offered to you in Dubai. Not only will you end up with a bad deal but you might just be liable to pay additional charges, should you not do your research right.

OneClickDrive.com offers a simple and easy gateway for you to compare car hire prices offered by a number of car lease companies in Dubai. Multiple cars by various car leasing companies across Dubai. Choose at your convenience for the price you want to pay. There’s always a smarter way to get high quality service at an affordable cost.

Mileage limitation is the number of kilometers you can drive your rental car free of cost. The mileage limitation (200 km, 300 km or so) is included within the rental price. The additional mileage charges are set by the car rental company depending on the car so it’s best to check it before hiring the car.

On OneClickDrive, we have standardized all car rental mileage packs at a minimum of 250 km / day, 1400 km / week and 4500 / month.

You, the car renter, pays for the fuel expenses. The car may or may not come with a full tank so be sure to check / request the car rental agent. Note, you need to return the car with the same level of fuel as was provided to you. Best to click a picture of the fuel level at the time of pickup as proof.

Always check / note the type of fuel you must refill in the car you are hiring, right at the start. You can reach the car rental staff and check with them by mentioning the car you’re driving and the rental reference no.

While staff at the fuel stations / petrol pumps can assist you with this, it is your responsibility to fuel the rental car with the right type of gas.

In the event of fueling the car with the wrong fuel type, you might be liable to pay for the damage done to the car including the cost of repairs and days it is kept in the garage.

Always take note of existing dents, scratches and so on when the car rental staff checks the car before handing you the keys. Take pictures on your smartphone for proof.

The customer pays the parking charges as and when required. Parking meters are located within most parking lots however some parking lots only accept payment by SMS on 7275.

RTA provides multiple payment methods for parking in it’s public parking zones with the UAE. Firstly, you can pay directly in cash at the Park Meters located within / nearby parking lots. After you pay by coins or notes, a parking ticket will be issued and drop into the glass box below. It’d a good practice to place the parking ticket on the front dashboard inside the car for the RTA police’s convenience.

Parking charges depend on the parking zone. Minimum cost is AED 2 per hour in Dubai. Put 2 Dirhams (coins) in the slot and press OK. You should put receipt under the windshield.

You can also pay parking charges by SMS from your mobile phone. Send sms to 7275 with text “Plate number”, “Parking zone” and “number of hours” you require the space.

For example: E56742 382F 3 (Car plate E56742, area 382F, for 3 hours). You will receive confirmation message with timings and reminder before the end of the paid period

Always remember to pay for parking in public and private paid-parking spaces. Don’t cross the speed limit especially if you are driving a leased car. You might even incur additional charges over the AED 600 speeding fine.

The cost of hiring a car in Dubai is about AED 40 per day i.e. AED 1200 per month for a small car in Dubai. Price includes insurance and even delivery in some cases. Car rental rates in Dubai vary depending on the period of rental you’re committed to keep the car. Some companies list special offers for as low as AED 33 per day for long term rental or yearly lease.