Driving Licence |
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Short-term visitors to the UAE can rent a car after presenting their International Driving Permit (IDP) and original driving licence. If you want to drive a private car, you need to apply for a temporary driving licence. Residents of Ras Al Khaimah who wish to drive a vehicle, whether private or rental, need to obtain a permanent local driving licence. In any case, contact the RAK Police Traffic Department for up-to-date information and procedures.
INTERNATIONAL DRIVING PERMIT
In order to drive a rental car you need an International Driving Permit (IDP) in addition to your home country's licence, although this rule is often ignored. An IDP It is also a useful document for residents who are planning to travel abroad, as most of the countries require this licence when renting a car. As a resident of Ras Al Khaimah, you can submit an application at the RAK Police Traffic Department or you can apply for it at the Emirates Post (www.emiratespost.com). You will have to deliver copies of your UAE driving licence, passport, residence visa, 2 passport size photos, and pay a fee of 140dhs.
TEMPORARY DRIVING LICENCE
A temporary driving licence is issued by police for those who want to drive a PRIVATE car without a residency visa. Usually it is issued to expatriates awaiting visa processing, or visitors on visit visas. This licence is valid for 6 months and is issued after providing the following documents: copies of your passport, driving licence (both have to originate from the same country), and copies of your UAE visa and IDP.
TRANSFERRING OF DRIVING LICENCE
At the time of writing, nationals of GCC and citizens of countries mentioned below** can transfer their driving licence to Emirates driving licence without taking driving lessons or passing an exam. Of course, the major requirement is to already have acquired a driving licence from your home country.
** Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxemburg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States.
Conditions To transfer your driving licence you have to be at least 18 years old, have a valid licence from your country of origin and have a valid residence visa. Officially, apart from GCC citizens, you have to obtain a letter from your embassy conforming that your driving licence is valid; however, this procedure is not always followed. Translation into English or Arabic might also be required. Moreover, your driving licence has to originate from the same country as your passport. Those under the age of 21 need to renew their driving licence annually, while drivers over 21 are issued a driving licences that is valid for 10 years. Although, recently the press reported that a driving licence will be issued with one-year validity and will be renewed twice for one year each time before a driver is given a 10-year validity licence. You also have to be a resident of Ras Al Khaimah in order to arrange your driving licence here.
Procedure Bring a copy of your original driving licence together with copies of your passport and resident visa to the RAK Police Traffic Department. You will also need 5 passport size photos and cash to pay the fee of 300dhs, which include eye and blood tests. Applications must be filled in Arabic, which can be done at one of the typing offices in the building. Further, you have to pass an eye test and go for a blood test, which will state your blood type and group. Next, you have to hand over all the papers and you can expect your driving licence to be ready the same day.
OBTAINING A NEW DRIVING LICENCE
RAK Driving Academy If you are a national of the country not mentioned above, you need to obtain a new driver's permit, regardless of whether you already have a driving licence. You have to open a file at the RAK Police Traffic Department and provide copies of your passport and residence visa, 4 passport size photographs, the Non-Objection Certificate (NOC) from your sponsor, the application form filled in Arabic, and pay a fee of 300dhs. Then you need to register with the RAK Driving Academy and sign up for a theoretical course. The course consist of 8 lectures, 70 minutes each, on traffic rules and regulations. Lectures are given in Arabic, English and Urdu. The course ends with a 35 multiple-choice questions exam. The fee for the academy and test is 860dhs. Should you fail the test you can re-do it, but it will cost you additional 50dhs. Only after passing the theory test, the applicant will be granted the certificate and will be allowed to start driving lessons at one of the driving schools in Ras Al Khaimah.
Exam The exam consists of two parts the so-called internal and external exams. The internal part includes testing of your ability to park at a designated parking space. The external part will test your field driving skills. Exam fees are 50dhs for each part of the exam. If you do not manage to pass these exams, you can re-take them for additional fee of 50dhs. It is important to know that those who do their tests in a manual car, will be allowed to drive both manual and automatic cars. If the test is done in a automatic car, the UAE licence will only allow driving in automatic cars. After a successful completion of driving tests, paying the fee of 200dhs, and delivering all the necessary papers, if not done before, your new UAE driving licence will be issued.
Driving Test Centre Location: Al Maarid, near Al Maarid R/A
DRIVING SCHOOLS
Driving institutes in Ras Al Khaimah are widely available and a few of them are for women only. The student’s cars are usually painted yellow with a characteristic L on top. At the time of writing, driving lessons cost between 40-60dhs for 40min of driving. Your instructor will decide when you are ready for the practical driving test, but 20 lessons is a minimum required by law. It is very unusual to pass the first time round, so you should expect to take more lessons.
Al Falah Motor Driving School for Ladies Location: Corniche Rd Phone: 07 2333699 ________________________________________ Al Hadaf Motor Driving School for Ladies Location: Al Uraibi St Phone: 07 2221200 ________________________________________ Al Roudha Ladies Driving School Location: Al Faisal Rd Phone: 07 2351066 ________________________________________ Al Saif Motor Driving School Location: Corniche Rd Phone: 07 2334544 ________________________________________ Al Sha’ab Driving School Location: Al Faisal Rd Phone: 07 2355374 ________________________________________ RAK Motor Driving School Location: Al Uraibi St Phone: 07 2225735 |
RAK Police Traffic Department Location: Al Faisal Rd, between 'KFC light crossing' and Emirates Rd R/A Phone: 07 2356666 Open: 7.30am-2.30pm, Fri-Sat closed
RAK Driving Academy Location: Dahan Area, near the sea Phone: 07 2332888 Web: www.rda.ae
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