United Arab Emirates
Last verified August 7, 2026
Written for U.S. passport holders
License Requirements
- As a short-term visitor, you can legally drive in the UAE on your valid U.S. license, but in practice you need an International Driving Permit (IDP) to actually rent a car — most rental companies won't hand over keys without one.
- You must get the IDP before you travel; it has to come from an authorized U.S. issuer (AAA or AATA), since it can't be issued to you once you're in the UAE (though a same-day paid IDP service exists locally for travelers caught without one).
The Gotcha
Technically you may be allowed to drive in the UAE on just your U.S. license, but that's mostly theoretical — in practice, no IDP means no rental car, since agencies enforce the IDP requirement themselves regardless of the strict legal minimum. Don't count on sorting this out after you land; get the IDP from AAA/AATA before you leave the U.S.
Sources
This page was drafted from the primary sources below. Rules change — check the linked page directly before relying on any of this.
- International Driving Permit — The Official Portal of the UAE Government (u.ae)