# Obtaining a new UAE driving license on a Sharjah issued visa



## BathBerk (Jun 15, 2013)

Hi everyone and Happy Eid,

I am hoping someone out there can help me. I have been out of the UAE for nearly three weeks having just got my Emirates ID before I left and am now ready to try and get my UAE drivers license on my return on Monday. I understood that as a UK driving license holder that I should be able to convert across fairly easily. However, I have just come across some confllcting information and could do with some advice:
1. As my business is registered in the Shrajah Airport Freezone and my visa was issued from Sharjah, will I have to get my driving license from Sharjah too? I read a post on another site suggesting that these days the licenses are UAE general and not Emirate specific? It sounds like applying in Dubai is a lot easier than in Sharjah so would prefer to apply in Dubai, where I am living, if possible.
2. So far in Dubai I have been driving on my UK license, but now I have my residence visa, will I have to get a UAE drivers license before I can drive again? I have booked a hire car from the airport on Monday and am worried that I won't be allowed to use it now if I don't have a UAE license.
3. If I have to get a license from Sharjah, it seem to me from what I have read that I will need to join the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce, which looks like a complete waste of time and to require documents I don't have. Does anyone else have experience of this?

Thanks for any advice people can offer. By the way, I am still pretty new in Dubai and need to make some friends. Any suggestions on where to meet up with other friendly ex-pats?:fingerscrossed:


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## AlexJH (Jul 2, 2013)

I can't talk Sharjah-specific but my friend works in Abu Dhabi for a Dubai registered company. She has to apply for her driving license in Dubai. They won't let her do it in Abu Dhabi due to her visa. Also she tried to hire a car the other week but couldn't because she had the resident / visa permit but only a foreign driving license. Call the Dubai RTA (?) and rental company to double check. Each Emirate seems to have a slightly different interpretation to some rules.


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## saraswat (Apr 28, 2012)

BathBerk said:


> Hi everyone and Happy Eid,
> 
> I am hoping someone out there can help me. I have been out of the UAE for nearly three weeks having just got my Emirates ID before I left and am now ready to try and get my UAE drivers license on my return on Monday. I understood that as a UK driving license holder that I should be able to convert across fairly easily. However, I have just come across some confllcting information and could do with some advice:
> 1. As my business is registered in the Shrajah Airport Freezone and my visa was issued from Sharjah, will I have to get my driving license from Sharjah too? I read a post on another site suggesting that these days the licenses are UAE general and not Emirate specific? It sounds like applying in Dubai is a lot easier than in Sharjah so would prefer to apply in Dubai, where I am living, if possible.
> ...


Comments above, about the meeting up with people bit, events get posted from time to time on the forum, also the entertainer roulette will start back up in September (look for the thread in the sandpit part of the forum)


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## anujkm (Oct 28, 2017)

Hello,
My Visa is from Dubai and i am working in Sharjah branch, I wanted to apply for Driving Licence from Sharjah. So is it possible if Yes,

Plz, let me know process and docs required.
Regards,


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## svgeorge (Jul 9, 2016)

anujkm said:


> Hello,
> My Visa is from Dubai and i am working in Sharjah branch, I wanted to apply for Driving Licence from Sharjah. So is it possible if Yes,
> 
> Plz, let me know process and docs required.
> Regards,


To the best of my knowledge, you can only apply for a driving license from the Emirate which issued your visa. Go to any driving school and they will list out the requirements. If I remember correctly, only visa copy, Emirates ID copy, Indian driving license and photographs were required.


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