# UAE driving license in the Uk



## Laowei (Nov 29, 2009)

Quick question im off back to the UK in a few weeks and just realised my UK driving license expired a few months ago. Before i rush over and organise fedex can i use mu UAE one? will probaly use both my Dads car and hire one. 
Xie Xie


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## maddiee (Jun 13, 2014)

You will need to get an international from here I think....


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## Talat (May 31, 2014)

You can make international driving permit from any of the post office..just take your passport and uae driving license and i think 50 dhs fee or 100.and that will valid for 1 year.you can use that in many countries.


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## bluester (Sep 23, 2010)

Yes! In fact you must, as your UK driving license is not valid if you are non-resident. It seems like many people don't know that. Care hire companies will all accept UAE licenses and a simple call to your insurance company should sort you out for a private car


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## twowheelsgood (Feb 21, 2013)

bluester said:


> Yes! In fact you must, as your UK driving license is not valid if you are non-resident.


If its registered at a UK address I think it is.

It becomes invalid if not registered at a correct UK address (which people frequently forget to do) but I don't believe there is anything which actually specifies that 'non-residency' is an specific issue.

As a UK citizen, you are a resident, although you may be 'non-resident' for tax purposes, which is not the same thing.

Quite happy to be proved incorrect but there was a thread about six months ago on this exact subject.


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## bluester (Sep 23, 2010)

Agree....however I think the issue is insurance validity as most policies state that you must be UK resident. Car hire companies will assume you are if handing over a uk license and the OP's dad's policy will probably specify UK residents only. It's just a case of notifying them that the driver is holding a UAE license


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## Stevesolar (Dec 21, 2012)

Hi,
From what I understand the UAE run a licence swap system for UK licence holders. This means that technically you are supposed to surrender your UK licence when you obtain the UAE one - the RTA are then supposed to send your UK licence to the DVLA. In practice this does not happen - so I still retain both.
Whenever I go back to the UK, I simply hire cars with my UAE licence - without any problems (and without need for UAE international licence).
This is the correct and proper way for UAE residents to drive in UK - until they permanently leave the UAE.
It has the added bonus that speed cameras in UK now hold no fear - as I will not run risk of points on my normal UK licence!
Cheers
Steve


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## Windsweptdragon (Aug 12, 2012)

You can use your UAE license for 12 months from your permanent return to the UK. Car hire places may ask for proof of address in UAE before they accept the license. I rented from Europcar and that wasn't needed though. 

You may struggle to get insured on your dads car though, I wasn't able to drive my dads when I returned to UK on holiday as insurers would not accept UAE license. 

If your license expires when you are not a UK resident you are not allowed to renew it. I've had some lengthy discussions with licensing authority as my UK license expires every three years due to a medical condition. If I'd lied and given parents address they wouldn't have noticed, as I was honest they did notice and refused application until I become resident of UK again.


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## Robertobambino (Aug 12, 2014)

From an insurance perspective they only require that the driver holds a valid licence (uk, European or international) and that any convictions/accidents are disclosed.

They can't ask if you're a resident as it's not a material fact, so therefore can't ask.

As for the UAE / UK licence link, maybe worth checking with the DVLA..


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## lxinuk (Mar 18, 2012)

I returned to the Uk for a month this summer and hired fromAlamo. I gave my UAE license and they didn't ask any further questions. I presume that they wouldn't hire me a car if that license didn't cover me. I did however have a £1000 excess if I had an accident payable for each car damaged, unless it wasn't my fault. I could have reduced this if I'd paid more money.


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## twowheelsgood (Feb 21, 2013)

Robertobambino said:


> As for the UAE / UK licence link, maybe worth checking with the DVLA..


I had a trawl through the DVLA website and while there is a lot about licence exchange from countries where people want a UK Licence and how they have to hand over their licences, there was nothing about a UAE reciprocal agreement. The UAE incidentally was not on the list of countries where there is a reciprocal agreement.

I also searched through my car insurance documents, which are conveniently online and there is nothing about residency requirements at all.


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## Laowei (Nov 29, 2009)

Thanks all will stick with my UAE license, my UK license is registerd at my parents address and you can renew online. But the insurance issue is confusing so best use UAE one and hire cars. My dad will be using his for work, so my mother has offered me here car, but as its a 10 yrs old ford Ka ive politely declined.


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