Tourists and Driving
 

Can a British tourist with a UK driver's license legally drive my car in Dubai? They cannot be added to the policy without a local license but RSA is assuring me they will be covered should anything happen. Not really filling me with confidence and I'm getting lots of conflicting advice elsewhere.

Re: Tourists and Driving
 

No.

A tourist can rent a car with a UK license but cannot drive a locally owned private car.

Interestingly enough, someone with a residency visa cannot drive in the UAE without a local license, even if the person holds a UK driver's license. As you can imagine this exposes a grey area for most expats as there's always an overlap between obtaining their visa and local license whilst still driving a rental car with a rental agreement based on their home country license. It's technically illegal :sneaky:

Re: Tourists and Driving
 

Thanks for responding. I'm now being told if my visitor applies for an International Driving Permit in the UK then they can drive a privately owned car here with permission. Again, I cannot find a single source to verify this. I cant really see why such an easily attainable permit would make a difference.

Re: Tourists and Driving
 

Call your insurance and ask them to e-mail you that it's ok.

Re: Tourists and Driving
 

:goodpost: get it in writing and then you are covered

Re: Tourists and Driving
 

but make sure it's from the insurer, not the broker that sold the policy to you!

Re: Tourists and Driving
 

Axa told me, in writing (email), that a Brit with a full British licence may drive my car while visiting on a tourist visa. This was approx 5 years ago, so might have changed. The rule about needing a UAE licence as soon as you have a residency visa has always been the case, which was why I was advised to go down the licencing office the same afternoon that my first UAE visa was issued (and to take a taxi).

That being said, I have also been led to believe that just because the insurer says you are covered does not automatically mean that the police will agree, but I have no idea how you get them to answer this question... It does come up, year after year, and I've never seen that bit answered.

Re: Tourists and Driving
 

It is down to your insurance company. Ask them.