Car Rental at Dubai International
There is a wide selection of car hire companies to choose from at Dubai Airport and here we have provided details on each of the car hire firms who are based and operate out of Dubai International Airport.
The information provided includes their contact information, hours of service, where they are located and links to the relevant Dubai Airport car hire company websites.
The following companies provide car rental services at Dubai Airport:
Avis – Budget – Dollar – Europcar – Fast Car – Hertz – National – Sixt – Thrifty – United
Simply use the car hire search engine on the left of this page to obtain an instant car rental quote from Dubai International Airport.
Driving a Hire Car in Dubai
Each Emirate in the UAE has its own unique driving rules which make it important to learn the local laws for where you will actually be driving. For example, if you plan on driving to Abu Dhabi and you are unfortunate enough to be involved in an accident, cars cannot be moved out of the lane of traffic until police authorities arrive. In Dubai, the rules are different and vehicles can be moved if they are obstructing other motorists and as long as they can be safely moved out of the way.
Road rage is something which is not tolerated in Dubai and strong penalties can be handed out by police for just giving another driver a rude gesture. In any case, it is always advisable to stay calm at all times when driving a hire car in Dubai or when driving anywhere for that matter.
If you are planning on renting a 4×4 in Dubai to do a little exploring and driving out into the dessert you should be aware that it can be a very harsh environment to drive within. Be sure to only hire a 4×4 vehicle if you are planning on doing this and that you travel with other cars in a group. Important things to take with you out into the desert are a mobile phone, plenty of water and extra fuel.
The driving laws in Dubai do not allow any legal alcohol limit whatsoever unlike other countries where it is legal to drink and drive with small amounts of alcohol. Therefore, drink driving in Dubai is strictly prohibited and getting behind the wheel whilst under the influence can get you in a great deal of trouble so quite simply, do not do it.
More Driving Rules in Dubai
Below are some more important rules that you should be aware of if you are planning to drive and hire a car in Dubai:
- In the UAE, vehicles are driven on the right hand side of the road.
- It is illegal to drive over the paved shoulder.
- It is illegal to use a mobile phone while driving unless you use a “hands free” accessory for your phone.
- It is against the law to turn right on a red light.
- There are many roundabouts in the UAE. Try to stay on the inside lane when turning left and always signal.
- Seatbelts (including rear seatbelts) in cars and buses are mandatory and should be worn at all times. Children under 10 years old are not allowed to sit in the front seat.
- Watch out for speed bumps. They are usually indicated in yellow and can be quite high.
- You will rarely be stopped by a policeman for speeding, however there are many hidden radar cameras.
For fines incurred in Dubai, visit www.dxbtraffic.gov.ae.
For fines incurred in Abu Dhabi, visit www.adpolice.gov.ae.
Accidents
- If you are involved in an accident, call the police and do not leave the scene.
- Make sure that you have your registration card and driver’s license on hand.
- When the police arrive, they will determine who is at fault so make sure to cooperate and answer their questions.
- In the case where you are determined to be at fault, you will be given a pink form. If you are determined not to be at fault, you will be given a green form.
- A garage cannot repair accident damage without this form so make sure to keep it safe.
What You Need To Rent a Car in Dubai
Residents of the United Arab Emirates must present a valid national driver’s licence which has been held for at least one year.
Customers with the following national driver’s licence can drive in the United Arab Emirates without an International Driving Permit (IDP):
Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece*, Ireland, Italy, Japan*, Korea*, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Romania, Spain, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey* and United Stated of America.
* Please note that customers from Greece, Japan, Korea and Turkey must present a valid translation of their licences approved by the Council or Embassy.
All other customers must present a valid International Driving Permit (IDP) together with their national driver’s licence.
In the event that no IDP is available, or if an IDP is available but no national driver’s licence, you will not be able to rent a vehicle.
It is advisable to check what you will need directly with the relevant Dubai Airport car hire company that is providing your rental vehicle in Dubai to make sure that there are no unforseen problems when you arrive to collect your hire car in Dubai.
To contact any of the Dubai International Airport car hire companies, simply use the links in the left hand navigation bar or at the very top of this page, which will take you through to a dedicated information page for each one.
Internatioal Permit
If you need to obtain an International Driving Permit (IDP) to accompany your local country driving license to hire a car in Dubai. Both licenses must be issued by the same country. The Dubai Police website suggests that (as of April 2009) if you hold an IDP then your home country driving license is not necessary but you should bring it just in case. Rental car companies may or may not ask for both.
An IDP is approximately the same size of a standard passport and is basically a multiple language translation of your existing driving license, complete with photograph and vital statistics. The International Driving Permit is not a license to drive a motor vehicle on its own and must be accompanied with your normal resident country driving license.
The IDP is printed in several languages including the 5 official UN languages which are English, French, Spanish, Russian, and Chinese plus German, Arabic, Italian, the Scandinavian languages, and Portuguese. It is valid in all the signatory countries. In addition, many other countries that did not sign the treaty recognize the permit and accept it in their territories.
If you plan to get a car rental in Dubai and discover that you do need to obtain an international driving permit for your Dubai car rental needs, then you should contact your local Automobile Authority.
How to Obtain your IDP to Rent a Car in Dubai
Only authorised bodies are allowed to issue the International Driving Permit and it is essential that you obtain your IDP from an authorised body, otherwise you risk obtaining an illegal copy which could leave you liable in case of an accident or injury that occurs when driving your hire car in Dubai.
An International Driving Permit should be obtained in your country of residence (the country where your current “domestic driving license” is issued) and before you depart on your travels.
List of Organistations
Below is a list of authorised organisations in a variety of countries in alphabetical order that are able to supply you with an international driving permit to drive your rental car in Dubai.
Australia
- Only NRMA (New South Wales), RACV (Victoria), RACT (Tasmania), RAASA, RACWA, AANT and RACQ (Queensland) are authorized to issue IDP’s.
Austria
- Austria Automobile and Touring Club (O.A.M.T.C.)
Belgium
- Royal Automobile Club of Belgium (RACB)
Britain
- The Automobile Association (AA) and the Royal Automobile Club (RAC), issue IDP’s. They can be obtained from the majority of major Post Offices.
Canada
- The Canadian Automobile Association (CAA) is the sole issuing authority.
Finland
- The Automobile and Touring Club of Finland (ATCF)
India
- The Western Indian Automobile Association
Italy
- Issued by the Motorizzazione Civile dei Transporti in Concessione (Ministry of Transports). The Permit can also be requested at ACI outlets that do this service on behalf of the Motorizzazione Civile.
Ireland
- Royal Irish Automobile Club (RIAC)
Romania
- The Romanian Automobile Association issues IDP’s from its branches throughout Romania. (ACR)
South Africa
- The Automobile Association of South Africa (AASA) is the sole issuer of International Driving Permits for the following countries : South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Lesotho, Swaziland and the Transkei.
Spain
- Real Automovil Club De Espana (RACE)
Sweden
- Motormannens is an official issuing organisation of the International Driving Permit in Sweden for Swedish Driving Licence holders www.motormannen.se
Switzerland
- Switzerland Automobile Club. (ACS)
United Arab Emirates (UAE)
- Issued by the Automobile & Touring Club for UAE (ATCUAE)
- Abu Dhabi Tel: (+971) 2 621 2175
- Dubai Tel: (+971) 4 228 4019
- Sharjah Tel: (+971) 6 552 3183
USA
- The U.S. State Department says it has authorized two organizations to issue IDP’s. The American Automobile Association (AAA), and the American Automobile Touring Alliance, which offers IDP’s through the National Automobile Club (NAC).