Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority replaced more than 58,000 foreign driving licences in 2025, allowing residents and visitors from 57 countries to exchange their licences for UAE-issued ones under existing agreements, the authority said.
The licence exchanges were carried out under ministerial decisions and bilateral agreements between the UAE and participating countries, according to the RTA. The move is part of Dubai’s broader efforts to streamline government services and improve quality of life for its multinational population.
Sultan Al Akraf, Director of Drivers Licensing at the Licensing Agency, said eligible applicants include citizens from five Gulf Cooperation Council countries, 38 European nations, 13 Asian and Latin American countries, and one African country.
He said countries added to the list over the past two years include Kyrgyzstan, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Croatia, and the U.S. state of Texas.
The licence replacement service is available through the RTA’s website and customer happiness centers across the emirate. Applicants are required to undergo an eye test at an approved center, submit a valid original licence, apply in person and pay the required fees, Al Akraf said.
