UAE IDs & Licences: Emirates ID, Driving Licence & Police Clearance
Your Emirates ID is the key to life in the UAE; driving licences, passports, and police clearance certificates each run through their own authority.
Every UAE resident must hold an Emirates ID issued by ICP — it proves identity, opens banking and tenancy, and is needed for most government transactions. Driving licences are issued by the RTA in Dubai and the police or transport authority in other emirates, with licence conversion available for many countries without a road test. Passports are renewed through your embassy or consulate, and police clearance certificates are issued by the Ministry of Interior or Dubai Police. Our guides cover applications, renewals, replacements, fees, and the documents to bring.
All IDs & Licenses Guides (UAE)
10 guides
The Emirates ID is the official identity card for everyone who lives in the UAE. ICP issues the card. If you are a resident from another country, you apply for it together with your residence permit on one unified form. Dubai is different. Dubai uses GDRFA instead. The card stays valid for as long as your residence visa. Your 15-digit ID number stays the same for life, even when you renew the card.
6 steps · Same-day application; delivery varies · From AED 300 (2-year card)2026-Latest
If you live in Dubai, you need a UAE licence to drive. To get your UAE driving licence (also called a Dubai driver's license), open a traffic file with an RTA-approved driving institute — the RTA driving license route. You pass an eye test. You take theory classes and pass a Knowledge test. You take practical driving lessons. Then you pass a Yard test for parking and a final Road test. Do you hold a licence from a country the RTA recognises? Then you can usually exchange it directly, with no tests. A new licence is valid for 2 years if you are age 21 or over. It is valid for 1 year if you are under 21.
8 steps · Weeks to months (training route); 1–3 days (exchange) · Varies by institute package (check rta.ae for current fees)2026-Latest
The Police Clearance Certificate (Good Conduct Certificate) proves you have no criminal record in the UAE. You often need it for a job, for immigration, for study abroad, or for a licence. People also call it a UAE police clearance, and a Dubai police clearance certificate is the same document for Dubai visa holders. Two authorities give it. Dubai Police gives it to Dubai visa holders. The Ministry of Interior (MOI) gives it in the other emirates. A Dubai Police certificate is valid for 3 months. An MOI certificate is valid for 30 days. If you will use it outside the UAE, you also need MOFA attestation.
7 steps · 5 working days (Dubai Police); within 24 hours (MOI) · From AED 120 (citizens) / AED 220 (residents) online via Dubai Police2026-Latest
MOFA attestation means the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirms that a document and its seals are real. Then authorities in the UAE or abroad can accept it. A document issued in the UAE goes to MOFA after the government entity that issued it adds its attestation or seal. Documents issued digitally skip this step. A document issued abroad must first be attested in the country that issued it. First the home-country authority attests it, then the UAE embassy there. After that, MOFA attests it in the UAE. If the document is going abroad, the embassy of the destination country in the UAE usually attests it after MOFA.
7 steps · 2 hours (digital, eligible docs) to 3 working days (courier) · AED 150 per personal/educational document; AED 2,000 per commercial document2026-Latest
You can renew a Dubai driving licence on rta.ae, in the RTA Dubai app, at a self-service machine, or at a Customer Happiness Centre. You need a valid Emirates ID. You need an eye test at a centre approved by the RTA. And you must pay all your traffic fines first. A renewed licence is valid for 5 years for expatriate residents. For UAE and GCC citizens it is valid for 10 years. If you are under 21, it is valid for 1 year. If you are 21 or older, you can renew up to 6 months before the expiry date. If you renew late, you pay AED 10 for each month, up to a maximum of AED 500.
8 steps · Same day (digital licence); physical card 2–3 working days by delivery · AED 320 (age 21+) or AED 120 (under 21), plus eye test AED 140–1802026-Latest
An International Driving Permit (IDP) is a translation of your UAE driving licence. It lets you drive legally in many other countries. It is valid for 1 year from the day it is issued. You must always carry it together with your original UAE licence. You cannot use it to drive inside the UAE. Only UAE citizens and residents with a valid UAE licence can get a UAE IDP. Tourists must get one in their home country before they travel.
6 steps · Same day (counter/airport) to 3 working days (online via the club) · AED 197 via RTA; AED 170 + VAT via the Automobile and Touring Club2026-Latest
You must renew your vehicle registration (the Mulkiya) every year. It is valid for a maximum of 12 months. You can renew up to 150 days before it expires. There is also a grace period of 30 days after the expiry date. A new car bought from an authorised UAE dealer does not need a technical inspection for the first 3 years. Your insurance must be valid, and you must pay all fines, before the RTA accepts your payment.
7 steps · Instant once insurance + inspection are in the system · AED 370 (private light vehicle, Category A) incl. Knowledge & Innovation fees2026-Latest
You can transfer a used car in Dubai in the Dubai Drive app with UAE Pass. Or you can do it at an RTA Customer Happiness Centre or an Inspection Centre. The seller pays all fines and settles any bank loan. The buyer arranges insurance. If the car is over 3 years old, the buyer also arranges an inspection. Both sides sign the Sale and Purchase Agreement digitally. Then the buyer completes the licensing. The buyer gets the new Mulkiya within 14 days of the transfer.
7 steps · Same day to a few days (plus up to 14 days to complete licensing) · AED 420 (transfer 350 + agreement 50 + Knowledge & Innovation 20); buyer pays transfer, seller pays agreement2026-Latest
If you lose your passport in the UAE, follow these steps. Report the loss to the police. Get the formal lost passport certificate. Apply for a new passport at the embassy or consulate of your country in the UAE. Then go to GDRFA to have your residence visa stamped into your new passport. In Dubai, one extra point applies. Before the formal certificate is issued, your police report must be endorsed by the court, the Public Prosecution, and GDRFA. Embassy fees and processing times change from country to country.
6 steps · Days to weeks (embassy processing varies by country) · Varies — confirm embassy fees and GDRFA fees2026-Latest
From 1 January 2027, new federal traffic rules set how long a UAE driving licence lasts, who can get one, and what it takes to pass. The rules come from Cabinet Decision No. 174 of 2026, which puts Federal Decree-Law No. 14 of 2024 into practice. Drivers under 21 get a 1-year temporary licence. First-time drivers aged 21 or over get 2 years. On renewal, UAE and GCC citizens get 10 years and expatriate residents get 5 years. Both the theory and practical tests need 75% to pass, and a dangerous mistake can still fail you even if you hit 75%.
6 steps · 10 minutes to read · Licence fees vary by emirate and driving institute2026-Latest
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions and essential rules for ids & licenses in United Arab Emirates.
How do I apply for or renew an Emirates ID?
Apply or renew through ICP: online, via the ICP app, or at an Amer/typing centre. You will need your passport, residence visa details, and a photo; biometrics are taken at an ICP service centre for first-time applicants. Fees and validity vary by category. Confirm on the ICP portal.
Can I convert my foreign driving licence in the UAE?
Licence holders from many countries can convert directly without a driving test; others must pass theory and road tests. Check whether your country is on the exemption list with the RTA (Dubai) or the licensing authority in your emirate.
What do I do if I lose my Emirates ID?
Report the loss and apply for a replacement through ICP as soon as possible. You will need your passport and a police report in some cases. Keep the replacement receipt. It works as temporary proof of identity.
How do I get a UAE police clearance certificate?
Apply through the Ministry of Interior app/website or Dubai Police if you live in Dubai. You need your Emirates ID and passport, and fingerprints if you are applying from outside the UAE.
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