How to Obtain Driving License in Abu Dhabi

Though, the Driving License you obtain is valid throughout UAE, how you
obtain it varies state to state. There are three categories of people who are
trying to obtain the driving license in Abu Dhabi; even in UAE.
Category 1:

First time drivers

Category 2:
People who have home country Driving License, but they
cannot be transferred to UAE Driving License (I am in this category)
Category 3:
People who have home country Driving License and it can
be transferred to UAE Driving License (Normally USA, Canada, Most European
countries, Australia, New Zeland, Singapore, etc citizens could do this).
Whatever category you are, everyone has to,
Open a Driving License file.
Attend the theory classes conducted by Abu Dhabi Driving Company (The
Only Authorised body for Driving License theory & practical training).
Pass the theory Test.
Obtain the Driving License.
Category1: Attend the practical classes in AD Driving Company
in Mussafa and take the practical exams to obtain the Driving License.
Category2: Go through a practical exam and obtain the Driving
License (practical classes are not compulsory).
Category3: Change their home country Driving License to UAE
Driving License.

Submitting the initial application for obtaining the UAE driving license is
called File Opening. I know there are several websites claims that you can
open the file at Muroor Traffic Police. Even the AD Police website says so. But
my experience was against this. When I went to open the file in Muroor Traffic
Police, I was told that only ladies can open the file there, and gents have to
go to AD Driving Company in Mussafa.

Getting to Muroor Traffic Police

If you are a lady and if you want to open the file in Muroor Traffic Police, its
exactly in the Street 27 between Muroor Road (also referred to as Street 4 / E
Road / New Airport Road) and Old Airport Road (also referred to as Street 2
/Shaiek Rashid Bin Saeed Al Maktoum Street) in Muroor area. You can reach
here easily by taxi. If you want to reach by bus, router no 32 & 52 buses goes
through Street 2 and route no 34, 54 & 56 goes through Street 4; whereas
route no 44 goes through street 27 (very long route).

Getting to Abu Dhabi Driving School / Company in Mussafa

You can reach AD Driving Company in Mussafa by metered taxi, shared taxi or
route Bus.
Metered taxi from city centre (TCA) will easily cost 50AED (I havent tried it)
and will take 30minues. If you could get a shared taxi (the old taxies) they
will charge 5AED or 10 AED. But shared taxi is not a suitable option for ladies.
The cheapest way to get to AD Driving Company is using bus route no 116.
The route no 116 starts from Kalifa Street (Street 3) and you could get this
bus anywhere in Street 4 or AD Central Bus Station. The fare is 2AED fixed
price and it will drop you right before the AD Driving Company. The journey
time is approx 45 minutes to 1 hour. There is bus service from 6am to 11pm
every 30minutes.

Opening a file

Once you reach the Abu Ddhabi Driving School building, you could see there
is an Information Desk straight ahead, and it is surrounded by more than 10
counters to serve people. You dont need to go to any of these initially. On
your right side, you could see the sign board for Traffic Section. Follow the
sign and turn at the 1st right corridor. You will reach the File Opening section
for Gents and Ladies which are two separate rooms. As soon as you reach the
room, you will find a help desk where you will be checked by the staffs
whether you have the right documents.
Keep the following documents in your hand.
Copy of the passport information page
Copy of the UAE Residency Visa Page
1 x Passport size photos
No Objection letter from your company (Needs to in Arabic. You can get it
from your HR)
Copy of your Emirates ID card. If you dont have it yet, you can provide a
photocopy of your Emirates ID application form. You have to provide the copy,
not the original as this will not be returned to you.
In case you have your home country driving license (plastic card), Arabic
translation of your home country driving license.
Home country Driving License - plastic card (for verification purpose)
Note: You do not need any International Driving License from your country.
They will check for the home country driving license which is the plastic card.
The Arabic translation doesnt needs to be authorised by your embassy even.
Just a plain Arabic translation is enough.

Once you give all these to them, they will check and verify everything and
send you for eye test, which is in the adjacent room. You will find a lady
sitting over there. You will be asked to read different size of alphabets and
numbers on the wall using both eyes separately. Then she will show you
some A4 sheets which consist of numbers. Each A4 sheets consists one
number written using small hexagons in different colour hexagons as
background. You have to identify it. Once its done, she will charge you 20AED
and give a paper which says you are fit for your driving. Take this paper to the
help desk people again and show it to them. They will give you a token /
number which you have to take it to the room which is behind the help desk.

Wait for your number to be called patiently.

When your number is called, go to the counter and give your documents with
the eye test results. They will check all your documents again. Once all the
documents are checked, they will take a photograph of you. This photograph
will be used in your Driving License. You will be charged 100AED as the
processing fee. Once this is done, you will be given two identical sheets of
Drivers Test Appointment which you have to keep it with you until you
obtain the Driving License. You will be asked to wait for few minutes until
your trainee driving license card is printed out. Once it is done, collect it from
them and go to the Information Desk which is at the entrance of the building.

Booking for Theory Classes / Orientation Course

Tell them that you have opened your file and you want to register for the
theory classes. They will give you an application form to be hand filled. You
have to enter your personal details and other details such as, type of license
(light vehicle, etc), manual/automatic, language, etc. Fill it carefully.

Before turn back to submit the application form, you need to take a
photocopy of the trainee license card and the Drivers Test Appointment
sheet. There is a photocopy machine available in the right side corridor where
you have to do it by yourself. Its a coin operated machine each copy is 1AED.
So, have some coins with you by-hand.
Note: You might need to keep a blank A4 sheet behind your plastic card to
make a copy. Otherwise it wont work.

You need the following documents to be submitted with the application form.
Copy of the passport information page
Copy of the UAE Residency Visa Page
Copy of Trainee license
Copy of Drivers Test Appointment sheet
2 x Passport size photos

Upon verification of the documents, you will be given another token/number.

Take it and wait patiently. Once your number is called, go to the counter and
submit the documents. You will be charged 780 AED as the course fee and 50
AED as the Theory exam fees. You will be also given a theory lesson hand
book.

Now, the number of theory classes vary depends on the profession

mentioned in your UAE Visa. By default, its 8 classes (4 days). There are 1
and 2 day courses also. You may ask them whether there is any speed course
so you could reduce the number of classes. If you are lucky to be an Engineer
or Manager (Your Visa should state that) you need to attend only 1 day class
which consist of 2 courses. Each course is just an hour; so within 2 hours, you
theory classes are done.

I went on a Sunday evening to open the file and my classes are scheduled for
Monday 7.30pm. I got 1 day classes as my profession in the Visa reads as
Engineer.

By now, you have opened the file and booked for your theory classes.

Theory classes

Theory classes are held in the first floor. Be on time for the theory classes. If
you are happened to be late for 10minutes you will be considered as absent.
Once you attend the classes, you can schedule the Theory Test date at
Ground Floor Information Centre / Counters.

Theory Test

Again, be on time for the theory tests. Test halls are on the 1st floor. If you
are late by 10mins, you have to re-schedule the test means extra money.
You should take the drivers test appointment sheet which was given to you

while opening the file with you. In addition you should have some sort of
photo ID such as passport, home country driving license, Labour card. If you
failed to provide any of this, you will be turned away in the exam hall.

Prepare yourself by reading the theory hand book page to page. You do not
need to memorise anything. But read it. Thats enough.

Theory test consists of 45 questions which you have to do it within 30

minutes. You have to get 36 or more correct answers to pass the exam. Each
question has 3 answers where you have to select the best answer. The test is
a computer test, where you will be reading and answering the questions in
the computer screen. Each individual in the exam hall will get different set of
questions. Believe me; the exam can be finished within 15-20minutes max.

Once you passed the theory exam,

1st time learners can book for the practical classes.
People who have their home country driving license which are not
transferrable can schedule for the practical exams straight away. When I went
to collect the Theory Exam sheet, I have been given the Road Test date with
that. Its highly recommended to brush-up the driving and parking skills by
attending the private diving institutes. This is important, as you have only 1
chance to pass the practical test. If you fail the test, you have to go through
all the classes offered by the Abu Dhabi Driving School and then do the
practical test again.
People who have their home country driving license which are transferrable
will get the UAE driving license. I do not have any information about this as I
havent experience this. I appreciate if someone could share their experience
on this as this will be really helpful for other readers.

Practical Driving Classes

Practical driving class consist of five lessons and it is given in two sets,
lessons 1-3 and lessons 4-5. The length of the course varies depends on
whether you have enrolled to beginners, intermediate or advanced course
depends on your knowledge and skills of driving.

Schedule for the classes are stretched from morning to late in the evening
and you will be trained in the driving yard of Emirates Driving Company
where you will experience a one-to-one session with your instructor. Lessons
1-3 will take around one week to complete and lessons 4-5 for approx 10
days. The schedule of your classes will depend on the availability and the fee
will be Approx 2500 AED depends on the number of classes you are enrolled
to.

Practical Test

Once you finished all your practical courses, the first time learners have to do
two practical tests which are Parking Test and the Road Test.

Parking Test:- Parking Test is based on lesson 3. In case you need refresher
classes for lesson 3, you can opt for one. This will give you better chance of
passing the parking test.

After you pass the parking test, the Traffic Police will issue you a green ID
card. It is a temporary driving card which will allow you to contact driving
instructors if you need so for real road training.
During your driving class in Emirates Driving Company, you will be driving in
Driving Yard. When you contact a driving instructor, you will be driving in the
real road with his guidance. This will give you more training to go for the road
test. If you think you are already confident to drive alone, then you can
proceed with the road test.

Road Test:- This is the final test to obtain the driving license in Au Dhabi. Be
early during your schedule for road test. Bring the Drivers Test Appointment
sheet, temporary Driving ID, passport copy and AED 200. There will be two
police, one seated in front and the other at the back, in the car.

If the policeman hands you the appointment sheet, it means you pass. When
the policeman returns to you the green card, it means you didnt pass.

After you pass, you have to go back to the Driving Company, pay AED 200
and give the appointment sheet and passport copy. They will take you a
photo and provide you the UAE Driving License.

There you go; you have obtain the driving license and you are ready to drive
in Abu Dhabi & UAE roads!!

My small piece of advice:-

Dont take the driving for granted. While you go through your theory and
practical classes, you will learn the road manners and how to drive in the
road. Use that knowledge to drive safely in the road.

Make sure your actual designation is stated in the Visa page. Sometimes
companies change the designation to obtain the Visa. But sometimes this
might create some problems for you.