Converting an Australian Driver Licence in the UAE

In Dubai, an Australian driver licence can be exchanged for a UAE licence without a driving test, but Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority lists the exchange for Australian nationals only. You need an Emirates ID, a residence visa, a valid licence and an eye test. No translation is needed, and no DFAT authentication or notary is involved.

Key takeaways

• Australia is on the list of countries whose licences Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) will exchange.
• For Australian licences, the RTA's table says nationals only: the exchange is for Australian citizens holding an Australian licence.
• The same table says an Australian licence needs no translation, does not have to be surrendered, and covers all categories.
• The UAE Ministry of Interior's conditions include being 18 or over, a valid licence, a residence visa or place of residence, work or study in the emirate, and an eye test.
• Nothing in the process asks for a notarised copy or for the DFAT authentication and UAE attestation that other documents going to the UAE often need.

Can you exchange an Australian licence in the UAE?

Yes, if you meet the conditions. The UAE Ministry of Interior describes a federal service through which driving licences issued by approved countries, as designated by the Ministry, can be exchanged for a UAE licence. In Dubai, the RTA's service page for exchanging a licence, updated on 11 September 2026, lists the countries eligible for exchange, and Australia is on it.

Each emirate has its own licensing authority, and the details below come from Dubai's RTA and the federal Ministry of Interior. If you will live in Abu Dhabi, Sharjah or another emirate, check that emirate's own licensing page, because documents and procedures can differ.

Why does your nationality matter?

This is the most important point for anyone who is not an Australian citizen. The RTA publishes, for each eligible country, which holders it will exchange for. Some countries' licences can be exchanged by holders of any nationality; the RTA calls these exception countries, and they include the UK, the United States, France and Germany. For Australia, the RTA's table says nationals only.

What the RTA table shows for an Australian licence	Entry
Who can exchange it	Nationals only
Does the licence need a translation?	No
Must the Australian licence be surrendered?	No
Which categories can be exchanged?	All categories

In practice, an Australian citizen with an Australian licence can use the exchange. Someone who holds an Australian licence but a passport from another country, for example a migrant who became a permanent resident of Australia but not a citizen, is not covered by that entry. If that is you, ask the RTA before you rely on an exchange, and be prepared for the standard licensing route instead. Do not assume the exchange list applies to you because your licence is Australian.

What are the options if you are not an Australian citizen?

If your only licence is Australian and your passport is not, the Australian entry on the RTA's list does not help you. Two possibilities are worth checking with the RTA before you move:

• A licence from an exception country. The RTA's service lists a separate application type for the holder of a licence from an exception country different from their nationality. Exception countries on the RTA's table include the UK, the United States, France and Germany. If you also hold a valid licence from one of those, ask whether that route applies to you.
• A licence from your own country. If your country of nationality is on the RTA's list and you hold a valid licence from it, that country's entry is the one to read.

If neither applies, expect to follow the RTA's standard route to a new licence, which involves training and tests. Plan for that before you accept a job that needs you to drive from day one.

What are the conditions?

The Ministry of Interior's page for exchanging a foreign-issued licence, last updated on 12 June 2026, lists these terms:

• the licence must be issued by a country approved for exchange
• you must be at least 18
• the licence must be valid
• you must hold a residence visa issued by the emirate, or have a place of residence, employment or study within it
• you must pass an eye test
• for some countries, under memorandums of understanding, you must hand over the original licence

For Australian licences, the RTA's table says the licence does not have to be withdrawn, so you keep your Australian card. The federal page lists a legal translation of the foreign licence among its general documents, but the RTA's entry for Australia says no translation is required, which makes sense for a licence already in English. Follow the RTA's entry if you are applying in Dubai.

How does the Dubai exchange work?

The RTA describes an online process, finished at a service centre.

1. Start the application on the RTA website, entering your Emirates ID, passport or UAE Pass details and the one-time code sent to your registered mobile.
2. Enter your personal details and upload the documents requested, including a copy of your driving licence.
3. Take an eye test at one of the accredited eye test centres.
4. Present your original licence at an RTA Customer Happiness Centre to complete the transaction.
5. Pay the licence fees through the RTA website when you receive the SMS.
6. Receive the licence as a digital licence in the RTA Dubai app, with the option of a physical card by collection or delivery.

The RTA says the new UAE licence is valid for one year if you are under 21, and for two years if you are 21 or older. We do not quote fees; check the current figures on the RTA or Ministry of Interior pages when you apply.

What should you bring?

Bring a physical Australian licence card. Several Australian states now issue digital licences, but the RTA asks you to present the original licence at a service centre, which assumes a card. If you have only a digital licence, arrange a physical card from your state or territory before you leave Australia. Make sure the licence will still be valid when you apply.

What should you sort out before leaving Australia?

A few things are far easier to handle before you fly. Check the expiry date on your Australian licence and renew it if it will lapse soon after you arrive, because the exchange needs a valid licence and renewing from the UAE depends on your state's rules. Swap a digital-only licence for a physical card. Keep your Australian passport handy for the exchange, since the Australian entry depends on nationality. And if your new employer has asked for attested degrees or other documents, start that separate DFAT and embassy process early, because it has nothing to do with the licence and runs on its own timetable.

Do you need attestation, a notary or a translation?

People moving to the UAE are often told that every Australian document needs to be notarised, authenticated by DFAT and then attested by the UAE Embassy, because the UAE is not a member of the Hague Apostille Convention. That chain is real for many documents, such as degrees for employment or marriage certificates for family visas. It is not part of the licence exchange. Neither the RTA nor the Ministry of Interior asks for an attested, notarised or authenticated licence, and the RTA's entry for Australia says no translation is needed. Paying for any of them would add cost without helping.

For the documents that do need the chain, DFAT authenticates the Australian document and the UAE Embassy or consulate then attests it. Membership of the Hague Convention changes, so check the HCCH status table on the day. Our guides to UAE attestation and UAE visa documents explain that route, and our apostille and authentication page covers the DFAT step.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Assuming any Australian licence qualifies. The RTA's Australian entry is for nationals only.
• Getting the licence attested through DFAT and the UAE Embassy when nobody asked for it.
• Paying for a translation the RTA's entry says is not needed.
• Arriving with only a digital licence. The original card is checked in person.
• Applying before your residence visa is issued. It is one of the Ministry's conditions.
• Following Dubai's steps in another emirate without checking that emirate's page.

Here is an illustration, not a real case.

An Australian engineer moves to Dubai for a construction project. Once his residence visa and Emirates ID are issued, he checks the RTA's list and sees that Australian licences can be exchanged by Australian nationals, with no translation. He applies online with UAE Pass, uploads a copy of his New South Wales licence, takes an eye test at an accredited centre, and presents his original licence and Australian passport at a Customer Happiness Centre. His colleague, who holds an Australian licence but a different passport, asks the RTA first and learns the Australian entry does not cover him.

In short

Dubai's RTA exchanges Australian licences for all categories, with no translation and no need to surrender the card, but its entry for Australia is for nationals only. You need to be 18 or over, hold a valid licence, have a residence visa in the emirate and pass an eye test. The UAE's usual DFAT authentication and embassy attestation chain does not apply to the licence exchange. Check the licensing page of your own emirate if it is not Dubai. Our guide to driver licences and notaries covers other uses of an Australian licence overseas.

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