Driving Licence Translation for Dubai RTA

Check RTA’s list before you order. Whether a licence can be exchanged, and which documents are needed, depends on the issuing country (sometimes your nationality too) on RTA’s Exchange a Driving Licence service. Check RTA’s list for your country before paying for a translation.

For our Dubai RTA translation we check eligibility first, including the Dubai-issued Emirates ID requirement of this product, and only then take payment. The price is on the driving licence translation price page.

Check before ordering

• No translation listed

  If RTA's list for your issuing country does not call for a translation, we tell you not to pay.

• Translation listed

  Send both sides for a translation check before payment.

RTA makes the final acceptance decision.

Five checks before you order (checked against RTA’s service page on 10 November 2026):

1. Is your issuing country on RTA’s list? RTA exchanges licences only from the countries on its list. If yours is not there, the exchange service does not apply, so don’t order a translation for it.
2. Does the list cover your nationality? Many entries say “Nationals only”, which means the licence can be exchanged only if you are a national of that country. Others accept all nationalities.
3. Does RTA’s entry list a translation? If it says “No”, you don’t need one from us, and we tell you not to pay. If it says “Yes/legalised”, send both sides of the licence so we can check scope and confirm the price before payment. Where RTA names the embassy or consulate, follow that route.
4. Is this a Dubai file? This product is for an Emirates ID issued in Dubai; Dubai free-zone residence counts. If your residence visa is from another emirate, RTA allows a Dubai exchange only in set cases, for example when you work in Dubai and your company’s Dubai branch is the sponsor on your visa. Tell us before you pay.
5. Greek national? RTA’s entry for Greece sends the translation through the embassy, so read the Greek note under the country summary below before you order.

Your licence must also be valid.

Country Category	Our Service	Your Next Steps at RTA
Translation not listed for your issuing country	No translation; we tell you not to order one	Follow the RTA route for your issuing country and eligibility
Translation listed (legalised)	Arabic translation, after a scope and price check	Electronic eye test and the current RTA exchange steps
Issuing country not on RTA’s list	No translation until RTA or your driving institute asks for one	RTA’s new-licence route (driving institute, tests)

What you get when you order

• Scope: a driving licence written in a language other than English, translated into Arabic for a Dubai RTA file, carrying all licence categories, validity dates and restriction codes, when RTA’s list for your issuing country calls for a translation.
• What you receive: the translation prepared for RTA review, a digital PDF for your review before submission, and a hard copy when requested.
• What we need from you: clear photos of the front and back of the licence, an Emirates ID showing Dubai as the issuing emirate, and your name as spelled in your passport.
• Price: see the driving licence translation price page.
• Next step: use the WhatsApp button on this page to send the licence and Emirates ID. We check eligibility first and take payment only after that check.

Your licence must be valid, and you must still meet the eligibility and document requirements for your RTA application. RTA decides whether a licence can be exchanged; a translation does not change that.

Countries on RTA’s exchange list (checked 10 November 2026)

RTA’s service page “Apply for a New Driving Licence or a New Category Based on Exchanging Licences” (updated 23 October 2026) lists 60 issuing countries and territories whose licences can be exchanged in Dubai. Texas is listed separately from the rest of the United States. For each entry, RTA shows who can use it (all nationalities or nationals only), whether the licence needs a translation, whether the foreign licence is withdrawn, and which categories can be exchanged.

The translation requirement varies by country. When we checked on 10 November 2026, 33 entries said no translation was needed and most of the others said a legalised translation. Greece and Turkey point to the embassy or consulate. For a Turkish licence, RTA asks for a Driving Licence Data Certificate from the consulate or embassy, certified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Greek nationals: Dubai RTA requires the translation of a Greek licence to go through the Greek embassy or an embassy-approved provider, so we can’t provide it for you.

RTA also says some licences cannot be exchanged, including those issued in Monaco, Liechtenstein, Andorra and Puerto Rico. If your licence has no security features, RTA asks for a certificate from the issuing country’s consulate or embassy confirming the licence data.

We don’t copy the full list here because RTA updates it. Check your country on RTA’s exchange service before you order. Rules can change; RTA decides.

If your country is not on RTA’s list

If your issuing country is not on RTA’s list, the exchange service does not apply, and a translation does not change that. RTA’s FAQ says a licence holder who is not eligible to exchange applies online for a new licence through a driving institute, with the theory and road tests. Check RTA’s current route before you order anything. If RTA or your driving institute then asks for a translation of your licence, send it and we confirm the scope and price before you pay.

How RTA’s exchange works (your steps)

RTA’s exchange service, as described on its page on 10 November 2026:

1. Apply on the RTA website, or at a Customer Happiness Centre or a Vehicle Registration and Inspection Centre.
2. Upload a copy of your driving licence and its legalised translation, if your country’s entry calls for one.
3. Take the electronic eye test. RTA says it is available at its eye test centres and at all Customer Happiness Centres and driving institutes.
4. Present your original licence at a Customer Happiness Centre and hand it over, if RTA requires it.
5. Pay RTA’s fees when you receive its SMS, and receive the licence digitally.

RTA’s Customer Happiness Centres for this service are in Al Barsha, Al Kifaf, Al Manarah, Al Twar, Deira and Umm Ramool. Check locations and hours on RTA’s page before you go. Our part ends with the translation; RTA’s fees and steps are separate. See also translation services in Dubai.

Common Rejection Reasons at Dubai RTA

• Visa from another emirate: RTA lets you exchange in Dubai only in set cases, such as working in Dubai for a company whose Dubai branch sponsors your visa. Check before you apply.
• Eye test: RTA asks for a valid electronic eye test.
• Name mismatch: Where translation is required, the translated name must match the passport. RTA’s list for your issuing country shows whether a translation is needed.
• Missing licence categories: Where translation is required, every visible category and restriction must be represented.
• Wrong translation for a non-English licence: Confirm the required translation type before ordering. Read about a real case where an Urdu licence was rejected by RTA and how it was resolved.
• Not a resident: RTA’s exchange service is for residents. Visitors cannot exchange a foreign licence.

Translation Timeline vs RTA Timeline

Our translation service and the RTA process are separate. Here is what to expect for each:

No translation listed for your country: no translation timeline. Follow RTA’s remaining steps.

Non-English licence translation: Timing begins only after we confirm translation is needed. Prices are on the pricing page.

Your RTA process: Timing and application channels depend on current RTA rules and your eligibility. Check the official RTA service before visiting.

Driving-school route: If testing is required, the selected school and RTA control the schedule. Translation needs still follow RTA’s list for your issuing country.

License Categories That Can Be Converted

Where a translation is needed, it carries every category, restriction and validity date on your licence. Which categories RTA will exchange depends on your country’s entry: some allow all categories, others light vehicle only, or light vehicle and motorcycle. RTA says heavy truck and heavy equipment licences can be exchanged only from countries whose entry allows all categories.

Expired Licenses at Dubai RTA

Translation does not make an expired licence valid. RTA states that the licence to be exchanged must be valid, so check RTA’s requirements for your country before ordering any translation.

International Driving Permit vs translation

RTA’s exchange service asks for your original national licence; an International Driving Permit is not on its document list. Check RTA’s list for your issuing country to see whether the national licence needs a translation.

License Translation Across Dubai and the UAE

Residents across Dubai use this service when RTA’s entry for their issuing country calls for a translation. If it doesn’t, don’t order one.

New arrivals often need licence translation alongside other immigration documentation. We also translate police clearance certificates and bank statements for residency files.

For an overview of all licence translation services, see our driving license translation hub page. Holding a Golden Visa? The same review applies to the other documents in that file.

Not sure which certification your receiving authority requires? Our MOJ vs certified guide explains the difference and when each applies.

Not sure whether you need a translation? Send both sides of the licence on WhatsApp for a free check. If RTA’s entry for your country shows no translation, we tell you not to pay.