UAE lowers minimum driving license age to 17

UAE, October 27: The UAE government on Friday announced a significant change to traffic laws, lowering the minimum age to obtain a driving license to 17. The new federal decree will come into force on March 29, 2025.

According to previous regulations, individuals had to be 18 years old to get a car license and 17 years old to get a motorcycle license. The new decision standardizes the legal age for both motorcycles and cars at 17, making the UAE the first country in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) to implement such a change.

In contrast, neighboring Oman maintains an 18-year-old age limit for obtaining a driver’s license, while Saudi Arabia has different age requirements: individuals can apply at 16 for a motorcycle license, 18 for a car license, and 17 for a temporary permit. Similarly, Bahrain complies with Omani regulations requiring individuals to be 18 years of age before obtaining a driver’s license.

Qatar has different age requirements depending on vehicle type; To obtain a driver’s license for light motor vehicles, applicants must be 18 years old and 21 years old for heavy vehicles. The minimum age to obtain a driver’s license in Kuwait differs between citizens and foreigners: Kuwaiti citizens must be 18 and foreigners must be 21.

Globally, age limits for obtaining a driver’s license vary between 15 and 18 years; Some countries allow a driver’s license to be obtained at the age of 14, provided that young drivers are supervised.