Driving Luxury Cars in Dubai: Rental Tips for 2022

The UAE is a great country for driving, and you will find plenty of good quality and relatively inexpensive luxury and sports cars to rent in Dubai.

This article provides essential recommendations for smart rental and driving in this country.

For the Dubai travel itinerary, check here.

1. Have a Driver’s License.

To begin with, you must be 21 and have a driver’s license. Besides, if you are not 30 yet, your license must be issued at least 3 years prior to the date. And driver’s licenses issued in the United States are valid here too.

2. Get Car Insurance.

It is also obligatory to have car insurance in the UAE. Some rental agencies do provide basic coverage, but it will not be enough for legal driving, and you could land in big trouble with the local police if they pull you over. In most cases, you will need insurance for 3-5K in AED, although renting a luxury or sports car may require insurance for up to 10K in AED.

3. Avoid Subletting Agencies.

Many agencies in Dubai sublet their cars and add their commission to the rental price. You can save a considerable amount of money if you only rent vehicles owned by the agency. Paddock Car Rental, for example, owns all the cars in their fleet, and they will deliver them to you free of charge too.

4. Buy a Tollgate Card

Salik is a local tollgate card, and you will need it quite often, especially in Dubai. Not only do you save some money by using it, but many a tollgate in the city will not even let you through if you do not have one. It is, therefore, a good idea to get yourself a Salik card as soon as you rent a car and make sure you have it with you at all times, just in case.

5. Follow Traffic Rules

Many people come to the UAE specifically for a spin. The roads are good, you can speed up well outside rush hours, and the relatively high-speed limits set by the local traffic department are a lovely bonus too.

The fines for exceeding the speed limits are just as high, though, so you will do well to keep in mind that you may drive up to:

• 40 to 60 km/h in the cities, depending on the residential area
• 100 km/h on the freeways
• 140 km/h on the highways
• at least 60 km/h on some highways

Apart from that, you might have to get used to driving on the right, depending on where you come from. If you are from a left-hand traffic country, you will find the task easier by making sure your seat is always away from the pavement.

And no driving after drinking, even if it is only a sip of beer! Traffic laws are quite strict about that, and the locals are culturally averse to alcohol, so you could land in huge trouble if you get pulled over by the police.

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