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Car rental in the UAE is the easiest way to truly explore the country. Distances between emirates are short, motorways are wide and modern, fuel costs around $0.82 per litre, and the fleet stays fresh: by local law, hire cars cannot be older than five years, and many guests collect a vehicle with under 1,000 km on the clock.
We operate around 200 cars in the UAE through a select group of local partners we have worked with for years. There is no faceless call centre — just real people on the ground who hand you the keys. Every car carries reviews collected after each rental, published unedited.
A couple from Manchester landed at DXB last December and met our host by the flight number. The contract was signed at the terminal kerb in five minutes, and they were on their way to the hotel before the queue for the rental shuttle had even moved.
Most guests are families with young children, business travellers on short trips, and couples on their honeymoon. There is a suitable car for every scenario: economy hatchbacks, seven-seat people carriers, convertibles, and SUVs for those Burj Khalifa photos.
We deliberately do not work with everyone here — only with partners who either skip the deposit altogether or refund it quickly and without surprises.
European cards, contactless payments, and cash are all accepted. Deposit-free options are available, and your TakeCars manager stays in touch throughout your trip.
Where to collect the car
Four airports handle almost all of our incoming traffic. Dubai has two — Dubai International (DXB) and Al Maktoum (DWC) in the south. The capital has Abu Dhabi (AUH). Up north, Sharjah (SHJ) is Air Arabia's home base. We have direct partners at DXB and DWC, so the car comes to the terminal exit — no shuttle buses, no walking around remote car parks.
When a guest lands at DXB, we are usually in touch before the plane taxis to the gate. By the time they walk out of arrivals, the car is at the right door.
For AUH and SHJ, the car is usually driven down from Dubai. The journey takes around two and a half hours, and delivery costs roughly $95 one way. On longer rentals, this saves time: returning the vehicle in Dubai is more flexible than tying yourself to office hours in another emirate.
If you only plan to drive within one city, browse the local listings: Car hire in Dubai, Rent a car in Abu Dhabi, Car rental in Sharjah, or Hire a car in Ras Al Khaimah — each lists cars handed over locally.
In high season, a guest booked a 9pm collection. Their flight was delayed to 11pm and the office had closed. Now we set buffers — if the booking is for 11:00, set it for 10:00.
Delivery is also possible outside the airports — to your hotel or apartment. That works well for late-night arrivals when the last thing you want is paperwork at a desk.
Most tourists in the UAE start their trip here
Prices, seasons and mileage
The UAE has a clear seasonal pattern, and prices move with it. Low season runs from April to August: temperatures often above 40 °C, fewer tourists, and cheaper rentals. High season is from September to March, with the real peak in December–February and during the Dubai Shopping Festival.
In low season, an economy car (Nissan Sunny, Mitsubishi Attrage, Hyundai i10) starts from $8 a day, a mid-size car (Hyundai Creta, Elantra) from $20, seven-seat people carriers from $33, and luxury vehicles (Cadillac Escalade, Mercedes G63) from $165. In high season, the same economy cars start at $20, mid-size cars at $33, seven-seaters at $45, and luxury cars at $220–250.
For a short trip — airport, hotel, shopping mall — an economy car does the job perfectly. New, air-conditioned, automatic, no surprises.
One UAE-specific point — the daily mileage limit. Most partners include 250 km per day, which covers typical trips with room to spare. Anything beyond costs around $0.55–0.80 per kilometre. Mileage adds up: a ten-day booking gives you 2,500 km.
A guest collected a white Creta in March with 412 km on the clock and asked if we had just driven it off the showroom floor. Yes, that happens often.
In high season, book one to two months ahead, especially around Christmas and New Year. In low season, last-minute deals are common — the fleet often sits idle.
Nissan Kicks in the UAE
Everything went well, thank you for the service.
Toyota Camry in the UAE
All good, I will take more next time
Mazda 6 in the UAE
everything was fine.
Nissan Altima in the UAE
Great car, very roomy, holds the road perfectly on the highway, easy to drive in the city. The rental process is very comfortable - the guys bring the car to the airport right to the arrival, quickly sign the papers and drive off. Return also without waiting, at the designated time. The deposit was returned as they said - exactly in 10 days, in full on the Russian card. In general I recommend, next time I will definitely take a car here - the choice of car options is very decent.
Toyota Yaris Ativ in the UAE
It's all good. Accepted payment in cash. No complaints
Hyundai Accent in the UAE
Everything is great and the price and service, there are no hidden extras. No deposit required
Mercedes-Benz C300 Cabrio in the UAE
On 21.12.2023 rented a Mercedes convertible car in the UAE DUBAI. On your website and in the booking documents it was stated that no deposit was required! On December 21 the driver arrived, was late for the appointed time and demanded a deposit. The deposit had to be made in cash or by card at the terminal. We did not have this amount in cash, the cards are Russian. The driver refused the service and drove away. In WhatsApp with the Russian-speaking manager we agreed that the driver would return, provide the service, and we would send the deposit to the Russian card. All this took a very long time, the driver came back, checked us in, handed over the car, meaning we took the car 2-3 hours late. We decided to clarify with the manager of your company, whether the next day we can give the car a little later, because we took it later than the necessary time. The answer we got was that no problem, it's not a big deal. We asked for the car for 2 hours later. All correspondence, conversations with this manager are available. At the appointed time for the driver, the driver was again late and arrived 40-50 minutes later. We were told that the deposit would be refunded within 18 business days. We were also told that the deposit is an amount that is taken to write off fines and road tolls. After a while we were sent a document and the deposit was returned. BUT! the deposit was transferred to us at a rate at which we lost a lot of money! At least no one told us that the exchange rate during the transfer will be such and you will lose money. Deposit is basically the cost, which is returned in full amount!!!!. Most importantly we were counted 2 full days! With all the arrangements. The manager promised to sort out the situation and refund the money for the second day. In the end, a few weeks later, for him just began to answer another person who does not even get into the situation Please resolve the issue. It's been more than 2 months, reviews of your firm are good, would not want to solve the issue in a legislative way, appeal to the police.
Hyundai Tucson in the UAE
Everything is good, except that there is no possibility to pick up the car immediately at the airport. On arrival I had to wait 40 minutes for a transfer to the office, in the office I had to wait 50 minutes for the rental car to arrive. Total after arrival time to the moment when I sat in the rented car was 2 hours. There are no claims to the condition of the car. When handing over the car, the receiver wanted to divorce me for 20 adh for gasoline, although there was more in the tank than when I took the car. After my mentioning the terms of the contract in terms of gasoline "same to same" there were no more questions. And it is also very inconvenient that the acceptance of the car takes place in a city parking lot, a place in which it is quite problematic to find. Besides, there is a chance to get a fine for unpaid parking. At the same time, the office has an underground parking lot. It is unclear why it cannot be used for pickup and drop-off.
Mitsubishi Attrage in the UAE
everything is fine with the car. After renting the car they wrote 2 weeks later, they wanted to charge us for one more day of renting, although we turned everything in on time. I think we agreed that everything was fine
Nissan Maxima in the UAE
all is well
Nissan Sunny in the UAE
it was ok.
Hyundai Elantra in the UAE
I liked that the car was practically new, with a mileage of 3200 km. In general, everything went well, there were no problems. Of the minuses: bad feedback from your employees as a company that provides rental services. I had several questions that I wanted to know the information for, I was sent to the rental office, they themselves could not give an answer or did not want to. I also learned a little at the rental office, maybe people were busy there, or maybe they had non-working hours, I didn’t understand. The answers were short. If I were a less experienced traveler, I would be very worried about a rental car. By the way, the rental office does not respond during non-working hours, but your employees send to the rental office. I would like to be more customer-oriented, all the same, I order a car from you, and not somewhere else. Another surprise was the attempt of the person who gave the car to sell us full insurance. He convinced me that I bought insurance from your company and in case of problems I would need to contact you, but he could not help in any way. But if you buy from him, it will be easier, simpler and in general it will be more correct. I ended up leaving your insurance because it was cheaper :) Well, I would like more clarity on how and where to take and rent a car. I contacted the man from the rental office and he explained to me tersely. A detailed and up-to-date (!) instruction from you would be a big plus for your company. At least for me, as a tourist in an unfamiliar country, it would be calmer, even if the instruction was redundant.
Ford Mustang Coupe in the UAE
All was good
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Deposit-free or low-deposit options
Some partners don't block any money at all; others accept a small deposit in cash on arrival.
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Real reviews under every car
Feedback is collected after every rental and published unedited, so the rating is visible at the booking stage.
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Transparent pricing, no hidden fees
What you see in the breakdown is what you pay — no surprise charges added at the desk.
Documents, payment and deposit
UAE rental rules are strict but transparent. Sort out your documents and payment in advance, and the handover will be smooth.
Documents you need
Your passport, your domestic driving licence and, in most cases, an International Driving Permit (IDP). EU/UK, US, Canadian, Australian and New Zealand licences are accepted by some partners, but an IDP removes any doubt. UAE residents also need an Emirates ID.
A guest from Edinburgh swore he had hired a car here ten times without an IDP. Rules have tightened — today most partners will not hand over the keys without it.
How to pay
Visa, Mastercard and American Express all work, along with contactless payments and cash in US dollars or dirhams. Paying the rental in cash on arrival is often the cleanest option — clearer terms, no card-decline risk.
Pick a deposit-free tariff and pay in dirhams at handover. The simplest setup for visitors from anywhere in Europe.
Deposit
Three options: no deposit at all, a flat sum from around $190 in cash or by transfer, or a card pre-authorisation. Card holds are released within approximately 25 days of return.
Age and experience
Economy and mid-size cars are released from age 21 with one year on the licence. Premium and luxury vehicles require drivers aged 25+ with five to six years of driving experience — a condition set by insurers, not by us.
Routes, parking and what to know on the road
Renting a car in the UAE lets you cover several emirates in one trip rather than relying on coach excursions.
Freedom of movement
You are free to drive anywhere in the country, as long as you stay on tarmac.
A couple covered Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Ajman in a single weekend — distances are short and the roads are empty if you pick the right time of day.
Top day trips
Dubai → Abu Dhabi: 140 km, 1.5 hours along Sheikh Zayed Road. Dubai → Hatta: mountain enclave with a kayaking lake, ~1.5 hours. Dubai → Jebel Jais in Ras Al Khaimah: the UAE's highest peak (1,934 m) and the world's longest zipline, ~1 h 45 min. A neat one-week plan — two days in Dubai, one in Abu Dhabi, one in Sharjah, and a final stop in Ras Al Khaimah.
Desert and safari
Off-road driving in a hire car is not allowed, even in 4x4s. For a desert safari, book a dedicated tour with an experienced driver — safer, and usually a better set of photos.
Immaculate motorways meet real dunes within an hour of the centre. You just need to go there with people who specialise in it.
Parking and the heat
Dubai has plenty of paid zones — Dubai Mall is a good option: free for up to four hours, with over 7,000 spaces. Abu Dhabi uses Mawaqif: $0.50–1/hour, free on Fridays and holidays. In summer, avoid black cars: the cabin turns into an oven after two hours in the sun.
Rates in the UAE vary throughout the year depending on the season and the rental length in days.
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How expensive is renting a car in the UAE: average daily rates for a one-week car rental, across all car classes. Delivery across UAE not included.
Frequently asked questions about car hire in the UAE
Some of our UAE partners do not require a deposit, either on a card or in cash. Others require a fixed amount starting at around $190, payable in cash or by bank transfer, or place a standard hold on a credit card. Card pre-authorisations are usually released within 25 days after you return the car.
Visa, Mastercard and American Express cards issued by many international banks are generally accepted, including contactless payments. You can also pay cash in UAE dirhams or US dollars where the supplier permits it. If fines or tolls are charged after the trip, the supplier normally sends an online payment link that accepts the same cards.
Most partners ask for an IDP alongside your domestic licence, even if you hold an EU/UK or US one. Bring both in paper form and carry them with your passport in the car at all times — police checks do happen on the major routes.
The minimum age for economy and mid-size cars is usually 21, with at least one year of driving experience. Premium, sports and luxury cars generally require drivers to be 25 or over and to have held a licence for five to six years. These limits are set by the insurers.
Most UAE partners include 250 km per day. The allowance is calculated across the entire rental, so a 10-day booking includes 2,500 km. Additional kilometres cost around $0.55–0.80 each. The standard allowance is usually sufficient for sightseeing within the UAE.
Salik is the electronic toll system in Dubai — no barriers, just gantries with cameras. Each crossing costs $1 (4 AED) and is automatically debited from the rental account. Abu Dhabi runs an equivalent system called Darb. You see all charges and settle them either at car return or via an email link.
If a traffic fine or Salik charge is received after you return home, the supplier will email you the amount and a secure payment link. The link usually accepts Visa, Mastercard and American Express. You can then settle the charge online without visiting an office or arranging an international bank transfer.
Yes. You may drive between the emirates as long as you remain on permitted paved roads. Dubai and Abu Dhabi are connected by Sheikh Zayed Road and are about 1.5 hours apart in normal traffic. Sharjah and Ajman are 30–60 minutes from Dubai. Be aware of Salik tolls in Dubai and Darb charges in Abu Dhabi.
Most UAE rental partners do not permit cross-border travel to Oman or Saudi Arabia because the insurance is not valid outside the UAE. If your itinerary includes Oman, return the UAE rental car before crossing the border and arrange a separate rental in Oman.
No. Off-road and dune driving are excluded from rental insurance, even when the car is a 4×4. For a desert safari in Liwa or near Dubai, book an organised tour with a properly equipped vehicle and experienced driver.
Prices are generally lowest from April to August, when visitor numbers are lower and temperatures often exceed 40°C. The high season runs from September to March, with the busiest period between December and February and during the Dubai Shopping Festival. Book one to two months ahead for school holidays; last-minute offers are more common in summer.
A child seat is required for children under four, and the front seat is off limits to anyone under ten. Seat hire is roughly $8–14 per day, with boosters slightly cheaper. Mention your child's age and height when booking so the partner has the right model ready at handover.
Yes. One-way rentals are available between Dubai (DXB), Abu Dhabi (AUH), Sharjah (SHJ) and Ras Al Khaimah. The fee is usually $30–80, depending on the route, and can be convenient if your arrival and departure airports are different. Some rates include a free one-way return, so confirm the terms when booking.
Card pre-authorisations are generally released within 25 days after the rental ends. Cash deposits are returned in cash, while deposits paid by bank transfer are returned to the original account. The supplier should provide an itemised record of any deductions for Salik tolls, fines or other fees.
Contact the rental manager as soon as your flight changes. They can usually move the collection time to match your new arrival, although substantial changes may affect the price or availability. The same applies to changes to your departure flight. Returning the car early is normally possible, but does not necessarily result in a refund for unused time.