Rent a car in the UAE

Yes. Third-Party Liability (TPL) — which covers damage you cause to other vehicles and people — is included on every car. Most cars also include Super CDW (SCDW), which limits your liability for damage to the rental itself to a reduced excess. Full Damage Waiver (FDW) — zero excess — is available on selected cars; filter by 'Insurance included' to see exactly what's covered on the car you're looking at.

Yes, on selected cars in the UAE catalogue. Look for the 'Zero excess' badge on a car card or filter by 'FDW included' in the search. With FDW, you pay nothing extra if the car is damaged (fault or no fault) and returned in one piece. On the remaining cars, an SCDW is typically included — your liability is still limited, just to a small excess shown on the car card before booking.

From around AED 700 on economy cars, up to AED 2,500–10,000 on premium and supercars. The exact hold is shown on the car card before you book. Some cars are available without any deposit — look for the 'No Deposit' badge or use the filter. For cars with a hold, most providers accept a credit card; cash in AED is accepted by many local operators.

21 years with at least 1 year of driving experience for economy and mid-size cars. For premium and supercars — 25+ with 3+ years. Young-driver surcharges are not common on our platform. A UAE residency visa is not required to rent as a tourist.

For tourists: a passport with a valid UAE entry stamp or visa, a national driving licence and, in most cases, an International Driving Permit (IDP). For UAE residents: Emirates ID plus a UAE driving licence. Originals are required at pickup — photos are not accepted. If the car requires a credit-card hold, the card must be in the renter's name.

For most tourists — yes. The UAE recognises national licences directly from about 40 countries, including the UK, US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, all EU states, Japan, South Korea and the GCC. If your licence is from Russia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Belarus, India or any country outside that list, you need both your national licence and an IDP — driving without one on a non-recognised licence is a AED 5,000 fine.

Entry-level economy cars start from around AED 29/day (Nissan Sunny, Mitsubishi Attrage, Hyundai i10 and similar). Most mid-range cars sit in the AED 120–200/day range. Premium SUVs and sedans — AED 500–1,500/day. Supercars (Lamborghini, Ferrari, Porsche, McLaren) start at around AED 2,500/day and can reach AED 10,000/day for the top models. Weekly bookings typically save 15–25% off the daily rate.

Not at the moment. Cross-border travel to Oman or Saudi Arabia isn't supported on our current UAE catalogue — it requires a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the car owner and an extended insurance policy. If your trip depends on crossing the border, contact support before booking.

Yes. Many cars in the UAE catalogue accept cash or a debit card for the deposit, and some are offered without any deposit at all. Use the 'Payment method' filter or look for the 'No Deposit' badge on the car card. For no-deposit cars, a debit card is usually still required for the prepayment itself.

Traffic fines in the UAE are registered against the car's number plate, so the rental company receives them first and passes the charge on to you, together with a small administrative fee (typically AED 50–100 per fine). Fines can take 2–4 weeks to appear after the rental ends. Speeding in Dubai is usually AED 300–600 (there's a ~20 km/h buffer before cameras trigger); Abu Dhabi uses zero-tolerance and will fine 1 km/h over. Red-light violation — AED 1,000. Mobile phone while driving — AED 800.

Typically 15–30 days in the UAE. The delay is almost entirely waiting for the RTA fines clearance window (up to 21 banking days) — if any camera-registered violation happened during your rental, the provider can't release the hold until the fine attaches to the car. If your rental was clean, some providers release within 7–10 days. Ask for an email confirmation once inspection passes so you have proof if the refund is late.

Full-to-full is standard across the UAE catalogue — you pick up with a full tank and return with a full tank. If you return short, most providers charge for the missing fuel at a premium above pump price plus a service fee. Fuel in the UAE is among the cheapest in the region (Special 95 around AED 3.0–3.2/litre, Super 98 around AED 3.1–3.3/litre), so filling up 5–10 km before drop-off is always cheaper than the refuel fee. Save the receipt and photograph the gauge at return.

Every Dubai rental comes with an active Salik tag — you don't need to buy anything. Each crossing through a Salik gate costs AED 4 (fixed, all days). Dubai has eight Salik gates: Al Garhoud, Al Maktoum, Al Safa, Al Barsha, Airport Tunnel, Business Bay Crossing, Jebel Ali and Sheikh Zayed Road. Your rental provider adds up the total at the end of the rental; some add a small admin fee per crossing. If the Salik account runs out during your rental, the provider pays the AED 50 violation penalty per crossing and passes it on to you, so heavy Dubai driving in a short rental can add up.

Yes. Baby seats (0–13 kg), toddler seats (9–18 kg) and booster seats (15–36 kg) are available at most UAE suppliers for an extra fee — typically AED 25–50/day per seat. Add the seat as a booking note in advance; on-the-spot availability isn't guaranteed, especially at airports during peak season. UAE law requires a child seat for any passenger under 4 years old; the fine for non-compliance is AED 400 plus 4 black points on the driver's licence.

Yes — the UAE catalogue covers both Dubai International Airport (DXB, all three terminals) and Al Maktoum International (DWC). Most providers offer 24/7 meet & greet at arrivals delivery at the arrivals hall; a few operate fixed office counters. Airport pickup/drop-off is typically included, with DWC especially often free. For early-morning returns before an onward flight, most providers accept a key drop at the counter and handle inspection the next business day.