Rent a car in Dubai

Yes. Dubai's speed cameras allow a +20 km/h buffer over the posted limit — on a 100 km/h sign, the camera triggers at 121 km/h. This is unique to Dubai: Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and the other emirates count every kilometre over the sign. On long highways between emirates, drive to the actual sign so you do not get caught the moment you leave Dubai.

The most common ones: speeding (300–1,000 AED), illegal parking (200–500), phone in hand at the wheel (800 AED + 4 black points) and no seatbelt (400 AED). Charges land on the number plate and are settled out of the deposit with a line-by-line breakdown. A 25–50% discount applies if paid within the first 30–60 days, and partners usually use it.

The standard Salik charge is $1 (4 AED) per crossing. Since 2024, the peak rate (06:00–10:00 and 16:00–20:00 on weekdays) is $1.6 (6 AED). Between 01:00 and 06:00 crossings are free — useful for late-night airport runs. The partner may add a service fee of 1–2 AED per crossing in the final settlement.

Yes. Since 2024, UAE rental companies are required by the Ministry of Economy and Tourism to accept a debit card or cash if you do not hold a credit card. A service fee of around 5% may apply. The deposit is then usually taken as cash in dirhams: the partner gives you a receipt and refunds the same amount when you return the car.

Under current UAE rules, the rental company must release the deposit within 30 days of the car being returned. Until then, traffic fines, Salik charges and documented damage with a police slip may be deducted. Cash deposits are refunded the day you hand the car back, provided fines and toll crossings are already visible in the system.

The big partner desks sit in Terminals 1 and 3, which handle most international flights. Terminal 2 has a thinner choice, and guests are usually moved to T3. With our partners the setup is different: the car is brought to the terminal exit by your flight number, so there is no shuttle and no desk to find.

Basic CDW covers damage to the rental car itself with an excess of 1,500–5,000 AED. Third-party liability (TPL) is included on every rental by law. Usually not covered: glass, tyres, undercarriage and lost keys. The exclusions are written in the contract — worth checking before you take the keys.

Super CDW (SCDW) zeroes out the excess on the basic CDW: with a police slip on hand, an accident costs you nothing beyond the deposit. It is around $8–14 a day and usually pays for itself with a single light bump in a car park. Especially worth it with kids in the car, on long inter-emirate routes and when you park in busy areas.

Do not move the car and do not try to settle on the spot. Call 999 (police) or 998 (ambulance). For minor accidents without injuries, the Dubai Police app handles the report online in 5–10 minutes. The police issue a colour-coded slip (green, pink or white) — without it, insurance will not cover the repair.

No, all rental cars in Dubai are strictly non-smoking. A smoke smell triggers a deep-clean charge — usually $135–270. Repeat offenders are sometimes added to the partner's internal blacklist. If you smoke, do it outside the car: most shopping malls and petrol stations have designated areas.

Paid parking in Dubai is 2–4 AED per hour in the commercial zones. You pay through the RTA Mahboub app, by SMS to 7275 or at the orange meters. Dubai Mall and Mall of the Emirates give you the first four hours free. Most hotels park guests for free. Friday mornings until 13:00 and public holidays are free across the city.

Yes, Dubai has minute-by-minute rental services such as Udrive — from around $8 per hour. Useful for short errands: collecting belongings from the apartment or running into town without a long booking. For full city sightseeing the standard daily tariff works out cheaper — six hours on a per-minute plan already matches a full day.

Daily makes sense for short trips: one or two days in Dubai — book just those days. The discount kicks in on long bookings: weekly tariffs cut the per-day rate by 20–30%, monthly by 30–40%. A monthly economy tariff starts from around $325–490 for 30 days, and often bundles servicing, insurance and sometimes unlimited mileage.

Yes, sports cars and convertibles are a regular booking in Dubai — popular for honeymoons and photo shoots. The age limit is usually 25+ with three years of driving experience, and the deposit ranges from 10,000 to 50,000+ AED. Lamborghini starts from ~$680, Ferrari from ~$950, Rolls-Royce from ~$1,090 a day. Most partners deliver these cars to the hotel.

The second driver is registered at handover and must be present in person with a licence and IDP. The fee with most partners is $7–14 a day, and on some tariffs it is included for free. Without registration, the insurance does not cover the second driver: any accident with them at the wheel comes out of the deposit, repair costs included.