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Motorists in the UAE whose driving licences have expired for more than 10 years will need to complete theoretical and practical tests under federal regulations that take effect on January 1, 2027. The provision appears in Article 76 of Cabinet Decision No. 174 of 2026, which sets out the executive regulation for Federal Decree-Law No. 14 of 2024 on traffic matters, Khaleej Times reported. The rule applies to any licence unrenewed for longer than a decade from its expiry date, with applicants still required to meet all standard renewal conditions including medical fitness and fee payments.
The cabinet decision measures the 10-year period strictly from the original expiry date rather than the licence issuance year, a clarification designed to remove ambiguity in reassessment procedures. Licensing authorities will determine the precise format of the theory and practical examinations, while the Federal Traffic Council holds responsibility for establishing minimum testing benchmarks across the country. No fixed number of tests or compulsory training hours is written into the federal text, leaving those specifications to individual emirate-level bodies.
The same cabinet decision extends the maximum validity of learner driving permits to six months on a renewable basis, doubling the previous three-month limit outlined in earlier federal rules. This adjustment aims to provide aspiring drivers with greater flexibility during the learning phase, according to details published in the regulation. Authorities anticipate the combined updates will streamline certain processes while reinforcing safety standards for both new and returning motorists.
In Dubai the Roads and Transport Authority already mandates an evaluation test for any licence expired beyond 10 years, with the process involving booking through the RTA system after an online renewal attempt flags the requirement. The authority’s guidance notes that one successful evaluation for a light vehicle category can cover multiple licence classes without additional examinations, RTA service documentation shows. Similar procedures exist in other emirates, though the forthcoming federal standardisation will align terminology and expectations nationwide from next year.
General renewal rules under Article 73 of the decision require applications to be filed within 30 days of expiry, with all outstanding traffic fines settled before approval, Gulf News reported in its coverage of the regulations. An eye test at an approved centre remains compulsory for every renewal regardless of how long the licence has been expired, according to Ministry of Interior service criteria. Driving on an expired licence continues to carry a Dh500 fine plus four black points under the federal schedule, a penalty unchanged by the new provisions.
Ministry of Interior figures show 558,191 new driving licences were issued across the UAE in 2025, a 10.7 percent rise from the prior year that underscores the growing scale of the licensing system. Licence validity after successful renewal will follow a tiered structure based on age and nationality, with UAE and GCC nationals aged 21 and older receiving 10-year terms while residents in the same age group obtain five-year documents. Those under 21 will receive one-year temporary licences that can be renewed annually until they reach the standard age threshold, a framework detailed in related articles of the 2026 cabinet decision.
