Dubai: Residents are now required to take permission from their employers to obtain a driving licence.
The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), reinstating a rule abolished about four years ago, issued a circular to all driving schools in Dubai asking them to make it mandatory for applicants to obtain a no-objection-certificate (NOC) from their employers to take driving lessons.
No one is allowed to learn driving with effect from October 1 without getting a NOC from his employer.
Your comments
This is a joke. Nobody needs permission from their employer to get a drivers licence.
Samantha
Dubai,UAE
Good start for a country that has a high percentage of useless drivers.
Ahmed
Dubai,UAE
Dubai should be ashamed of itself by discriminating people like this and treating them like slaves.
Haroon
New York,USA
The cause for people to get their drivers license is because they are forced to rent flats outside Dubai. This is a chain reaction of the out of this world rent prices in Dubai. I guess it's all about the money. What is happening to Dubai?
Moc
Ghusais,UAE
I think this law is all nonsense. instead they should improve the infrastucture and impose higher taxes on vechiles. NOC is only good for national employers as they will start exploiting people and start taking money.
Arfan
Sydney,Australia
RTO seem to have lost touch with reality on this one. There should be a NOC requirement on them prior to making such rules. The question is who qualifies to sign?!
Rajesh
Dubai,UAE
I believe that most of the people who agree to the noc rule are people who already hold a driving license. It's very hypocritical to support the rule. I believe that it is unfair.
Bijesh
Dubai,UAE
One more reason not to want to come and settle in Dubai!!
Biju
Gold Coast,Australia
Dubai does have everything: the tallest, the highest, the longest, the largest... and now officially the stupidest rule in the world too.
Ryan
Toronto,Canada
Way to go Dubai!!! Another feather in your cap for enslaving the middle class and crowning the already mighty with more might to trample upon the lesser mortals... What next?
Ravi
Gold Coast,Australia
The rule should be illlegal. The employees are not slaves.
Anil
Dubai,UAE
Why are people trying to link personal rights with official matters? Please think of situations where boss-employee clashes already exist. Now I actually fear that there will be a new rule to get an NOC from your boss it you want to have a baby.
Jisha
Sharjah,UAE
Is this law for all nationalities? Both for expatriates and UAE nationals? What is happening to Dubai?
Kash
Dubai,UAE
Another way of making money. Soon we shall see charges for even breathing.
Frankey
Dubai,UAE
The new rule is very unfair since the drivers licence is a personal requirement.
Naveen
Dubai,UAE
This is ludicrous... Sponsors permision for a driving license... What next? A NOC to get married!!!
Amit
Dubai,UAE
Good Desicion, but please let us (wives under husband sponsorship) know how to get a NOC. Is this country trying to kick us out by implementing new rules daily? Really shameful.
Jaya
Abu Dhabi,UAE
I think the rule sucks. It will only encourage the employers to exploit the employees.
Deep
Toronto,Canada
What's Dubai coming to?!? Rules and restriction which are unethical and not in the best interest of the public. I'm happy with all the developments but the implementations made on the public are just brutal.
Ed
Alberta,Canada
I think it's not fair as the employers will ask extra money for this permission.
Cleopatra
Luxor,Egypt
This rule is very disturbing. One needs a letter from a sponsor for everything in the country already. It seems to be another money making scheme.
Abdullah
Manchester,UK
An NOC from employers should be a mandatory requirement for expats, and only be given to those who were driving extensively in their home country.
Tempano
Dubai,UAE
This decision is nonsense. This is not the correct way to conrol traffic. Improving the infrastructure is the only correct solution.
Raveendran
Dubai,UAE
I think a controlled mouth shows a controlled mind and an NOC shows a controlled society.
Asad
Dubai,UAE
To acquire a driving licence anywhere in this world is your own responsibility and uses your own expences. I don't think that the NOC is needed. Accidents happen due to negligince of the people involved.
Mely
Dubai,UAE
People have gone crazy for "rules". They should be thinking about how to reduce the traffic in Dubai!
Hai
Sharjah,UAE
Why is it just because a person(employer) is giving a job (money for living (food) in this country, they can control an employee? This is like slavery.
Noel
Dubai,UAE
I am sure the comments who are in favor in obtaining the permission from employers have already a driving license! This is a fundamental right of every person over the age limit to apply for a license. It should not be controlled by anybody watsoever. If the RTA cannot find a solution to traffic problems, that does not mean to put it on employee's shoulders!
Kazee
Dubai,UAE
It is so sad. Shame. It shows the inability of RTA as there is no connection between driving lisences and NOC. NOC should not be mandatory as getting a driving licence is a personal matter.
Rajesh
Dubai,UAE
Excellent idea. Hopefully this will reduce the number of cars and encourge car-pooling.
Ihsan
Dubai,UAE
Totally Unfair. For controlling the number of licensed drivers, RTA should take steps to increase the quality of driving schools and ensure that only qualified people get a license.
Abey
Jebel Ali,UAE
I think it's not fair. I have seen so many employers who ask money in such cases.
Mohammad
Sharjah,UAE
What might be the profound wisdom behind this move? Pray tell.
Abiya
Santa Clara, California,USA
I think it is a human right if someone wants to get a drivng licence or not - not if his or her company like it. I suggest that all emirates remove the restrictive NOC rule.
Rasheed
Abu Dhabi,UAE
I drive almost exclusively for my family's needs. So why should anybody's employer be involved in getting a licence for oneself!
Dom
Dubai,UAE
For everything in UAE employees need NOC from their sponsor, changing jobs NOC required, Open file for Driving NOC required, Taking Visa NOC required, Now one more NOC.
Fahad
Abu Dhabi,UAE
What kind of a strategy is this?
Ketan
Sharjah,UAE
What about students like me who want to learn how to drive. Where can I get my NOC? Wallah!
Barshki
Dubai,UAE
Being a citizen on the planet Earth, a human being is free to apply for his/her personal documents such as passport, driving license and national ID cards etc.
Nadeem
Dubai,UAE
Traffic cannot be controlled this way. There is need to make proper planning by reducing the rent of taxis and increasing public transport.
Shahid
Dubai,UAE
Good step to achieve strong slavery system.
Anas
Dubai,UAE
A driving lisence is one's personal wish. There is no need of an NOC. Some other way to reduce traffic should be thought of.
Surya
Dubai,UAE
It's unfair by any means.
Asad
Dubai,UAE
What about the ladies who are under husband sponsorship? They cant take driving lessons?
Iv
Abu Dhabi,UAE
Is Dubai going backwards? When it is boasting of having everything, tallest, highest, longest, largest... and so on this should not have happened!!!
Unnikrishnan
Dubai,UAE
It's a total put off. A company is not one's soul proprietor or does not own any one. It's a personal choice. If you have too much traffic you should become more technically advanced. It's the employers who have more cars for per person - not the employees.
Sunil
Dubai,UAE
How about an NOC rule for buying a car? Does it sound similar? Will they ever think to impose it?
Milo
Dubai,UAE
In my openion it's a very good decision. RTA has to impose some kind of restriction or awareness about "where to park the vehical and not to park the vehical on roads with hazerd lights on" etc.
Nadeem
Dubai,UAE
Getting a driving license is absolutely a personal issue. And it does not involve the company, when expenses are not borne by the company.
Natasha
Dubai,UAE
Is it 2006!!!!!!
Ayman
Dubai,UAE
I think an NOC should not be mandatory because getting a driving licence is a personal matter.
Some employer may refuse or blackmail his employee for the NCO.
Muhammad
Dubai,UAE
Ha Ha Ha. Employers will have one more chance to harass employees or ask more money from the employees to issue a letter.
Mohad
Dubai,UAE
This shows the failure of existing institutions to cope with current demand and supply of proper road networks.
Don
Dubai,UAE
I very much like the move to tighten the rules to get a driving licence. These days licenses are distributed like Pepsi cans in a grocery store. It?s also a very big shock for driving schools. I like this move very much.
Majid
Dubai,UAE
There is no need for a NOC letter because employers are not paying the fees, so why involve the company?
Krishna
Dubai,UAE
It would be better to improve transportation between cities. It will automatically reduce the traffic problems.
Adnan
Karachi,Pakistan
Public transport should be improved. This would reduce cars on roads. Because of bad public transport, everyone has to buy car. If conditions are now being places on driving lisences, it will make tansport even worse.
Farhan
Jebel Ali,UAE
This is really ridiculous. It has never happened in the history of transportation that an individual freedom is controlled by a stupid rule. It?s just funny and disgusting. This goes against humanity and individual freedom.
Zaki
Azamgarh,India
It's a good rule to make employees use company transport and also to prevent driving schools from making exorbitant sums of money. Driving licences are so expensive in the UAE.
Sumeet
Dubai,UAE
There was no need for such a rule as it was abandoned about four years ago.
Manaf
Deira,UAE
Dubai is a model city in modern world. This restriction gives a wrong signal to the outside world. We should see other alternatives to ease the traffic problems.
Mahmood
Dubai,UAE
Laws like this are an effective way of stoping the illegal taxi. I dont see any problem in getting an NOC unless you are staying here illegally.
Rst
Dubai,UAE
It is a good step since employers are solely responsible for the acts and deeds of their employees and should therefore be aware of their activities.
Waqar
Abu Dhabi,UAE
NOC for a driving license will give employers one more string for exploitation of their workers. Next time the RTA can even ask employers to give a NOC for buying Cars.
Kshitiz
Dubai,UAE
While the working class should not be too affected by the new rule, do we ever consider what happens to the labourers? The authorities have given their employers one more reason to exploit them. And that is something highly regrettable as they do not have a voice to be heard.
Edwin
Sharjah,UAE
One step forward, two steps backward, three on each side... It looks like Dubai is caught in limbo between Pragmatism and conservatism. Absolutely ridiculous. What will happen for those who can convert directly their license to a UAE one?
Laurent
Dubai,UAE
Practically speaking, this drama of NOC is baseless and not a benefit to anyone in anyway.
Asrar
Sharjah,UAE
If this is part of a plan to reduce traffic, it won't work, since driving and having a vehicle is now mandatory in Dubai due to the division of the old and new Dubai. So everyone has the right to apply for it. The RTA should look into this issue again.
Anas
Dubai,UAE
Reducing traffic should be dealt with through urban development, NOT by denying people the right to drive.
Benny
Dubai,UAE
Again, another nonsense. What is next? If someone wants to get married, he should get permission from his "Employer"? The Employer beginning to resemble a Godfather.
Nader
Al-Ain,UAE
This is totally absurd. It's a personal matter and an NOC wont stop the total applications for driving licences.
Vinu
Dubai,UAE
This will reduce traffic violatios and Road accidents.
Shaji
Dubai,UAE
It's quite unfair, since most employees get a drivers licence for personal purposes. Otherwise they may implement this kind of rule if the employer will shoulder all the expenses for the Driving School and at the same time to provide a car to his/her employee.
Marianne
Dubai,UAE
In the spirit of equal human rights for all UAE residents, will this new rule also apply to UAE citizens?
Helmut
Dubai,UAE
I think it's not fair to need permission from your employer to do personal needs. We expect to have more freedom rather than harasment.
Omar
Abu Dhabi,UAE
There should be a solution to stop the upcoming traffic problems but this is not the right solution. Driving is a personal issue and the employer should not be involved in this.
Prasanna
Dubai,UAE
This is not good. Today the RTA is telling us to take NOC for a driving licence, tomorrow we will be told to get an NOC from their sponsor for shopping, then NOC for walking, NOC for sitting, NOC for standing etc.
Abdullah
Dubai,UAE
In today's day and age this a backward step. Instead of going forward we seem to be going backwards. If one scans the Gulf News employment section, one will find that most employers want a person to have a driving licence. Why should the RTA then make it complusory for a NOV from the employer. In any case a driving licence is a personal document and has nothing to do with the employer.
Bhatia
Dubai,UAE
It is unfair. A driving licence is a document and his / her personal issue. It should not involve the employer.
Swam
Dubai,UAE
Another silly rule.
Abdul
Abu Dhabi,UAE
This rule is so stupid that people from other countries will laugh at it. The employer will make the employee cry for getting NOC. It's one more harassing activity in the book of employers.
Name withheld by request
Melbourne,Australia
Please clarify the motive behind this rule. If it's to control traffic, reduce the rent in Dubai. Let people live near their office and walk to work. You will see miracles. Less Traffic, less fuel consumption, less polution, no loss of working hours.
Arun
Dubai,UAE
This is totally unfair. Why do rules have ups and downs? First make proper roads and eradicate the traffic.
Sibi
Dubai,UAE
What is the sense of getting NOC from your employer? Are the employers responsible for any fine or whatsoever will incure of your driving? Getting a driving license is a personal matter like opening a bank acccount. The renewal of this rule sounds funny.
Bernadette
Dubai,UAE
This is not progressive. It is totally irrational.
Farshad
Dubai,UAE
This rule is nonsense. What if one was unemployed? And why should the expats or locals be at the mercy of their employers? Although I am a local of the country and know I might not face anything like that, this rule will effect expats far more than the nationals. Why should one be at the mercy of another? What if the employer was harsh on his/her employees? I dont think its sufficient and neither is it right.
Hassan
Dubai,UAE
It just doesn't make any sense. After all, the expenses are paid from our pockets. And what about the wives who are under husband sponsorship?
Rajan
Dubai,UAE
It's very good! Keep it up! At least now there is a chance that there will be a decrease of "new born" drivers on the roads which will curb the traffic as well as accidents.
Sheharyaar
Dubai,UAE
What if my wife wants to obtain a license but doesn't work for anyone, as I'm the one who is employed? Will she also need an NOC and from whom, my employer?
Adnan
Dubai,UAE
It is really bad that people need to run around their employers for these small things. For the traffic problem, the government should make it mandatory for companies to provide transport for employees from their homes to place of work.
Sana
Sharjah,UAE
To learn driving and to hold a driving licence is a person's right. What RTA is imposing now is against basic Human Rights. Many companies will take advantage of this.
Manoly
Dubai,UAE
The new rule is just too much to bear. Dubai is just making life difficult for low income people to live in the country. NOC from employer means more tension and more money involvment. It's absoluty crazy. Dubai is becoming an unattractive place to live in for a lot of people in all aspects of life.
Christopher
Dubai,UAE
I think it's every person's right to learn how to drive. He will be the one to shoulder his expenses (not the company) and learn to drive after working hours.
Valeriano
Dubai,UAE
It is totaly preposterous!
Joyveer
Dubai,UAE
The driving licence is a personal issue and should not involve the company.
Yallamelli
By e-mail,Bahrain
It is the right of any legal resident to obtain his or her driving license after the required age restriction. The RTA should clarify their motivation behind this rule.
Somasunder
Dubai,UAE
One needs to understand the purpose of the NOC. Does it bring about any obligation on employers?
Rita
Dubai,UAE
This will reduce the number of cars on the roads. Thanks.
Inam
Dubai,UAE
This is not good for a civilised place like Dubai. The right to learn is the civil right of the individual. It cannot be the discretion of the employer. If traffic problem is the concern then poor planning of roads and residential areas and high rents are the reasons.
Saqeer
DUBAI,UAE
Driving licence is one's personal document, and in my opinion does not need the sponsor's approval, since the sponsor will not be paying for the driving licence lessons, etc...
Fadia
Dubai,UAE
NOC should not be mandatory as getting a driving licence is a personal matter.
Sheikh Ahmed
Dubai,UAE
I think this rule is over restrictive, unfair, and imposses burdens on everyone. It is a step backwards, and in the wrong direction. A new solution needs to be created to resolve traffic problems.
Ismail
Jeddah,Saudi Arabia
I think it is a mandatory requirement - keeping in mind today's heavy traffic on the roads.
KR
Dubai,UAE
We really appreciate this rule.
Janet
Jebel Ali,UAE
It's a very good decision to control driving schools who are only out to make more money.
Kaleem
Dubai,UAE
What is the relationship between the NOC and the person wanting to drive a car?! Is the employer paying the driving instructor's fees? Is the employer going to buy the staff a car?
Marwan
Dubai,UAE
Driving licence is a document that does not need employers' permission. Now employers will have one more reason to harass employees.
Pradeep
Dubai,UAE
I think its not fair to restrict someone from the basic necessities of life.
Muhammad
Dubai,UAE
