A Gulf News reader reached out with his query: “My Dubai driving licence is about to expire next month, but I am planning to travel. Can I renew my driving licence right now? And if I do renew it early, how will it affect the validity of the new licence?”
How early can I renew my driving licence?
According to the RTA website – rta.ae, if you are 21 years old or older, you can renew your driving licence one year before its expiry date.
On the other hand, if you are younger than 21, the licence can be renewed one month before its expiry date.
Grace period
Once your driving licence expires, you also get a month after the expiry date to renew it, without incurring any fines.
Fines for non-renewal
According to the RTA, you will be charged Dh10 per month for non-renewal once the licence expires. The fine (Dh10) is calculated monthly from the expiration date of the licence, with a maximum fine of Dh500.
Validity of the new driving licence
Once you apply for your licence’s renewal, the expiry date of the new driving licence will be calculated from the date of application, according to the RTA call centre.
Driving licences are renewable for 10 years for UAE and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) citizens and for five years for residents.
