Can Someone Else Drive My Rental Car in Dubai?

28 October 2026Urban Go7 min read

How to add a second driver to a rental car in Dubai, what it costs, who can be one, what the law says about lending a car, and who pays a fine.

Two plain car keys beside a blank agreement with two signature lines on a desk overlooking the Dubai skyline

Someone else can drive your rental car in Dubai, but only once they are added to the rental agreement as an additional driver. With us that is an add-on in the quote, priced per car, and the driver sends their documents on WhatsApp like the main renter does. Our insurance covers only drivers registered on the rental agreement, so a friend who simply takes the keys is not covered by it.

This guide covers how to add a second driver, who can be one, what the law says about letting another person drive a car, and what happens with an accident or a fine. If the car you mean is a private car rather than a rental, there is a short section on that too.

The short version

A second driver must be added to the rental agreement before they drive.
With us the additional driver add-on is AED 100 to AED 250, depending on the car, and it is charged per month on monthly plans.
The additional driver needs a licence that is valid in the UAE, and residents must hold a UAE licence.
Our insurance covers only drivers registered on the rental agreement, so an incident with anyone else at the wheel is not covered.
A fine picked up by any driver is registered against the car and comes to the renter.

Why the second driver has to be on the agreement

A rental car belongs to the rental company, and the agreement records who that company has accepted as a driver. On our cars, the comprehensive insurance that comes with every rental covers only the drivers registered on the rental agreement. That is the line that matters: a husband, a colleague or a friend can drive the car, but only after they are on it.

Our own FAQ puts it plainly. If someone else will be driving, they can be added for a small fee, and an unregistered driver should not take the wheel, because any incident would not be covered. As the FAQ says, that is a risk to the driver, not just to us.

The cost is set per car. On the MG 5 the additional driver is AED 100 a month, and across the fleet the range is AED 100 to AED 250. The exact figure for any car is in its quote on the fleet page.

Additional driver car rental: how to add one

There are three steps, and the second driver drives only after the last one.

Choose the add-on. Tick Additional Driver in the quote on the car's page, or tell us on WhatsApp that a second person will be driving.
Send their documents. The additional driver sends photos of their documents to us on WhatsApp, as the main renter does.
Drive once they are on the agreement. Until then, the main renter is the only person covered.

If someone else needs to drive after the car has been delivered, message us before handing over the keys, not afterwards. The cover follows the agreement, not the intention.

Who can be your additional driver

Our own rules for drivers are short. The minimum age is 21 for most of our cars, and newly issued licences are accepted for most of the fleet, though a few cars need at least one year of driving experience.

The licence rules come from the UAE, not from us, and Gulf News sets them out the same way:

UAE residents must use a UAE driving licence. A foreign licence or an International Driving Permit cannot be used by a resident.
Visitors can drive on a home-country licence, with an International Driving Permit only where the licence was issued by a country that is not on the UAE's recognised list. Our driving licence checker shows which applies.

Getting this wrong is expensive. Under the federal traffic law that took effect on 29 March 2025, both Khaleej Times and Gulf News report that driving on an unrecognised foreign licence carries a fine of Dh2,000 to Dh10,000 for a first offence, and that driving with no licence, or one that does not cover the vehicle, carries up to three months in jail and a fine of Dh5,000 to Dh50,000.

What the law says about lending a car

Gulf News points to Article 447 of Federal Decree Law No. 31 of 2021, under which you may only drive a vehicle with its owner's permission. It reports the penalty as detention of up to a year, a fine of up to Dh10,000, or both. The offence is prosecuted: Emirates 24|7 reported in September 2026 that a Dubai court sentenced a motorist to a month in prison for driving without a licence for that vehicle category and using a vehicle without its owner's permission.

Lending a car to the wrong person can also put the owner in court. In September 2026 Gulf News and Emirates 24|7 both reported a Dubai case in which the vehicle owner was fined Dh1,000 for allowing an unlicensed person to drive his car.

No source we found deals with the case of a renter handing a rental car to a friend who is not on the agreement, so we will not tell you how a court would view it. You do not need to find out. Add the driver.

If it is a private car, not a rental

Private cars work differently. Gulf News, quoting an insurance specialist on the UAE's unified motor insurance policy, reports that another driver is normally covered under the owner's policy if they are over 25 and have held their licence for more than a year, that a younger or newer driver pays more of the excess, and that a claim affects the owner's record. It adds that some high-value cars carry a named-driver clause. Check the policy before lending the car.

If something goes wrong

An accident. Every accident needs a police report, including minor scratches. Call Dubai Police on 999, then contact us on WhatsApp, whichever registered driver was at the wheel. Our guide to the accident and police report process covers the steps. With an unregistered driver at the wheel, the incident is not covered by the rental's insurance.

A fine. Traffic fines are registered against the vehicle, not against whoever was driving, so a speeding fine picked up by your additional driver comes to you as the renter. Settle that between yourselves. Our UAE traffic fines guide explains how fines are issued.

Renting a car in Dubai?

Our monthly rentals start at AED 1,699 a month, including VAT, comprehensive insurance, registration, routine maintenance, 24/7 roadside assistance and 3,500 km a month on most cars. The deposit is AED 1,500 refundable on most cars, or no deposit at all for about AED 255 a month more. Fuel is same-to-same: we record the level at handover and you bring it back at that level, and the difference is charged if it is lower. Salik is recharged at cost plus AED 1 per crossing, itemised. Traffic fines are billed to you, itemised. Delivery and collection are around Downtown Dubai and nearby, and the rest of Dubai on request.

We are Urban Go Car Rentals, an RTA-authorised dealer and agency in Port Saeed, Dubai. Every rental is made on a signed Urban Go rental contract. Have a look at our monthly rentals or our no-deposit option, or message us on WhatsApp on +971 50 500 3965 and a person will answer.

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