If you are planning to move to Kuwait, obtaining a driver's license should be at the top of your to-do list! While public transportation is available, it's not commonly used. The country does not have bicycle lanes, and isn't considered a walkable city (even if it were, the summer heat is too extreme to walk in). You'll find that most people commute by driving and that it's very common to have more than 1 car per household.
If you arrive in Kuwait under a tourist visa, you can drive with a valid foreign or international driver's license. Once you have a resident visa, however, it is illegal to drive without a Kuwait driver's license. The process for obtaining a Kuwaiti driver's license varies depending on your visa status, education, occupation, and gender. If your visa is sponsored by the company you are employed by, your company should assist you in the process of getting a license.
Driving license categories in Kuwait
There are a number of different categories when it comes to the Kuwaiti driver's license. The first thing you need to do is identify which category you belong to:
- New Driving License: For individuals who are driving for the first time in Kuwait.
- Motorcycle Driving License: For riding a motorcycle on Kuwaiti roads.
- License for Operating Construction/Industrial/Agricultural/Machinery: For individuals operating heavy machinery in the fields of construction, agriculture, and industries.
- Issuance/Renewal of Learner License: For individuals wishing to obtain or renew their learner license before taking the final test.
- Direct Replacement of GCC License: Individuals who already have a GCC driving permit are able to convert that into a Kuwait driving license.
Driving license requirements in Kuwait
Before you move forward and apply for a driving license in Kuwait, it's always a good idea to ensure that you are eligible and have all the requirements on hand:
- The applicant must be 18 years old or above;
- A valid visa and passport;
- A medical certificate verified by a certified doctor;
- Copy of the applicant's pay slip;
- Original work permit and copy;
- Criminal record request;
- Original Civil ID;
- Two recent passport-sized photographs with a blue background;
- Fee payment receipt for the category of license applied for.
There are some additional requirements specific to expats in Kuwait:
- Applicants must possess a university degree (attested by the ministries);
- Applicants' salary must be a minimum of 600 KWD per month;
- Applicants should possess a valid residence permit and have resided for at least two years in Kuwait prior to applying for the license.
The fees per driving license category are as follows:
- New Driving License: 10 KWD;
- Motorcycle Driving License: 5 KWD;
- License for Operating Construction/Industrial/Agricultural/Machinery: 10 KWD;
- Issuance/Renewal of Learner License: 5 KWD;
- Direct Replacement of GCC License: 5 KWD.
In addition to these, you can expect to pay the following fees when applying for a driving license:
- Application Fee: 10 KD;
- Medical Examination Fee: 5 KD;
- Practical Test Fee: 5 KD.
Certain groups of people are exempt from all or some of the requirements specific to expats.
Those who are exempt from the residency, salary and university degree requirements are:
- Spouse of a Kuwaiti citizen who bore his children (including widows and divorcees);
- Spouse of a Kuwaiti wife and their children;
- Diplomatic members;
- Drivers and agents of government agencies and other general delegates who hold a valid legal driving license in their countries or other countries;
- Domestic workers who worked for a minimum period of 2 consecutive years with the same sponsor and have a residence title of “driver profession”;
- Technicians and specialists in the oil field sectors;
- Physiotherapists and all technicians of medical field professions;
- Pilots, co-pilots, captains, helmsman and guides of service vessels;
- Morticians;
-
Housewife spouse of the below mentioned professions (who have children):
- Pilots, first officers, co-pilots, captains, helmsman and guides of service vessels;
- Judges and members of public prosecution;
- Consultants and experts;
- Faculty members in universities and applied education institutes;
- Doctors and pharmacists;
- Executives, general managers and their assistants;
- Judges and members of public prosecution;
- Consultants and experts;
- Faculty members in universities and applied education institutes;
- Doctors and pharmacists;
- Journalists and reporters;
- Engineers;
- Veterinarians;
- Researchers, law members, translators, teachers, social workers, librarians, mosque imams, muezzins, and government employees;
- Sports trainers in sports federations and public sector clubs.
Those who are exempt only from the residency requirement (but must still meet the minimum salary requirement and hold a university degree) are:
- Executives, general managers and their assistants;
- All managers;
- All accountants;
- Physicists, chemists and geologists;
- Representatives and delegates.
Important:
It's important to make sure that all university degrees and driver's licenses from your home country are attested before moving. This can speed up the process of obtaining your license in Kuwait. If, for any reason, you are unable to complete this, your home embassy should be able to assist you once you're here, but this might be a longer process.
Driving license application process and exam in Kuwait
Once you have all the requirements in place, you can start the driving license application process.
The first step is to download the driving license application form from the Ministry of Interior website. The website also includes a list of requirements, which you can double-check. It's important to note that the form available on the website is in Arabic, so you will need to find someone who can help you fill it out.
Once the application has been filled out, you will need to visit the General Traffic Department in the governorate you live in (or the one that is stated on your civil ID) and submit the application along with the required documents.
You will then be called in for the written examination, which is available in both English and Arabic. The written examination is similar to most driving test exams and covers topics such as traffic signs, road signals, traffic laws and safe driving practices. You will need a score of at least 60% in order to proceed with the practical exam. There is a mock exam available online that you can use to practice before taking the test.
Once you have passed the written examination, you will be called in to take the practical exam. You can either pay a small fee to use one of the cars at the examination center or use your own car (or a friend's car) to take the exam. It's usually recommended to take the exam in the car you've been practicing in, as you will be more familiar with it.
Once both tests have been passed, you will be asked to pay your driving license fee at any of the Traffic Governorates in Kuwait. You will then receive your driver's license. Currently, Kuwait is only issuing digital driving licenses for expats. These can be accessed on the Kuwait Mobile ID app (available on iOs and Google Play).
The validity of driving licenses for expats in Kuwait has been changing frequently over the past few years. At the moment, driving licenses are valid for 1 year (the same as residency visas) and can be renewed each year.
Driving licence renewal in Kuwait
While the process for obtaining a driving license is a little bit lengthy, the renewal process has been simplified. There are 2 options for driving license renewal in Kuwait, both of which can be completed online.
Ministry of Interior website
The first option is to renew your driving license through the Ministry of Interior website. Just log in to your account and select the “Traffic” tab under “e-services”. You will then be redirected to a different page where you will see the option to “Renew Driving Licence”, on which you have to click.
This will lead you to a form that you will need to fill out. You will need to have your civil ID number on hand to complete this.
Once the form has been filled out, you will be taken to a page that details the required renewal fees, as follows:
- Renewal for motorcycle license: 5 KWD;
- Renewal for light traffic vehicles: 10 KWD;
- Renewal for heavy-traffic vehicles: 20 KWD.
Payments can be made online using either K-Net (Kuwait's official online payment gateway), VISA or Mastercard.
You will receive an SMS alert containing the details of when and where you can pick up your driving license. Kuwait has now introduced self-service kiosks outside where you can just scan your civil ID, and the machine will print your driving license for you.
Sahel App
Another option for driving license renewal is to use the Sahel App (available on iOs and Google Play). Once you have downloaded the app, navigate to the Ministry of Interior tab. You will then need to select “traffic services”. This will show you a list of available services, including “driving license renewal”.
Your registered vehicle will be listed in the app – click on your car to continue. You will then be redirected to a payment page, where you will need to add your card information. It's important to note that you can only pay through K-Net on the app, which means the card you use to make the payment must be issued by a bank in Kuwait.
Once this is complete, you will receive an SMS alert containing the details of when and where you can pick up your driving license. As mentioned previously, you can use the self-service kiosks to print your driving license.
Below are the locations of self-service kiosks located inside malls:
- Souq Sharq - 10 am - 11 pm;
- Marina Mall - 5 am - 1 pm;
- Avenues Mall - 8 am - 12 pm;
- Al Kout Mall - 8 am - 10 pm.
Good to know:
Women are allowed to drive in Kuwait. Per the above-listed conditions, if a woman holds a spousal visa and the couple doesn't have children, she will not be allowed to apply for a driver's license until she has been a resident in Kuwait for two years.
Important:
If a police officer stops someone driving without a valid Kuwait driver's license, they have the authority to confiscate the vehicle and deport the driver.
Converting a foreign drivers's license in Kuwait
At the moment, only driving licenses issued in the GCC are eligible for conversion in Kuwait. In order to complete this conversion, you will need to have:
- Your valid GCC driver's license (which will be withdrawn in order to obtain the Kuwait one);
- 2 passport-sized photos;
- Copy of your civil ID.
You will be expected to pay 12 LKWD for this service.
Things to consider when driving in Kuwait
Driving in Kuwait is on the right hand side of the road, so it is recommended for those who are used to driving on the left hand side to take a few lessons to get used to the system.
Speed limits in Kuwait vary depending on the roads you are driving on. Highways have a limit of 120 km/h, rural roads have a limit of 50–80 km/h, and roads in urban areas have a limit of 45 km/h.
Kuwait's traffic fines are quite strict, and they are likely to get even stricter in the upcoming months. At the moment, traffic fines can go up to 500 KWD and a jail sentence of up to 1 year. Some of the most common ones are (these will vary depending on each case):
- Driving without a driving license: up to 100 KWD, 3 months imprisonment;
- Careless/neglectful driving: up to 100 KWD, 3 months imprisonment;
- Crossing a red light: up to 300 KWD, 3 months imprisonment.
Important:
Note that alcohol is strictly prohibited in Kuwait, and driving under the influence may lead to deportation.
Useful links:
Ministry of Interior website - application form
Ministry of Interior website - Mock written exam
We do our best to provide accurate and up to date information. However, if you have noticed any inaccuracies in this article, please let us know in the comments section below.
