Driver licence

Requirements

Non-Qatari citizens must meet the following requirements:

    Be 18 years of age for a light driving license or motorcycle license
    Be 21 years of age for a heavy vehicle driving license or for agricultural or construction vehicle licenses
    Complete the driving license application form
    Provide a no-objection letter from the applicant's sponsor (in Arabic)
    Have a valid passport and copy of this
    Submit a copy of sponsor's ID card
    Provide three recent, colored, passport sized photographs
    Have a residence permit

Qatari citizens must meet the following requirements:

    Be 18 years of age for a light vehicle driving license or motorcycle license
    Be 21 years of age for a heavy vehicle driving license or for agricultural or construction vehicle licenses
    Have a valid ID card and present a copy of this on application
    Complete the driving license application form
    Provide three recent, colored, passport-sized photographs
    Show proof of training insurance for a period of three months if wishing to learn in a private car

The Driving Test

To take the driving test it is first necessary to apply to a driving school for lessons. For expatriates who have already had experience driving, it is possible to take a half course.

To be able to take the test a new driver must have had:

    At least 15 hours of theory classes
    A minimum of 35 hours of driving lessons

Drivers who already have a driving license from another country but are not able to exchange their licence must have at least 15 hours of theory lessons before they can sit the driving test.

Authorized Driving Schools in Doha:

    Al Rayah Driving School, Tel: 4487 7774
    Doha Driving Center, Tel: 4479 2263
    Gulf Driving School, Tel: 4465 2822
    United Driving Company, Tel: 4468 1003

All the above driving schools teach lessons in English and Arabic.
Taking the driving test

The driving test includes the following:

    A theory test. This is an oral test where a number of questions are asked about traffic regulations and signs
    Reverse parking test
    Straight parking test
    A road test

It is also necessary to pass an eye test, which is usually carried out before the theory and practical part of the test.

The driving test may be taken in English or Arabic. All parts of the test are usually taken on the same day. However, if the applicant fails one part of the test, they will not proceed to the next stage of the test. The applicant is usually informed at each stage whether they have passed or failed.

Tests are usually conducted on manual transmission cars with four people in the car. Female applicants take the test with a female traffic police officer. The test is considered to be difficult and approximately 50 percent of applicants fail on their first attempt.

The driving license is issued immediately after passing the test and is usually valid for five years for residents, and ten years for citizens. It is possible to renew a driving license online through the Hakoomi website.
Failing the driving test

In the event of failing the test, it is necessary to reapply and take the test again, usually within a month. It is normally not necessary to repeat any parts of the test that were successfully passed.