Saudi Arabia lifted the ban on women driving on the 24th of June 2018 and Saudi driving licenses are now being issued to women. In this guide you will find the necessary info how to apply for the Saudi Driving license for women. The process explained here is valid for expat and Saudi women how to apply for Saudi driving license in the case the woman has a valid driving license issued by another country.
Starting Wednesday 21.5. 2018 Saudi Arabia’s Moroor traffic offices opened appointments for women to convert licenses to come and get their Saudi driving licenses. I got mine on the first morning and could not be more happy and excited about this!
Read about our experience in getting the licenses here: Friends to hit road together as first western women to get their Saudi driving license
After receiving my license many people (hundreds, literally) have messaged me online asking for advice how to complete this process and apply for the Saudi driving license. So I’ve written everything I can think of regarding the process in this post. If any developments surface, I’ll be adding them here.
Please read about using car seats and safety awareness in cars from my previous article here: Children are treasures not airbags
I hope this post will answer the following questions: How to convert your existing license to a Saudi driving license? Can expats get a Saudi driver’s license? How to get the Saudi driving license application for expat women?
Converting a foreign license to the Saudi license is possible for women of any nationality with a valid driving license. You will not have to “give up” or surrender your existing license to get a Saudi license. The process is very similar to the one that foreign men go through to obtain the Saudi driving license. Both Saudi women who have obtained a license from a foreign country and expats can apply for the Saudi driving license with this same procedure.
There is a process you need to follow in order to convert the foreign license to the Saudi license. For the women who do not have valid licenses (license expired) or don’t know how to drive, you’ll need to enroll to the driving schools first. There might be a bit of a wait to the driving schools but it’s worth the wait and efforts- your life in Saudi will change for so much better!
.jpg)
STEP ONE- how to apply for a Saudi Driving License for women
First the woman has to open her own Absher account on this site: Ministry of Interior new account registration
Alternatively you can go to one of the MOI Absher kiosks located around town ( in Riyadh Royal Mall upstairs has one)
In order to make your own absher you need to enter your details, ID number or iqama and your own mobile phone number. Note you also need a bank account. Tip: Make sure that when creating the account you use a username that is long enough and contains letters and a number for it to be accepted. For example they will not accept username “letsdrive” but the system will accept “letsdrive2”.
To activate your absher, you need to validate through online banking or go to your banks ATM and do it there, this means you need to have a bank account.
Good news is that beginning form 2020 expats with dependent iqama status can also now open their own absher account and apply for the license conversion through it.
STEP TWO- gather documents to apply
Once you’ve created the Absher account, the next step is to go to the Saudi Driving License Portal website
UPDATE APRIL 2019: SDLP site is no longer in use. the procedure to book appointment is now through the Absher account directly.
At Absher go to Electronic services- Click on appointments- click on traffic- click on book appointment.
DOCUMENTS NEEDED FOR ONLINE APPLICATION :
-Scanned copy of Your ID
– Scanned copy of your valid driving license
– Scanned copy of translation of driving license ( both front and back)
-medical report
Once the license copy and translation have been uploaded, you will be able to book an appointment to Moroor traffic office to do your driving test and fingerprints. It’s possible to book the appointment and not have the medical done yet. The appointments at the moment seem to be quite fully booked as it’s Ramadan and Eid vacation for the government employees.
Tip: try to book in all locations of your city , try different times or even in another city! (If you’re really in a hurry ?)
The license payment has to be processed through SADAD before your appointment. The cost is 400 sar for 10 years license and 5 years license is 200 sar.
HOW TO GET MEDICAL REPORT FOR SAUDI DRIVING LICENSE:
Medical report can be done at most medical clinics.
What happens at the medical clinic? Have your documents ready, ask for driving license medical testing and pay the fee ( I paid about 20 sar with insurance, without it’s 105 sar). Tip: if you hate blood tests then have with you a certificate which states your blood group and type. Otherwise they’ll draw blood to test for them.
At the clinic you’ll wait to see the female nurse who will perform simple eyesight checks (wear glasses for it if you normally do during driving). After receiving approval of medical checkup you’ll have to wait for the person in the office to enter the medicals into the system. Make sure not to leave before you’re certain they entered it and you’ve got the confirmation of the same on your mobile as SMS. They will also give you a stamped medical certificate.
HOW TO GET LICENSE TRANSLATED Search for certified translating service in your city.
There are plenty of official translators around Olaya street.
STEP THREE- go to Moroor to get your driving license converted to Saudi driving license
Once you’ve done all these steps you’re good to go for the appointment at Moroor. I went to the one at Rimal area in Riyadh. It’s very far so make sure you have plenty of time to search for location ahead of your appointment. You will receive a SMS from MOROOR about your driving license appointment, time and the map.
.jpg)
MOROOR Rimal Location google maps:
24.83525,46.827444
Bring with you:
-original license
-Iqama/ ID
-copies of all documents
-Glasses if you need for driving
(we brought passport pics just in case but they were not needed, they use the same iqama pic they have on the system)
Entrance to the Traffic Office< strong>
At the office:
sign in by giving your id number (iqama or National ID) at the registration desk. They will look up your appointment and give you a number.
– When your number is called, you will approach the desk and present your original id and original driver’s license. (Note: they do not accept photo copies, you must have the original documents. Also note: they do not keep your original license, as some have speculated. You will take it home with you.) They will verify all of the documents you have uploaded in the system. So do also have your translation with you in case they ask for it. Your thumbprint is taken.
– You then go to the practical driving exam waiting area. Here, they will explain the course to you and you will wait for your turn.
– Once you successfully pass the exam, you return to registration and are again given a number. Once called to the desk, you will give your thumbprint again and provide basic information such as your hair color, eye color, and home address (at minimum provide the name of the neighborhood/area you live in).
Note that these are the full requirements for exchanging your license at Muroor. It is possible that you will be allowed to skip some of these steps in the future if you hold a driver’s license from certain countries. However, at our testing center, no one was exempted from any part of this process.
They’ll start with fingerprinting and entering your license details into system. After this you will go to have your driving test.
STEP FOUR- Pass your driving exam
Driving test. Please note this advice is specifically for the Riyadh Rimal branch. I’ve heard that women who did the conversion in other cities did not have to take a driving exam, so it will depend on the location it seems.
Tip: Don’t be like me and lose your night’s sleep over it. The test is very simple and all the staff was very supportive and helpful.
During the driving test, you will follow the course which includes performing 2 skills: the three point turn and parallel parking. You have to get 75% to pass. The car is with automatic gear.
They will show you the map of what you need to drive and perform on the test track. A circle 8, 3 point turns and then in the end a parallel park (everyone’s favorite). The driving instructor does not enter the car with you, he will follow next to the car to evaluate the test and the one we had was very helpful and kept explaining what to do next.
All of the officers were in good spirits, smiling and the one who did our test had a good sense of humor too, he first joked that only one of us had passed the test! Thankfully we both passed and then proceeded back to the main office.
Step five- congratulations on your Saudi driving license
The last step is printing out the actual license. So you will get your brand new license in your hand when you’re done! This did not take more than 5 minutes. It’s the best feeling to have this document in your hand, I still kind of can’t believe it’s real!
I must say we were really impressed at how well organized the whole setup was. All the staff knew exactly what they were doing and followed clear process. Almost everyone spoke English, they were helpful and friendly throughout the process. Surprisingly not many women were there but it will surely pickup once people understand how the application process works.
I hope this guide helped you in applying for Saudi driving license. If so, please share it with your friends by linking to this post, or by clicking the share buttons instead of copy pasting my text or taking screenshots! This is not fair to the originals writers who spend many hours and days preparing them.
Important Note:
This article is written based on a friend and myself experience from the first day they began issuing licenses in June 21st 2018. We worked very hard for to get appointments on the very first day, they actually canceled the appointments several times and there was a lot of confusion because everything was new and being set up from scratch.
We went through the entire process by ourselves, without any help from government officials or support of government employer, at a time no information was available ( especially in english) and to think there were not even medical centers who knew how to issue women’s driving test reports!
Thanks to our perseverance and Finnish “sisu”, we managed to get the licenses that early. Once we were handed out new licenses the officer mentioned I was the first European in the system that day- this was totally unexpected but such a great reward for all that effort.
Since we had a hard time figuring out how to navigate this process, I wrote this guide to help other women get their licenses converted and get on the roads with that amazing feeling of freedom of movement which women in KSA have been waiting for long time to enjoy.
You may read about the experience in the following articles:
The National: Friends to hit the road together as first western women to get their Saudi driving licences
Finnish News reported on YLE here: Suomalaisnainen sai tiettävästi toisena länsimaisena naisena ajokortin Saudi-Arabiassa – bloggari Ylelle: Ajolupa alkaa juhannusviikonloppuna
Euronews: Finnish citizen ‘first European woman to get driving license’ in Saudi Arabia
Helsingin Sanomat: Suomalainen Laura Alho sai ajokortin Saudi-Arabiassa ensimmäisten naisten joukossa – aikoo hypätä auton rattiin heti, kun ajokielto kumotaan
Gulf News: First European woman receives Saudi license
AlArabiyah English: Finnish Travel Writer and Founder of Blue Abaya Laura Alho has become the first European woman to receive the Saudi Driving license
Happy & safe driving everyone!
Unfortunately the image they use for your driving license is the same one you have already on your file (iqama/ID) I say unfortunately because most people usually hate their iqama pics :)
Got your Saudi driving license and ready for some adventures? Where to head for your first Saudi road trip? Some ideas here: Explore Arabia
Follow me on instagram for more Saudi travel road trip tips: Viking in Arabia
Post updated 08/ 2021
Sign up for email updates!
Join over 6000 Subscribers and get our latest content and updates from Saudi Arabia directly to your inbox.
.jpg)
Hello there! I’m Laura, the founder of Blue Abaya- the first travel blog in Saudi Arabia, established in 2010. Travel has always been my passion- so far I’ve visited 75 countries and I’m always on the lookout for new adventures inside and outside of Saudi Arabia! Follow my adventures in Saudi and beyond on instagram: instagram.com/blueabaya
.png){kind=small}
.png){kind=small}
.png){kind=small}
.png){kind=small}
.png){kind=small}
.jpg)
.jpg)
.png)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
Thanks for this!
Welcome :)
Thank you so much for the detailed, useful information.
Thanks a lot :)
Can expat Women Without holding any driving licence (from their country) apply for driving licence here in Saudi?
if they are confident and have all the required driving skills acquired secretly? ;-)
I think it should be possible, do you have any info.?
Thank you Laura so much for the post. Really valuable information ??
I have one more question, I’ve went through most of the steps you explained but my appointment was canceled and as it appears in the original sms you got, youre appointment was on the 21st of May, did you need to cancel that one and schedule a new one on Wednesday? Or did Moroor reschedule your original appointment on their own?
Thank you so much!
They sent me a new appointment confirmation by SMS the day before the new appointment 5th June.
Thank you so much for all of the information!
Awesome. Well done on getting your licenses and on writing the process up. I won’t be in Saudi on June 24th but will be there in spirit with razzle dazzle Pom Poms for all driving ladies. Looking forward to getting my license when I return in August. By then hopefully they’ll have sorted the issue with women sponsored by husbands. I tried to apply before leaving for my holiday but the system wouldn’t let me because of that. It doesn’t matter though…what matters is the 24th is sooo close now. So exciting for everybody.
Thank you so much Laura! & congratulations on getting your license.
I cannot wait until they open it up for women who are under non-saudi sponsorship. I have been counting days every since they announced it.
yes lets hope by then it’s all sorted out and everyone gets to enjoy driving :)
Thanks so much Laura! This is so comprehensive! You are a star:-)
thank you :)
What if a person already has an international driving permit and a valid driver’s license from abroad? Can they simply start driving?
Thank you so much for the shared information!
Nura Al-Shammari
Just leaving olaya international clinic now. They said they still have not been approved to do the medical test for ladies. I asked several people at this clinic to make sure. Will have to try somewhere else. Thank you for the rest of the information. Going to finish uploading everything else now and get appointment.
Thank you Laura. ?
Update. Came to the Al-daraya clinic which you recommended. They are open in the mornings at 10am and doing the medical test for ladies driving license. Had a very nice Saudi lady (Rihab) do my blood test and eye exam and she was very gentle, professional and spoke excellent English. Cost was 105 riyals with no insurance. Thank you again for your post. I managed to get through the Arabic form online with a little help from Google translate and have my appointment July 17 when I return from the States. Super excited!!
Thank you very much for this information I have updated the post accordingly! Sorry for the extra trouble for you, they told on phone during Ramadan that they do them and they are on the list from SDLP.
Do you know until when they are open?
Congrats for this achievement and Thanks for the valuable Blog.
As you mentioned in your blog above that some expat ladies have not been able to create an absher because they are listed as “dependents”. I’m experiencing the same problem.
Can you please guide us whom should we take-up this issue or is there any forum or channel we should contact for the solution?
Dear blue Abaya
Your detail information is very helpful
thank you so very much
Ayesha
Hey!
I had an appointment on 31st of May but they cancelled. They are still working all this week. How soon after your appointment cancellation did they set a new one?
Also is the parallel parking reversed or do you have to do it driving forward? Or they don’t care? Lol.
My original was on the initial first day they planned to open the conversions, 21 st May. Then they cancelled and I did not hear anyhting form them until 5th June when they rescheduled it for the new first day, 6th June. So they’re doing it according to the order that women have signed up.
Really helpful information! I’ll be there on the 30th of June to get this done!!! Thank you so much for the post!
I created my abshar account, went to sdlp website to create new account, but it directed me to abshar website (for new registration),how can I proceed?
Thanks Laura for the post
I have a problem on step 1, when I tried to create an absher acount, I got this message ” The current ID does not have an independent ID”
I am a dependant on my husband iqamah,
Is there a solution for me? Please let me know
i have the same issue… please let me know if u get any solution for it…
Lola – You should be able to do this now. The system did not allow the “spouse dependents” to do the DLIC process. Try again!
Hi, I am facing the same problem, can you please help me to fix it? How did you register on Absher as dependent on husband’s visa?
Where can i find the pdf file with medical centres?
Inside the SDLP when you’ve logged in and filled out the application it gives you the link to the file.
Replying to Stacey—-> Saudi Arabia doesn’t recognize international driver licenses especially not for women. I believe Laura mentioned it also…
this is what the officers at the moroor told us on the day when we asked about it. I have not heard or seen any official statements about it.
Dear Laura Should one take their National licence for converstion or we need to have and internationa l licence only to apply for saudi licence
After taking appointment through SDLP, do we still have to visit Maroor office to get an appointment again? This part is confusing for me.
Hello there! Me and my mother are planning to get our driving license soon inshallah after the month of Ramadan, but it’s very sad now that I’ve realized unemlployed international women can’t get them :( can you please update me on the status of the situation, and when will this be fixed?
Thank you for Blue Abaya for the useful information. A note and question about the SDLP portal. If opened in Chrome, it is possible to have a translated version of a website; however, I have found that sdlp.sa only offers an option to log in, at the moment anyway. I was wondering if those of you who have been successful registering did so by clicking on the “log in” button or if you actually found a “register” button. If so, could you please leave a note to help locate it. Thanks.
Clear and organized article. Thank you
Thanks :)
Any news on whether dependants can create an Absher account? I failed at the first hurdle as my ID is a dependant ID as my husband is an expat.
When I hear something about it ill update the post!
Any update on whether dependents can create an Absher account to get a driving license ???
No updates yet, really hope they’d give some info on this soon.
Hi Laura,
The blog about driving license application is very much informative.
You mentioned that basic information were asked. so I wanna know if they asked for your height (or was it a requirement?)
I wanna know coz’ I’m a short girl and i hope it won’t be a hindrance at all for me to apply one.
Thanks
RL
Hi there, no they don’t ask for these infos. Good luck :)
Hi I am a little confused why the process / regulations are different for men. I have an UK ?? and International License, men with UK and International licences can drive for 3 months on these documents, why different for women?! I’ve been driving 23 years and itching to get on the road in Saudi and sing ? my head off to some tunes! ? Even my western Compound seem to be stuck in the dark ages!
hello
may i ask what if there is no driving license yet and it will be the first time to ever drive will that be valid and accepted? an expat woman with existing driving license can it apply for those women too?
Hi there..are there any fees to pay aside from the medical and the license fee? Is there any fee for the driving exam?
Dear Laura,
So kind of you to have posted these step by step instructions on how to go about getting the Saudi Driving licence. Very helpful and I very much appreciate the minute details and your thoughtfulness!
A Big Thank You :)
Hi Laura,,
Congrats on your Saudi driver’s license.
Thank you for posting this guide, its very helpful. I was glad to find my waya through your post. It certainly helepd me and my friends as well.
I’m in process of applying myself but I was wondering if you happen to know if the process differ if my international drivers license is expired?
Again thank you very much for taking the time to write this helpful post.
Best regards
Najla
Hey thank you so much for the information! I just wanted to know what is the minimum age limit ..I’ve heard it’s 30..is it true?
18
Please let us know when dependents of expat husbands can drive! It’s so hard to find information out there! Thanks Laura.
Driving licence validity is linked to residency. So for example, if you are British, but not normally resident in the UK because you are living/ working in KSA, you can only use an international driving licence when visiting the UK as the insurance there would not cover you if you drove on your UK licence. So unless you are a recent arrival in KSA, chances are your UK licence would be invalid and possibly expired. Legally you can’t renew it in the UK if not normally resident there. So on what basis would the Saudi traffic department accept your foreign licence as valid since your licence lost its validity when you moved to KSA?
I have a UAE driving license that is still valid until 2021. I am currently dependent on my husband. Can my license be exchanged for a Saudi driving license or do I still need to create an Absher account when it works? I am planning to ask at Muroor since Men are allowed to do so. My husband only exchanged his when he came here so I am hoping it’s the same for women :)
Hi,
My wife has same scenario, can you please help if you got your UAE driving license replaced with KSA driving license while you are dependent on your husband’s iqama?
Thanks in advance
[…] Sve detalje možete pročitati na ovom blogu: https://www.blueabaya.com/2018/06/how-expats-apply-saudi-driving-license.html […]
Dear Laura,
My sponsor is my husband… Do You know the procedure to access the license?. At the moment I can not access anyplace. Because if I don’t have access to Ministry of Interior, I can not create the account on Saudi Driving License Portal….
Help me Please…. :-)
hi LAURA. actually I was stuck in step2 coz I hve asked a few friends and we can’t seem to figure out how to create and account in sdlp site or to log in even So that I can proceed to get the appointment. Help me please. i have all the requirements but can’t seem to move on with the arabic website. Appreciate if u can further clarify.
Big THANKS Laura?…I just got mine today noontime.
Yallah lets drive??
Hi Laura. Thank you so much for such detailed information. You are the only one who has acknowledged the difficulty that expat women on dependent iqama are facing. I have a US lisence and cant wait to get back on road. Wondering if you have any update regarding the progress made by absher team? Any idea when it will be fixed?
Thanks.
Thanks for a marvelous posting! I really enjoyed reading it, you’re a great author.
I will ensure that I bookmark your blog and will eventually come back
from now on. I want to encourage yourself to continue your great job,
have a nice evening!
Thank you for this thorough and informative post. It’s really appreciated! You very much deserve a basket of strawberries but, alas, I don’t have any.
hello
thanks for your detailed article , i checked my iqama , and i find it still valid , thanks again for your help
Thank you for the great information!
Dear Laura thanks alot for Such great information. I applied today for my license and got appointment. I didn’t pay fee yet and online application status is “ waiting for documents verification “
Is it ok ? Will they verify my documents first then confirm anything or i can simply proceed my fee? I applied from my husband s account.
Hi Laura,
Where did you get the car insurance from? Can you share some information about that as well?
Thanks,
mKc
when you purchase a car from the car shops they hep you with this, also close to the car souk in Riyadh there are many car insurance offices where you must first get the insurance entered into the systems and then you can purchase the car.
Hi, I just arranged an appointment for my wife after registering her through my absher.
Does anyone know if I can pay the fee for her through sadad, as my wife doesn’t have a bank account here?
you can pay the money through any others account.
Hi Robert
R u applying for the first time license or your wife has licence before ?
Sir what is the status of your request?
Is it same like mine ?
“ waiting for document validator “
I also applied through my husband s absher account.
Sir Robert
Can you tell me what is the status of your wife’s request online
Is it “ pending with document validator”
I also applied through my husband s account
Thank you SO MUCH! You are very very helpful!
Thank you for the comment :) I’m really glad to see what a great positive impact this post has had on women getting their driving licenses!
Dear Laura can you please explain me my request status “ pending with document validator “
It has been more than 10 days since I got appointment for test but status is still same
Just been refused my Saudi license at my appointment in Dammam today.
Captain said new directive from ministry as of yesterday NO Licenses for non working dependents!!
Hi all,
It would appear there are two locations in Riyadh to hand over originals and get ones license. Any ideas where in King Khalid International Airport one must go to hand over original documents?
To whom it may concern,
On the 9th of August we had just driven to the test station one and a half hours away and my wife was told that her driving test had been cancelled due to the overwhelming number of dependent wives wanting to test drive, and that all tests had been cancelled by the General in Riyadh, she was to try again after 5 days or so.
We had not been given any notice that it had been cancelled before we drove all that way!
I suggest you check before you go.
thank you for your information,
i tried for getting driving license for my wife. unfortunately she failed the test.
according to my point of view, the test is not so simple.
the dividers are very small. cannot able to see from inside the car. and driving track given is too small also.
even the Morror people is not cooperative. they are treating like we done some mistake before.
also the exchange driving license having only one chance. once we failed; they said there is next chance after ‘dellah’ felicities over here. it will take at least 2 years according to them.
i am speaking about Gizan Region.
I am house wife and i am dependent on my husband’s iqama. I went today for my driver license appointment and they told me that there is a new order from Riyadh head office that “any non saudi woman who is dependent” CAN NOT apply for driver’s license. I was shocked and disappointed.
I said i know you have issued DL to many women like me before? He said yes we have done it but now we have order from Riyadh like a week ago.
Anyone experience something like this?
Jeddah Office
Yes in Al Hasa they did not accept my file saying same reason.
But they issued some other nationalities with same similar (dependent) iqama status in front of me. Very unfortunate
That is very unfortunate. What nationalities did you see getting issued the licenses?
Hi,
I have already taken appointment, but my USA License is expired. Will it be OK? Or otherwise what is the procedure for having Saudi driving license with expired USA license. Thanks.
Maryam
No you can’t get a license if its expired you need to renew it from home.
Hi,
Do you have any idea of the cost of getting a completely new license for a woman? Not converting an existing license.
As from PNU driving school. I think its close to 3000 sar.
You post was very helpful!
Can I drive my husband car or I need authorization from traffic department. And what is the process for that.
you can be added as the driver of the car , make sure your insurance covers both of you s drivers.
[…] Check this post out for more details: https://www.blueabaya.com/2018/06/how-expats-apply-saudi-driving-license.html […]
Dear Laura, how can I thank you for your detailed and helpful article, ur explanation about what u had experienced burned my desire up to go and give it a try, many thanks, may u be praised. I guess there wasn’t any computer test or oral questions ” i mean about signs..” since u didn’t mention, isn’t it?
Did anybody approached or had been through the Jubail License office?
Just came back from the Rimal Moroor office in Riyadh. They’re still turning dependents away if their iqaamah says not allowed to work. The said I will be automatically sent another appointment in about a week, 2 weeks maximum. But if I don’t then to call this number that they gave my husband.
It is not yet working, they said the same. Two or three weeks.
In Al Hassa where ladies driving license issued?
Hello
My daughter is under my sponsership.She does not have separate MOI account. Should she regsiter separately?
Today 15/09/2018
we officially receive this message from the traffic department.
That the General Directorate of the Traffic apologizes for postponing your predetermined date for the replacement of the foreign license. we will contact you soon to set a new date for your service.
Hey Laura
Thank you for the valuable information. could you please inform me regarding the fee used for conversion.
Thanks in advance
Hey Laura
Thank you for the information. Culd you please inform me regarding the total fee that would be required ?
Thanks in advance.
I registered in IAm.GOV>SA and git an appointment in AL HASA. Later tis was cancelled. I still visited they and was infored that the government has stopped issuing license to Expat women with dependent iqama. Ans told to wait for the new rule. Totally dissppoined
How can we know when this will open for dependant women under husband sponsership for license?
Hi,
Many thanks for the detailed procedure that you have described above. I arrived in kingdom around 3 weeks ago and finally have my iqama. I wanted to for appointment with sdlp.sa however, once i login to this site by entering my absher details it opens up a new page https://www.iam.gov.sa/idpinit/splist.jsp. Now i am really confused what to do next since it doesn’t show any option to upload my documents for the appointment.
Please help me out.
Thanks!
I can’t find the list of approved clinics for the medical report. I understood from you it’s on SDLP website ? We live in Jeddah.
Otherwise thanks for the detailed description !
yes it should come up as a pdf file u can download when you’re doing the application.
Hi just want to ask for help im dependent would like to convert my license here in riyadh but until now after following the steps in sdlp and opening the absher of my husband still i cannot create my own account always saying the current id is not applicable for independent id. Can i just go directly to moroor and give my papers and get an appointment?
Yes currently they have temporarily suspended the issuing of licenses to women under husband sponsor aka “dependent women”.
Hi Ms. LAURA
Thank you for all the information written here. As i ‘m reading all the comment and reply i have the same problem, im under my husband sponsorship and before my appoinment i recived msg from moroor that my appointment postponed and they will call for another appointment. Should it be resume? Should i wait for their call or can i make absher? . Thnk you and waiting for your kind response .
Hi Laura!
Would you mind sharing the total cost for applying for a saudi driving license? I dont have a driving license from my home country… thanks… :-)
I have my documents readt but i can’t find where to upload it?? Please help me. Thank u
ADVICE= Bring a translator, they don’t know English or partially.
But they are funny and nice!
9/18
Hi Laura,
Firstly thanks a lot for all the effort I really appreciate it, you are doing a wonderful job <3. Well, I have a request, if you can inform me about the women who want to start from scratch to apply for license as I don't know how to drive yet and don't have a foreign license, I read that you've written that one has to enroll in driving schools but I want to know the whole process and also if you can advise me any driving schools in Jeddah.
Thanks in advance
hi, sorry I don’t have time to write a post like that would take days of investigation, writing and compiling the info for this post took took me weeks. If anyone else wants to take up the task then Im open to posting it.
Hi Laura,
Thanks for the detailed post.
If im not wrong, the dependent wives who already have license in their home country are not getting license at the moment.
So is it still possible that they can enroll in the driving course at pnu and get it the other way? or are they not allowing both??
Any leads would be helpful
Thanks
yes some women have been successful in doing it through driving school.
We tried to access the website on the weekend to upload the documentation needed so that it would all be in order for if and when I could convert my license. However, the website is not even accessible. The message state it is a women only website, which indicates that my husband’s Absher account is not usable.
I don’t have my home country driving license.
Can i still apply and get license here or not?
Regards,
Ladies…i am sharing my experience of getting the DL. I have an existing valid DL from overseas and am on dependant visa here…and took the driving test today and have received the license.
The process as it stands today is that:
1) register for 6 hrs (3 lessons of upto 2 hrs each) at the SDS head office (appears as Saudi Driving School on google) in PNU (they are open thru the day), carry your valid overseas DL & Iqama)…this will be Sar 525.
2) within a couple of weeks you shud receive a call from your designated instructor to start classes. Since i didnt receive the call I had gone to the training centre (within PNu but a different location than SDS) after 2 weeks and booked my classes (no payment reqd now).
In many cases the assigned instructor isnt available so you will be assigned to an alternate. It is upto you to make the most of the lessons as the instructors do tend to be casual (as they assume you already know driving);
3) after the last class book your test (no payment at this time either);
4) have your medical test done at the regd medical centres, eye test &blood group (it will be automatically updated into your records);
5) pay for the DL fees online thru Sadad (your sponsor should be able to do this) & keep a printout of receipt;
6) arrive early for the test (at the SDS head office), relax and enjoy the ride. Focus on roundabout rules, traffic signals, lane changing and parking within lines.
I could manage this withthe help of Blue Abaya and a few friends who guided me through the process.
Hope this helps!!
Niyeti
I tried to ask here in king Abdulaziz Jeddah but they said they still don’t have in their system that allowing the dependent women with foreigner license to take 6 hours driving lessons.
Thank you so much for all of the information!
Hi Ms. Laura. Thank you for this very helpful post. However, I do not have existing driving license so I must enroll to driving school first. By any chance, can you please share at least the estimated costs for newbie expat drivers? Looking forward to your soonest feedback!
Hi Ms. Laura ,
Thanks for your valuable advice but can you advise more details about the location for the driving lessons
Thanks
Hi there
Are they letting expat working women to still exchange their foreign valid DL or is this also on hold as heard that some people are being turned away despite having booked appointments?
A very helpful and detailed review indeed. Thanks so much. My sister doesn’t have a previous licence….can you please guide
My wife faced this issue about a month or so back. She went on her scheduled appointment date but the officer did not let her take the test saying that conversion of dependent women is “temporarily” stopped. Gave her a number to follow up on – been calling it but no one answers.
If anyone has news on this – will be greatly appreciated.
Assalamoalikum,
I am Pakistani National having dependent Iqama under my husband. I would like to apply for drivers license. I have valid Pakistani drivers license more than 10 years. I am trying to create my account but asked to create account in Absher. Since I am already registered in Absher under my husband, I cannot create my own account.
Please advise how can I get woman drivers license from Dammam Khobar.
Regards
Hi everyone!
I am an expat born and raised in Saudi. I do not have a foreigner driving license. What should I do in such a situation? Can I apply for a Saudi one?
I just heard from Jordanian nurse in our hospital that converting to Saudi Driving License stopped!!
Hello,
How long did it take you from time going for the test till you left the facility ?
Thanks !
Thanks a lot and could you let us know where did you get the training and test?
Hi, this is wonderful thank you.
Is there any particular person/entity that is authorized and should do the translation of the foreign driver license before uploading?
Can you please confirm or not that we can purchase vehicles and own them like Saudi women nationals? I am getting conflicting information that expat women with Saudi Driver’s license cannot purchase and own vehicles. Thanks.
Is there any news or updated news for for expat non working if can drive ? Bec. Until now i dont recieve any msg from morror. Please any update. Thank you
How much does it cost to switch the license once i arrive there? It said online that there are fees but it didn’t actually say the cost. I also never received a medical certification for the exams they just gave me a code.
Any update regarding lifting the ban from issuing license only to working woman
I wonder if the moroor allow American drivers’ license holders to drive in Saudiarabia without a driving test
Please reply
Just got mine yesterday..Thanks blueabaya!.. i just followed every step written here.. it was such a Big help..???
Are you on a dependent iqama or you have your own sponsor?
I thought we cannot get the license if we are on dependent iqama. Please confirm
Please tell me what steps Iam exumpted to have a saudi Driver license if I am having a valid USA issued drivers license
May i ask which foreign country lisence did u have? R u a working woman?
The detaied information and a clear cut idea of the driving procedure is of real help to all the new drivers accquiring licence. Its amazing and great the way you have put all the steps so simplified and easily understandable.Thanks zblot for all the support and guidance.
I was among the first woman to get a drivers license, and soon after I went to the traffic police to get the written authorization to drive my husband’s vehicle across to `bahrain. The permit lasts 6 months, so I went to renew it a few weeks ago and unfortunately, the story has now changed. The folks at the police are telling me that because I work *my husband is not my sponsor, I cannot get a permit to drive my husband’s car across to Bahrain. I am being told that rules recently changed, and cannot longer get that authorization unless I am a dependent. Another friend, who is a dependent, goes there to renew the authorization, and is told that cannot get one because she is a dependent. Long story short==> we are not being able to get an authorization permit to drive our husbands vehicle wether we are sponsored by our work or by husbands… I wish the issue is resolved for women expat.
Hii madam
My wife had Indian license,need to transfer
Pls let me know where this existing license will translate
I have a question:
Can my daughter apply for her Saudi Driving Lincense?
My daughter is under my (father’s) sponsorship.
Thanks for your quick guidance.
Mir A. Khan
Jeddah
Hi. Does anybody know when will the dependent women be allowed to go for they license again.
i want to have lern in driving school
can i have an apointment?
Need a driving license
Hi all. Is there any update regarding getting a license issued to a dependent? My husband is Australian and I am Dutch. Have had my Australian licence for 35 years (valid) and my UAE license for 15 years. Thank you.
I have a maid who knows driving. Can she convert her foreign license on her own. Or does she need my me to support her application?
I have valid driving license but in my country its rite hand drive, so is it possible to apply saudi license with My previous license or i have to take learning classes?
Hi Laura!
Thank you very much for the exhaustive information. My sister’s booked in for a driving test appt. what’s the best way to cancel if she can’t make it?
Do we have to actually call and inform and can she just not turn up
Thank you very much!
Hey Laura, thank you so much for writing up this post.
I’ve a few queries, I’m searching for driving schools here in Saudi Arabia (Jeddah or Riyadh), can you recommend any? I’ve only come across Princess Nora University and King Abdulaziz University, tha latter is full till Dec 2020.
I’m a dependent on my dad’s iqama. So will the procedure for obtaining a license be same as the one for a women dependant on her husband?
Lots of love
Sadaf
Do you have overseas license?
There is good news for those ladies who wants to drive. In Eastern province, there is a ladies driving school called Sharq driving school Dammam,(https://goo.gl/maps/J6qcBiUmnDTL4wbr9) where you get your driver’s license. Sharq School is in Imam Abdul Rahman bin Faisal University in the Colleges Complex in Al Rayyan District in Dammam. The official working hours at the school start from 7:30 in the morning until 8:00 in the evening. First you do registration at sharqschool.sa and fill out the requirements (a copy of the ID or residence card and a personal photo) as well as a copy of the driver’s license if you have a driver’s license. After that you will get a SMS from the school then visit Traffic police office (https://goo.gl/maps/9p9QADBhXYpZZRnG9), where you will submit all your documents and Arabic translation of your expired or valid license if you have. After a week or two you will get another SMS to visit driving school in 48 hours to pay the fees accordingly.
I’m a dependent trying to get my license for Saudi how do I do this?
I’m American have a drivers license but dependents can’t have basher account.
Thank you
Salam,
there is a process in place for ladies who do not have their absher account but posses overseas DL. If the admin of the web approves i can share the complete process.
*The procedure to convert Indian driving license to Saudi License for woman*
*Experience as of 24/3/2021*
If you hold an Indian driving license, and want saudi license then follow the steps below:
1. Do medical test for driving test usually costs 115 riyal ( they test for blood group and eyesight)
2. Translate the valid indian driving license with any legal translation center to Arabic – (costs 50 riyal outside takasusi dallah)
3. Take appointment in VFS alhada branch (riyadh) https://visa.vfsglobal.com/sau/en/ind/login for document attestation- they will verify your iqama, indian driving license and attest the Arabic translated documents. Cost 67 riyal. (Done and given in hand at the same time. )
4. Pay in bank for the number of years required for the driving license via government payment.
5. Take appointment for traffic in Absher under the option of conversion of international driving license – woman, it is mostly not available and so we went directly to the King Khalid airport muroor in Riyadh https://goo.gl/maps/fSYK46GvyB4Wbydx8 ( the only authorized center for this process.
6. The manager verified the attested arabic translated Indian Driving document and gave me appointment for the same day, and was asked to undergo a simple test.
7. The test included driving the car by myself with no one inside to supervise, and was assessed by a lady inspector outside, i was asked to follow the track and park the car.
8. Then i was informed that i have passed the test and go to the other office to get my driving license printed.
Hi, I have British driving licence and want to convert it to saudi. I translated my lisence, got medical test and went to mirror office and they are persistent that I should get the translation verified from my embassy while the embassy totally denies of doing it saying there is no such thing they do. Any British here who converted their licence?