Is It Safe to Let Someone Drive Your Car in Dubai? Insurance, Liability, and What to Ask

Handing over the car to another driver seems like a simple solution. In practice, this action affects the responsibility of the owner, the requirements for a driver’s license, insurance conditions, and even criminal law. Agreement between people is not enough. The system is designed in such a way that any deviation from the established rules instantly turns an ordinary trip into a source of serious problems.

The main difficulty lies in the fact that responsibility almost always remains with the owner of the car. Even if a friend, relative, or temporary guest of the country is driving, rather than using a chauffeur service in Dubai where liability is structured differently. That is why the issues of driver authorization, valid license and third-party liability require special attention even before the keys are in the wrong hands.

Driver Authorization And Legal Consequences

The first thing that is checked in any traffic situation is whether driver authorization has been issued. The absence of an official permit automatically makes the driver an unauthorized driver. It doesn’t matter if the owner was nearby or gave verbal consent.

The permit is issued through government electronic services, which specify the validity period from 1 to 30 days. The fee for this procedure is 35 AED. The authorization status can be checked by SMS by sending the “INS” command with the license plate to 1214. These actions take minutes, but they save thousands.

The penalty for transferring a car without authorization for the owner is 1,500 AED. If an accident occurs, vehicle impoundment and difficulties with vehicle registration renewal are possible. In more serious cases, the provisions of article 447 of Decree Law No. 31 of 2021 apply, providing for imprisonment of up to one year and a fine of up to 10,000.

Driver’s License And Insurance Coverage

Having a valid license is the second critical condition. Only local rights are accepted for residents. Tourists and short-term visitors can drive a car if they have an international driving permit or an international driving license, if the country of issue is included in the permitted list.

In the absence of suitable rights, article 51 of Law No. 21 of 1995 applies. It provides for up to three months in prison and a fine of up to 5,000. If a minor is driving, the license plates may be confiscated.

The minimum insurance coverage is third-party liability insurance. It covers damage to a third party, but does not protect the owner’s car. Comprehensive motor insurance extends protection, but contains strict conditions. The driver’s age is less than 25 years or experience of less than one year leads to an additional payment of 10% to the excess amount for an at-fault claim. Each such case is recorded in the claim history and affects the future value of the policy.

Temporary extension of responsibility is possible through temporary third-party liability. It is usually issued at least 24 hours in advance and costs about 45 AED per day.

Road Accidents, Leasing, And Hidden Restrictions

In case of an accident, the allocation of responsibility depends on the cause. Driver error accounts for about 70% of cases. A mechanical malfunction of the car shifts up to 100% of the responsibility to the owner. Defects in the road can lead to a division of responsibility approximately in half.

The incident is reported by calling 901. If the insurance is overdue, the fine reaches 2,000, and the car is delayed. Each violation increases the financial burden and reduces the flexibility to extend the policy.

Leasing cars requires special attention. The lease agreement almost always limits the list of authorized drivers. Violation of the conditions leads to denial of insurance payments and fines upon return of the car. Mileage limits, wear and tear standards, roadside assistance, GPS tracking, and driver whitelist requirements are often applied. Some contracts prohibit night driving, for example, from 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM.

Final Understanding Of The Situation

Handing over a car is not a gesture of trust, but a legally significant action. Without driver authorization, valid license, and correct insurance coverage, the risks increase many times over. In most cases, the consequences fall on the owner, regardless of personal arrangements.