--- title: Converting a Foreign Driving Licence in Qatar country: qatar service: "driving-licence-transfer-exchange-foreigners" category: transportation difficulty: moderate estimated_time: "1 day (direct exchange) to 65-110 days (full driving-school path)" cost_range: "QR 250-4,000" last_verified: 2026-05-25 canonical: https://publicservices.guide/qatar/driving-licence-transfer-exchange-foreigners/ status: current confidence: low tags: - driving - transportation - licence - exchange - moi sources: - https://www.almeezan.qa/LawView.aspx?opt=&LawID=3993&language=en - https://portal.moi.gov.qa/wps/portal/MOIInternet/departmentcommittees/licensingaffairs - https://thepeninsulaqatar.com/article/04/04/2026/moi-outlines-steps-for-obtain-a-driving-license-in-qatar - https://qatareportal.com/en/driving-license-price-list/ - https://www.expatica.com/qa/living/transportation/exchanging-a-foreign-drivers-license-in-qatar-73690/ - https://www.dohaguides.com/how-to-get-qatar-driving-license/ --- # Converting a Foreign Driving Licence in Qatar **Country:** πŸ‡ΆπŸ‡¦ Qatar **Last verified:** 2026-05-25 **Estimated time:** 1 day (direct exchange) to 65-110 days (full driving-school path) **Cost:** QR 250-4,000 ## Required documents - **Qatar ID (QID)** *(QID)* - Required: Original presented; copy retained - Cost: Free (issued separately) - _Note:_ A residence permit still in processing is not sufficient β€” the QID card must be in hand before any exchange step opens. - **Original foreign driving licence** - Required: Original valid (not expired) - Cost: Free - _Note:_ Physical card only. The original is presented at the counter; a copy is retained for the file. - **Certified Arabic translation of the foreign licence** - Where to get: Certified translator in Doha or accredited driving school - Required: Original certified translation - Cost: Operator-set; range varies - _Note:_ Not required where the licence is already in Arabic or English. Preparing the translation in advance avoids being turned back at the counter. - **Passport with residence-permit visa page** - Required: Original plus copies (passport bio page + RP visa page) - Cost: Free - **Passport-size photographs** - Required: Three to four colour photos, recent - Cost: QR 15-30 at a photo studio - _Note:_ Reporting varies between three and four; the safe number is four. - **Eye-test certificate** - Where to get: Approved optician, driving school in Qatar, or a Qatar Visa Centre in your home country - Required: Original certificate - Cost: QR 25-50 - _Note:_ The home-country Qatar Visa Centre option lets arriving workers compress preparation by completing the eye test before arrival. - **No-Objection Certificate (NOC) from sponsor** *(NOC)* - Issued by: Sponsor via the Metrash2 mobile app (Traffic β†’ License Service β†’ License NOC) - Required: Original digital NOC linked to your QID - Cost: Free - _Note:_ The sponsor enters your QID, selects New Issue and the licence category. The Ministry of Interior is migrating to a renamed Metrash application; confirm which app to use at the point of request. Not required for Qatari males; required for Qatari females (issued by a guardian). - **Sponsor commercial registration and identification copies** - Required: Copy of trade licence + copy of sponsor ID - Cost: Free - _Note:_ Provided by the sponsor alongside the NOC. Skip this item if you are a GCC national applying outside Qatari sponsorship. ## Costs - **Private light vehicle β€” issuance / exchange (non-Qatari resident):** 250 QAR β€” Valid for 5 years; same fee applies on renewal and replacement. - **Motorcycle licence β€” issuance (non-Qatari resident):** 150 QAR β€” Valid for 5 years. - **Heavy vehicle / construction / agricultural / industrial β€” issuance (non-Qatari resident):** 300 QAR β€” Valid for 5 years. Minimum age 21 for heavy categories. - **One-time driving test booking (optional):** 50 QAR β€” Per booking; rebooking after a failed signal or parking test costs another QR 50. - **Eye-test certificate (optician or driving school):** 25–50 QAR β€” Provider-set, not on the Ministry of Interior fee schedule. - **Certified Arabic translation of foreign licence (optional):** 0 QAR β€” waived if Foreign licence is already in Arabic or English β€” Operator-set; confirm the price with the translator before instruction. - **Postal delivery of issued card (optional):** 20 QAR β€” Issued card is otherwise collected at the counter. - **Driving-school course β€” full (non-listed-country path) (optional):** 3500–4000 QAR β€” waived if Resident from a country on the Ministry of Interior approved list or a GCC national β€” Commercial school fee, not a Ministry of Interior charge. - **Driving-school course β€” half (non-listed-country path, school-discretion exemption) (optional):** 3000 QAR β€” waived if Resident from a country on the approved list or a GCC national, or the Traffic Department denies the half-course exemption β€” Available where the Traffic Department approves a shorter course for an applicant who already holds a valid foreign licence. ## Steps ### 1. Confirm Your Qatar ID Is in Hand *(QID)* - The exchange route opens only after the QID card has been collected - A residence permit still being processed will not be accepted at the counter - If your QID is still pending, complete that process first before any step below > **If this fails:** Showing up at the Madinat Khalifa Traffic Department with a pending residence permit means the file is turned back. The counter does not start the exchange procedure on a promise of an upcoming QID. ### 2. Request the No-Objection Certificate from Your Sponsor *(NOC)* - Ask your sponsor to open the Metrash2 app (or the renamed Metrash application, if the Ministry of Interior migration has gone live) - The sponsor navigates Traffic β†’ License Service β†’ License NOC and enters your QID - The sponsor selects New Issue, picks the licence category (light vehicle, motorcycle or heavy as applicable) and enters your email - The NOC verifies online within roughly 3 to 7 working days > **Tip:** Request the NOC first in your sequence β€” not last. It is the only step you cannot complete yourself, and a missing NOC at the counter sends you home. ### 3. Obtain the Eye-Test Certificate - Attend an approved optician, an accredited driving school in Qatar, or β€” under the recent home-country option β€” a Qatar Visa Centre before arrival - The fee runs QR 25 to QR 50 depending on the provider - Keep the original certificate for the file you will present at the counter ### 4. Have the Foreign Licence Translated into Arabic (if needed) _Applies when: Foreign licence is not already in Arabic or English_ - Use a certified Arabic translator in Doha or one of the accredited driving schools - Bring the certified translation original to the counter alongside the foreign licence > **If this fails:** An untranslated non-Arabic, non-English licence will be turned back at the counter. The translation removes any ambiguity and is the safe default even where the licence has some English fields. ### 5. Assemble the Complete File - Original QID and copy - Original foreign driving licence (and certified Arabic translation if applicable) - Passport plus copies of the bio page and residence-permit visa page - Three to four passport-size colour photographs - Eye-test certificate - NOC from the sponsor - Copies of the sponsor's trade licence and ID - Completed application form (Arabic) β€” collect at the counter or at your driving school ### 6. Attend the Madinat Khalifa Traffic Department in Person *(Madinat Khalifa Traffic Department)* - Address: Doha, Zone 34, Madinat Khalifa South, Block 51, Khalifa Street - Counter hours: Sunday to Thursday, morning window β€” confirm the exact opening time with the General Directorate of Traffic before travelling - The clerk reviews the file, verifies the NOC online and confirms the fee > **Tip:** Decree-Law No. 19 of 2007, Article 28 reads: "No motor vehicle shall be driven on the road unless the driver has obtained a driving license from the Licensing Authority entitling the holder to drive such a vehicle." The statutory anchor for the whole procedure sits in this article and the GCC-reciprocity sub-clause beneath it β€” the counter staff work from the same text. Source: Al Meezan Qatary Legal Portal, almeezan.qa. ### 7. Pay the Fee and Collect Your Licence - Pay QR 250 for a private light vehicle (non-Qatari resident, 5-year validity) - Add the optional QR 20 postal-delivery fee if you prefer the card sent by post - For a clean file under a direct-exchange route, the card is often issued the same day - Confirm the printed expiry date matches the 5-year validity before leaving the counter > **If this fails:** If your nationality has been removed from the approved-country list since you last checked, the counter routes you to the full driving-school path on the spot. Confirm the current list with the Traffic Department before booking, not after arriving. ### 8. Diary the Renewal Date - The licence can be renewed up to 6 months before expiry - A 30-day grace period applies after expiry β€” for renewal processing only, not for continued driving - Driving on the expired card during or after grace exposes you to a fine reported at approximately QR 1,500 plus a daily late-renewal charge reported at QR 10 per day > **Tip:** Calendar the renewal at the 4.5-year mark β€” six months before expiry. Renewal is the same QR 250 fee and the same 5-year validity. ## FAQ ### Can I exchange my foreign driving licence before my QID is issued? No. The exchange route opens only after the Qatar ID has been issued and the card is in hand. A residence permit still in processing is not sufficient β€” the file is turned back at the counter. ### Which countries are on the approved-country list? The list compiled across reporting in late 2025 and early 2026 includes Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States and Vatican City β€” roughly 33 country names, with the five GCC states (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, UAE) covered separately under Article 28 of the Traffic Law. The list is the Ministry of Interior's to change; confirm the current position with the Madinat Khalifa Traffic Department before assuming a direct-exchange route is available. ### How long is the Qatari driving licence valid for a non-Qatari resident? Five years for a private light vehicle, motorcycle, heavy vehicle or construction-vehicle licence. Qatari-national private-light-vehicle licences run for ten years β€” the different validity period is one of several non-Qatari versus Qatari distinctions in the Licensing Affairs Department fee schedule. ### Do GCC nationals need to take a driving test? No. Article 28 of Decree-Law No. 19 of 2007 (the Traffic Law) provides that GCC citizens holding valid driving licences issued by the competent authorities of their respective States are to be replaced on expiry with Qatari driving licences. The exchange is processed at the Madinat Khalifa Traffic Department on presentation of the GCC licence, QID, passport, photographs and (where applicable) an NOC from the Qatari sponsor. ### Is an International Driving Permit a substitute for a Qatari licence? No. The IDP is a visitor instrument that supplements a home-country licence for a tourist or short-stay driver. Qatar acceded to the 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic on 6 March 2013, and the IDP is recognised for the three years the IDP itself remains valid. Once you take up residence in Qatar and are issued a QID you must follow the resident exchange route or the full driving-school path β€” driving on an IDP as a resident is not lawful. ### What happens if my country is not on the approved list? You take the full driving-school path: NOC via Metrash2, eye-test certificate, enrolment at an accredited driving school in Qatar, theory test (40 questions; 37 correct answers to pass), signal test, parking test and road test. The Traffic Department may, at its discretion, approve a half-course exemption where you already hold a valid foreign licence with sufficient driving history. Total reported elapsed time is 65-90 days for the half-course and 90-110 days for the full course. ### What if my licence expires? A 30-day grace period after expiry applies under Decree-Law No. 19 of 2007. The grace period is a window to process renewal, not a permission to drive β€” driving on the expired card during or after the grace period exposes you to a fine reported at approximately QR 1,500 plus a daily late-renewal charge reported at QR 10 per day beyond grace. The fine and daily-charge figures are reported in secondary sources only; confirm current amounts at the General Directorate of Traffic before relying on them. ### Where do I apply in person? The Madinat Khalifa Traffic Department in Doha β€” Zone 34, Madinat Khalifa South, Block 51, Khalifa Street. Counter hours run Sunday to Thursday in the morning; the exact window varies across reporting, so check with the General Directorate of Traffic before travelling. ## Local tips - If the Metrash2 app prompts you to migrate to the renamed Metrash application during early 2026, confirm with your sponsor that the NOC channel has moved before requesting β€” both apps run on the same authentication channel but the NOC entry point sits in the active app at the point of request. - Counter hours at Madinat Khalifa Traffic Department are reported as Sunday to Thursday mornings; the exact opening window shifts. A morning visit early in the week (Sunday or Monday) avoids the mid-week queue and the Thursday end-of-week rush. - If you are arriving on a sponsored job and your home country has a Qatar Visa Centre, complete the eye test there before flying β€” one fewer in-country step once your QID issues. ## Sources - [Al Meezan Qatary Legal Portal β€” Decree-Law No. 19 of 2007 (Traffic Law)](https://www.almeezan.qa/LawView.aspx?opt=&LawID=3993&language=en) β€” accessed 2026-05-25 β€” _T1_ β€” Article 28 establishes the driving-licence requirement (No motor vehicle shall be driven on the road unless the driver has obtained a driving license from the Licensing Authority) and the GCC-reciprocity sub-clause (Citizens of the Gulf Cooperation Community states holding valid driving licenses issued by the competent authorities of their respective States are to be replaced on expiry with Qatari driving licenses). The same article carries the visitor 15-day undertaking provision. - [Ministry of Interior β€” Licensing Affairs Department (Qatar)](https://portal.moi.gov.qa/wps/portal/MOIInternet/departmentcommittees/licensingaffairs) β€” accessed 2026-05-25 β€” _T1_ β€” Canonical service-listing page for licensing affairs sits under the Ministry of Interior portal; the Licensing Affairs Department sits within the General Directorate of Traffic and is the owning authority for driving-licence issuance, exchange, renewal and replacement. The portal returns an access-rejected response to general web requests; the substantive procedural facts and fee schedule must be reconciled at the Madinat Khalifa Traffic Department in person. - [The Peninsula Qatar](https://thepeninsulaqatar.com/article/04/04/2026/moi-outlines-steps-for-obtain-a-driving-license-in-qatar) β€” accessed 2026-05-25 β€” _T3_ β€” Ministry of Interior guidance reported in April 2026 sets out four core documents at the file-preparation step β€” valid identity proof, personal photograph, medical examination for vision and overall health, and a valid residence permit β€” and the theory-plus-practical test sequence for residents from non-listed countries. - [Qatar e-Portal β€” republishing the Licensing Affairs Department fee schedule](https://qatareportal.com/en/driving-license-price-list/) β€” accessed 2026-05-25 β€” _T2_ β€” Licensing Affairs Department fee schedule attributed to the Qatari Ministry of Interior: private light vehicle for a non-Qatari resident QR 250 with 5-year validity; motorcycle QR 150 (5 years); heavy vehicle QR 300 (5 years); temporary tourist/visitor licence QR 150 for 3 months; one-time driving test booking QR 50; driver inspection committees QR 200. Qatari-national private-light-vehicle licence QR 500 with 10-year validity. - [Expatica Qatar](https://www.expatica.com/qa/living/transportation/exchanging-a-foreign-drivers-license-in-qatar-73690/) β€” accessed 2026-05-25 β€” _T3_ β€” The option to exchange a licence is only available to expats with residence permits β€” a Qatar ID still in processing requires the applicant to wait until it is complete. Madinat Khalifa Traffic Department is the in-person service centre. NOC issuance via Metrash2 with the sponsor flow (Traffic β†’ License Service β†’ License NOC) and the QR 250 fee plus optional QR 20 postal delivery are reported across the article. - [Doha Guides](https://www.dohaguides.com/how-to-get-qatar-driving-license/) β€” accessed 2026-05-25 β€” _T3_ β€” From 2025 the eye-test certificate may be issued at Qatar Visa Centres in the applicant's home country before arrival. Theory-test paper has 40 questions with a 37-correct-answer pass mark. Half-course processing 65-90 days; full-course processing 90-110 days. Operator-set ranges: eye-test QR 25-50; full driving-school course QR 3,500-4,000; half-course QR 3,000. --- Verification pending β€” see the canonical page for the latest trust state. Canonical: https://publicservices.guide/qatar/driving-licence-transfer-exchange-foreigners/