Chapter 10 of 11 · sources checked 16 October 2026

Driving, schools and daily life

Driving with an Indian licence, the school regulator, emergency numbers and the working week.

999

Emergency numbers in the UAE: 999 police, 998 ambulance, 997 fire (Civil Defence).

2 sourcesS154 u.aeS155 dubai.ae

KHDA

KHDA (Knowledge and Human Development Authority) is the Dubai body responsible for the growth and quality of private education, including school inspection.

2 sourcesS148 u.aeS149 KHDA

2 years

A new UAE driving licence is valid for 1 year if under 21 and 2 years if 21 or older; minimum age is 18 for light vehicles and 17 for motorcycles.

2 sourcesS143 u.aeS144 dubai.ae

Driving

  1. India does not appear in RTA's lists of countries whose driving licences are eligible for exchange in Dubai (neither the longer eligibility list nor the list of 20 exception countries).

    1 source onlyS142 RTA

  2. Residents with licences from non-eligible countries obtain a UAE licence by taking classes at a driving institute and passing the tests of the local transport authority. In Dubai, RTA gives holders of an unexchangeable foreign licence a one-time 'golden chance' to take the knowledge and road tests with no training hours; a valid unexchangeable foreign light-vehicle licence also cuts training to 20, 30 or 40 sessions depending on how long it has been held.

    3 sourcesS143 u.aeS144 dubai.aeS145 Roads and Transport Authority

  3. A new UAE driving licence is valid for 1 year if under 21 and 2 years if 21 or older; minimum age is 18 for light vehicles and 17 for motorcycles.

    2 sourcesS143 u.aeS144 dubai.ae

  4. RTA says a foreign international driving licence can be used in Dubai only while on a visit visa, and only for a light vehicle or a motorcycle.

    1 source onlyS146 RTAS147 RTA (partial)

Schools

  1. KHDA (Knowledge and Human Development Authority) is the Dubai body responsible for the growth and quality of private education, including school inspection.

    2 sourcesS148 u.aeS149 KHDA

  2. KHDA school inspection ratings are Outstanding, Very Good, Good, Acceptable, Weak and Very Weak.

    2 sourcesS150 u.aeS151 KHDA

  3. In Dubai, school inspection ratings determine the percentage of fee increase permitted for each private school.

    3 sourcesS150 u.aeS152 KHDAS153 KHDA

Emergency numbers

  1. Emergency numbers in the UAE: 999 police, 998 ambulance, 997 fire (Civil Defence).

    2 sourcesS154 u.aeS155 dubai.ae

  2. Other Dubai numbers: 996 marine/coastguard, 995 find and rescue, 991 electricity/water failure; the DCAS SOS app can request an ambulance with exact location.

    2 sourcesS154 u.aeS155 dubai.ae

The working week

  1. The UAE federal government works Monday to Thursday 7.30am-3.30pm and Friday 7.30am-12.00pm; Saturday and Sunday are the weekend. Dubai's government adopted a similar week (effective 1 Jan 2022 federally).

    2 sourcesS156 u.aeS157 Dubai Protocol Department

  2. u.ae notes most UAE private companies are closed only on Sundays, while others are closed on both Saturday and Sunday (private-sector days vary by employer).

    1 source onlyS158 u.ae

Check yourself

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Information only, not legal, tax or immigration advice. Every statement comes from an official UAE or Indian government page, checked on 16 October 2026. Rules change, so confirm with the authority before you act.