A large number of people from Pakistan visit Saudi Arabia on a family visit visa, on a regular Saudi tourist visa or on a Saudi Transit visa. A common question being asked is if Driving in Saudi Arabia with Pakistani Driving License is allowed or not. This article answers this question.
Is it Legal Driving in Saudi Arabia with Pakistani Driving License ?
Laws are quite strict in Saudi Arabia and traffic rules must be followed by citizens, residents as well as visitors to avoid legal consequences. Driving in Saudi Arabia requires a valid driving license. I already explained how to get a driving license in Saudi Arabia. However, many people come on short-term visits and they are curious to know if they can use the license from their home country (e.g. Pakistan).
The good news is that you are allowed to drive in Saudi Arabia if you have a valid International Driving License. So if you are from Pakistan and you are have a valid Pakistani Driving License, you can drive for a maximum of 3 months.
Note that; after 3 months your IDP (International Driving Permit) or any driving license issued from your home country will become invalid. However, this is not the case for GCC countries as you are eligible to drive in Saudi Arabia if you are a GCC license holder.
In another article, I discussed in detail about Saudi Arabia Driving on Visit Visa : International License which will help you to understand further about the rules of driving in Saudi Arabia as a visit visa holder.
Important Points to Consider Regarding Driving in Saudi Arabia with Pakistani Driving License
- You should have a valid driving license and not an expired license.
- Having a driving license from Pakistan or any other country is not the only requirement; you should have proper driving skills to avoid any mess.
- Although you can drive for 3 months leally with a foreign license, yet it is recommended to get a local Saudi Driving license as soon as possible if you are in Saudi Arabia on a job visa or dependent visa. Having local Saudi Driving License will be a peace of mind as authorities won’t question you much and you will be driving with confidence.
- If you are driving in Saudi Arabia with IDP; you might face issues dealing with Car rental as well as insurance service providers.