You can drive in Kuwait under an International Driving License if you have arrived on a Visit/Business Visa but NOT an NOC. The International License must be insured and only lasts the length of your Visa, normally 1 month.



If you have entered Kuwait under an NOC, you can apply for a temporary Driving License until your Residency procedures are completed AND you have your Civil I.D. after which, a Full License can be obtained, this takes about 2 months. So you should apply for a 2- month temporary Driving License.

The procedure is, normally, as follows:

• Obtain a translation of your Driving License. Take a photocopy of your License. Your Embassy can do this for you.
• The translation must be attested. Your Embassy will do this as well. Now the cost of this should be 15KD. But some people got it done cheaper for 12.5KD!
• Do all this at the Embassy, and at the same time, you can register at the Embassy as a citizen of your respective country, residing in Kuwait (eg - U.K. citizen residing in Kuwait).
• Next go to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs ( located in Cairo Street ) and get your translation "attested" AGAIN! Cost 4KD. An Arabic speaking " Minder " is recommended, to help you through the System.
• Now the next step is to obtain an Application form from a Police Traffic Department. Here is where you could run into difficulty since you are supposed to go to the Traffic Department in the area in which you live. ( For Salwa, it is Jabriya ).
• However, many people have managed to get sorted out at Shuwaikh Traffic Department. It really depends upon the Official who deals with your Application.
• Get the "Minder" to fill in the Application form in ARABIC, English will NOT do!
• Report to the Senior Officer and he will ask you to see the Director of the Traffic Department who, hopefully, will sign to say you do not need to take a Kuwaiti Driving Test.
• The remaining steps are really in the hands of your "Minder" and luck. But all the process is possible at Shuwaikh. You end up with a 2 -month Driving License.
• The permanent License is only obtainable when you have got your Residency and Civil I.D., an eyesight test (in addition to the one you will need for your Residency) and a Blood Group Certificate. Again use your "Minder" to get through the System.
• Photo-copy everything!!