Rental Car Checklist for Your Winter Visitors: Booking for Parents and Guests

Quick answer: To arrange car rental for visiting family in Dubai, book early for December, decide who will drive, and check each driver's licence eligibility (many visitors can use their home licence; others need an International Driving Permit). Add every driver to the agreement, choose a low-excess insurance option, and pick a car that suits older passengers and luggage.

Your parents land on 18 December. Your in-laws arrive on the 22nd. Your sister's family shows up for New Year.

Winter is visiting season in Dubai, and a car becomes the centre of every plan: airport runs, desert dinners, Global Village, the beach. It also becomes a source of stress if it's booked late or set up wrong.

Use this checklist to get it right. And before booking, look at Quick Lease rental promotions; seasonal offers can make a long family rental noticeably cheaper.

Step 1: Decide who's going to drive

This is the decision that shapes everything else.

Option A: You drive. Book in your name with your UAE licence. Simple, and your visitors don't need to worry about licence rules.

Option B: Your visitor drives. They'll need a licence that's valid for driving a rental in the UAE, and they must be named on the agreement.

Option C: Both. Book in your name and add your visitor as an additional driver. This gives the most flexibility.

Step 2: Check your visitor's licence

UAE rules depend on where the licence was issued.

• Visitors from many countries (including much of Europe, the GCC, the US, Canada, the UK and Australia) can typically drive a rental on their home licence.
• Visitors from other countries usually need an International Driving Permit (IDP) alongside their home licence.
• The licence must be valid and, for most rental companies, held for at least a year.

Our guide to renting a car in Dubai as a tourist lists the rules country by country.

Step 3: Check age limits

Rental companies set minimum and sometimes maximum ages for drivers. Minimums are commonly 21 to 25. Some companies also apply upper age limits or extra conditions for drivers over a certain age. If your parent will drive, ask before you book.

Step 4: Add every driver properly

Anyone who drives must be named on the rental agreement. If an unlisted driver has an accident, insurance typically won't cover it, and you'll be liable for the full cost.

Each additional driver usually needs to show their licence (and IDP if required) and passport. There may be a daily fee per extra driver. We explain how it works in our guide to adding an additional driver (publishing 27 October).

Step 5: Choose the right insurance level

Visitors aren't used to Dubai's fast lane changes, tight mall car parks and unfamiliar junctions. Small scrapes happen.

A low-excess or zero-excess option (often called SCDW) costs more per day but means a scraped bumper doesn't turn into a few thousand dirhams. For older drivers or anyone new to UAE roads, it's usually worth it.

Step 6: Choose a car for older passengers

Think about how your parents get in and out, not just how many seats there are.

• Higher seats help. A crossover or SUV is easier on knees than a low sedan.
• Wide-opening rear doors make a difference with walking sticks or mobility aids.
• Boot space matters for wheelchairs, walkers and airport luggage.
• Automatic transmission is standard on UAE rentals, which helps nervous drivers.

Step 7: Book early and pick the right rental length

December is peak season. Larger cars, SUVs and seven-seaters go first. Book at least three to four weeks ahead for late December.

For visits of a week or more, weekly rental options in Dubai almost always work out cheaper per day than daily rates. For longer stays, a monthly plan can be cheaper still.

Step 8: Plan the first drive

Don't hand the keys to jet-lagged parents at the airport at midnight. Either pick them up yourself or schedule the car for the next morning.

Before they drive alone:

• Show them how Salik and parking work. Paid parking runs 8am to 10pm, Monday to Saturday.
• Install a navigation app in their language and save key locations: your home, a hospital, favourite malls.
• Explain the speed buffer, and that Abu Dhabi has none.
• Save the rental company's breakdown and accident numbers in their phone.

Printable winter visitor checklist

Making the most of the visit

Once the car's sorted, the fun starts. Our guide to October half-term road trips has seven family-friendly drives that work just as well in December. And if your visitors arrive during GITEX week (7–11 December), plan for heavier traffic around Expo City; our GITEX car rental guide explains why.

Key takeaways

• Decide who drives first; it determines licence, age and insurance requirements.
• Every driver must be named on the agreement.
• Choose low-excess insurance for visitors unfamiliar with Dubai roads.
• Book three to four weeks ahead for December and choose weekly or monthly rates.

Sources: Dubai RTA visitor licensing guidance; UAE federal traffic law (child seats). Rental company age and driver rules vary. Last updated: 12 October 2026.