Driving Licence
Driving licence holders from certain countries are able to apply for an Omani driving licence and be on the roads in a short time. The licence transfer is carried out at the traffic police headquarters in Qurum or Seeb (opposite airport) at Al Ma’arid Street. A blood test is required and a RO 20 fee is charged to complete the process. The driver must also have held their licence for at least a year.
Drivers from other countries and non-drivers however are required to pass a driving test in Oman before being issued with an Omani licence.
There are a number of driving schools and individual instructors able to provide you with lessons; a personal recommendation is always a good idea. You will be offered a package including a set number of lessons and the various parts of the test (theory, barrels and road test) and you will be charged extra for additional lessons and tests.
Drivers must be at least 18 years of age to drive a light vehicle and 21 to drive heavy vehicle or trucks.
An Omani driving licence is required to obtain insurance for driving a private vehicle while a valid international licence or a licence from your country of origin (GCC and European countries only) is required to drive a rental vehicle.
Both manual and automatic cars are available for hire and for lessons, although automatic seem to be the favoured choice in Oman.
