Rent a minibus and drive it yourself?

Can you hire a minibus without a driver in the UAE?

Yes, some companies do it. Self-drive rental of vans and larger passenger vehicles exists in the UAE, and a company that offers it will ask to see your driving licence and Emirates ID or passport before handing over the keys. We don’t offer it. Every vehicle we supply, from a 13-seater van to a 50-seater coach, comes with a professional driver, and the rest of this page explains why we think that suits most groups.

Being allowed to rent one is not the same as being allowed to drive one. That depends on your licence, and the licence depends on the vehicle. A minibus is a different class of vehicle from a car, and the rules follow the vehicle.

Licence rules, in general terms

We are a transport company, not the licensing authority, so treat this section as a map of the questions and not as legal advice. Requirements are set by the authorities, they change, and you should confirm the current position with the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) in Dubai, or the equivalent body in the emirate you are driving in, before you book anything.

The general picture is this. UAE driving licences are issued by category. An ordinary light-vehicle licence covers cars and smaller vehicles, up to a limit on passenger seats and vehicle weight. Larger passenger vehicles, such as a mini coach or a full-size bus, fall under a heavier category that needs its own licence and its own test. Where a particular van sits on that line depends on its seats and weight, which is why “can I drive a 15-seater on my licence?” has no one-word answer. Ask the rental company which category its vehicle needs, and ask them to put it in writing.

Visitors have a second question: whether their home licence is accepted at all. Some can use their national licence, some need an international driving permit as well, and the rules vary by nationality and by how long you stay. Residents have their own rules. Most rental companies also set a minimum age and a minimum number of years with a licence, particularly for larger vehicles. All of this should be confirmed with RTA and the rental company, not assumed from a forum post.

Finally, carrying passengers for payment, or on behalf of a company, can fall under different rules from a family trip in a hired van. If you are an organiser, a school or a business, ask the authority and the rental company what applies to your case.

The costs that arrive after the day rate

A self-drive quote looks cheaper than a quote with a driver, and that is usually why people ask the question. The difference is real, but it is smaller than it looks, because a driver’s quote has several things inside it that a self-drive quote does not.

• Fuel: in a van or a minibus, a day out to Abu Dhabi or Hatta uses a lot of it, and you refill the tank before you return it
• Salik and Darb: tolls are charged to the vehicle, then passed on to you, often with an admin fee per crossing and sometimes days after the return. Our Salik and Darb guide explains how
• Parking: street parking, mall car parks and airport pick-up areas all charge, and a bigger vehicle is harder to place
• Fines: if a camera catches a speeding or parking offence, it is linked to the vehicle and charged to the person who hired it
• Insurance and deposit: self-drive hire usually comes with an excess and a deposit held on your card, and the terms are in the contract

There is one more cost that never appears on an invoice: whoever drives does not get to enjoy the day. If you are the organiser, that is usually the person who most needed to.

What a driver changes on the day

With a driver, the vehicle comes to you. He or she is at the pick-up point ten minutes early, loads the bags, knows the hotel drop-off points and waits between stops, and the quote lists the tolls, airport parking and waiting allowance in advance. Everyone in the group is a passenger, including you. Nobody has to work out whether the cousin who offered to drive holds the right licence for a vehicle this size.

It also shortens the planning. A group of twelve visiting for a wedding does not want a spreadsheet of who drives which leg. They want one vehicle, one arrival time and one person to call. For that, a minibus with a driver or a van with a driver is simply the shorter route. Bigger groups of 30 or more go in a coach, which needs a professional driver in any case.

Starting prices are on the bus rental price guide: from AED 900 per day for the 13-seater van and from AED 2,450 per day for the 16-seat Sprinter, each with driver and fuel for up to 10 hours within Dubai. Your written quote lists the rest.

When driving yourself does make sense

We would rather be straight about this. Self-drive suits some trips. A week of touring several emirates at your own pace, by someone who holds the right licence and likes driving, can cost less and feel more flexible. If you want to stop where you like and change plans every hour, a hired vehicle in your own hands gives you that.

The conditions are strict, though. The driver needs the right licence for that vehicle, the right insurance, and the experience. Dubai’s main roads are wide, fast and busy, with several lanes of traffic changing at speed, and a 15-seater with a full load of passengers behaves very differently from a car. If the person who would drive hasn’t handled a large van before, a day booked with a driver costs less than a mistake.

Questions to ask a self-drive company

If you decide to hire without a driver, ask these before you pay, and get the answers in writing:

• Which licence category does this vehicle need, and what documents do you need from me?
• What is the minimum age, and how long must I have held my licence?
• Who can drive it? Can a second named driver share the day?
• What does the insurance cover, what is the excess, and what deposit will you hold?
• How are Salik, Darb and fines charged, and is there an admin fee?
• What is the fuel policy, and can I take the vehicle to other emirates?
• What happens if it breaks down, and who do I call at night?

An operator who answers all seven in one message is worth considering. Our guide to choosing a bus rental company has more questions on permits and insurance. One who goes vague on the licence question is telling you how the rest of the hire will go.

A worked comparison

This is an example to show the logic, not a quote. Ten colleagues need to get from Dubai to a client site in Abu Dhabi and back on a Thursday, leaving at 8am and returning by 7pm.

Example, self-drive. Someone has to hold the right licence for a ten-person vehicle and drive about 300 km, then park it near the site. A driver’s day is lost from the work, the group pays Salik and Darb later, and the return trip comes after a full day of meetings.

Example, with a driver. A 13-seater van, from AED 900 per day within Dubai with driver and fuel, is quoted as an intercity day because it leaves Dubai. Tolls and waiting are on the quote. Everyone works on the way there and sleeps on the way back.

The second option costs more than a self-drive day rate on paper. Taken to the end of the day, with the work done in the vehicle and the person who would have driven doing a job, it is often the cheaper way to spend the day.

Related: Minibus rental Dubai · Van with driver · Bus rental prices · Salik and Darb tolls explained · Get a quote

Keep reading

• Minibus rental Dubai: Toyota HiAce, Mercedes Sprinter and 30-seat mini coaches with a driver, for airport groups, events and day trips.
• Hire a driver or rent a car?: Renting a car in Dubai or hiring one with a driver: the real costs on each side, the licence question, parking and tolls, and who each option suits.
• City tour by private minibus: A one-day Dubai city tour route for a group, how a private minibus compares with a hop-on hop-off bus, and what each option costs per head.
• Monthly bus rental: A dedicated van, minibus or coach with its driver for weeks or months, with the hours, days and area agreed in writing.
• Dubai airport transfer for groups: Vans, Sprinters, mini coaches and 50-seat coaches for groups landing at DXB or DWC, with the luggage and the split flights planned.
• How much is a driver in Dubai?: What a driver costs in Dubai with a car, a van or a bus: our day prices and the per-person sums for groups.