This guidance has been prepared for UK & Commonwealth Citizens holding a valid residence permit and who are applying for a Kuwaiti Driving Licence. This procedure might change without prior notice and neither Her Majesty’s Government nor any official of the Consulate or the Embassy take any responsibility for such changes.

• Please bring your original licence + a photocopy of the front page only. If you have a paper & photocard licence, then put the card on top of the paper part and photocopy them on one page. Obtain a translation & attestation of your UK driving licence from the Embassy. We also provide translations for Irish, New Zealand and other non-represented Commonwealth country licences. It takes one working day to complete. (Please check current fee no.12 (b) on our website).
• Our translation must then be taken to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for a further attestation. (The current fee is 5.000 KD)

You also need an application form from the Traffic Department (your relevant traffic department is the one nearest to the address stated on your Civil ID) that needs to be typed in, then signed & approved by the General Manager of the relevant Traffic Department.You should then take to your relevant Traffic Department:The application form (the current fee is 10.000 KD) The attested translation 4 driving licence photos (with blue background) Copy of your Civil ID Copy of your work permit Copy of your passport.You will also need to take the original documents of all the above.

• If your application is approved, you will be referred to a specific eye clinic for an eye test. You then have to return the results to the Traffic Department who usually issue the licence same day (the current fee is KD 30.000 KD).

(All the above mentioned fees are subject to change without prior notice)

For UK Citizens on Visit Visas or in the process of obtaining their residence permits, you may drive on an international driving licence only until either the residence permit is stamped on your passport or your visit visa expires.

We have been in touch with the Director of the Traffic Department to clarify details of the latest regulations for people applying for a Kuwaiti driving license. New applicants for driving licenses must now meet the following criteria:

1. Be a resident of Kuwait for a period of 2 years prior to the application
2. Hold a university degree
3. Earn a minimum salary of 400.000 KD

However, the following categories are exempt from these regulations:

• Housewives with children
• doctors
• professors
• teachers
• nursing staff
• translators and interpreters
• accountants
• managers
• counsellors
• journalists
• company heads
• university students
• technical staff
• engineers
• all diplomatic staff
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