Destinations / Oman
Driving in Oman as a visitor
Often required, depending on where your licence was issued. Oman drives on the right and accepts the 1949 Geneva IDP; tourists should carry it with their national licence to rent a car.
Reviewed July 2026 · A translation of your own licence, carried with it. Not a government permit.
What Oman expects
| Driving document | Depends on licence issuer, script and rental policy |
|---|---|
| Convention format | 1949 Geneva |
| Valid for | 1 year |
| Drives on the | Right |
| Emergency number | 9999 |
| Top speed limit | 120 km/h highways |
What the rental desk will ask you for
| Your own licence | The original card. A photo of it, or a photocopy, gets turned away. |
|---|---|
| Licence translation | Check the desk policy for your issuing country and licence script. A translation accompanies the licence and never replaces an official permit. |
| Booklet format they know | 1949 Geneva |
| Minimum age | 18. Under 25 usually pays a young-driver surcharge. |
| Deposit | A credit card in the driver's name. The hold is taken in OMR. |
Rules that catch visitors out
| Alcohol | Zero-tolerance alcohol law for driving. |
|---|---|
| Speed | Speed cameras and radar widespread. |
| Roads | 4x4 recommended for desert and wadi routes. |
On the road in Oman
At the pump
Stations sell M91 and M95 petrol plus diesel, are mostly attendant-served, and accept cards widely; fuel is cheap by global standards at roughly 230 baisa (about USD 0.60) per litre. Pumps are frequent on main roads but scarce in the desert interior, so refuel before remote stretches.
After a crash
Dial 9999 for police, ambulance or fire; for injury or disputed-fault crashes do not move the vehicles and wait for the Royal Oman Police, as moving can imply admission of guilt. For minor vehicle-only crashes where both agree on fault, you must move off the road and complete the ROP Simple/Minor Road Traffic Accident form (kept in the car) for insurance.
Sources: gulfnews.com · omanobserver.om · askexplorer.com · omanwanderlust.com
Common questions
Do you need an International Driving Permit in Oman?
Often required, depending on where your licence was issued. Oman drives on the right and accepts the 1949 Geneva IDP; tourists should carry it with their national licence to rent a car.
Which translation format is used for Oman?
Oman uses the 1949 Geneva convention format. A Vialy translation is prepared in that format but is not a government-issued permit.
Will a rental desk in Oman ask for a translation?
Muscat desks request an IDP for most non-GCC licences.
How fast can Vialy prepare one for Oman?
The exact delivery moment is quoted before you pay, 30 minutes as standard and 5 with Express.
Also in Middle East
Driving on to another country on the same trip? Each page states what that destination expects.