Getting a Drivers License - An American's Experience

Hello Everyone!

I got my drivers license today and feel like I am 16 again. 4 months of having to find a cab, get driven around in circles, and not being able to make a quick stop after work really got old. I know that a lot of people have given instructions on here, but I thought I would give a brief account of what happened today. It was by far the easiest "government thing" I have done since I have been in the Kingdom!

First the prep work:

I had a letter from my employer with a shiny stamp on it I assume was from the chamber of commerce.

Copy of my passport

Copy of my Iqama

Drivers Licence from Virginia in the United States

I went to the Riyadh Dalliyah (sp?) driving school this morning at 9am. I one of our random Saudi secretaries from work come with me to help translate, but it really wasn't needed. I had read several guides online that I needed to go to get the application and the green folder from the place just outside the school. There were several people waiting inside the "document: store, so I decided to get my licence translation done first. I went into his office and gave him my documents. Not only did he translate my licence, but he also gave me the folder and filled out the application form. Really nice guy and it saved me a bunch of time. It cost about 70 riyals for it all.

Went inside for the eye test. When I got up to the counter the my secretary said "he is an important american" and the guy just signed my form, skipping the eye test. I went to the "driving test area". Waited about 10 minutes and they pointed to me. They asked "manual or automatic". This was something I was very nervous about because I have never driven a manual before. I got in the car and tried to put my seatbelt on. The instructor said "no - do not put it on". I just smiled and drove forward. There was a roundabout in the driving area and I drove around half of it and parked. He signed my paper and that was it. Total driving time 15-30 seconds including the "no seatbelt part". They said "no need for written test" and signed that section.

I then went back to the eye test room and a guy stamped my form. Went to the main administration area and went to the counter. They said I needed a "payment voucher". Long story short, I didn't have a saudi bank account so I went back to the guy in the translator office and the same guy used his account to make a payment. It was 200 SAR for 5 years and I gave him an extra 30 for his trouble.

Back to the registration area and I gave the guy the folder. He stamped it. 10 minutes later I had a saudi licence in hand. Total time from the time I arrived till I left: 54 minutes!!!

In the same day I was also able to take a new guy to get his iqama medical done, open a bank account at NCB, and get a rental car (they will give me a car lease Thursday).