Renting a Car in Saudi Arabia: Licences and Saher Fines

Can you drive in Saudi Arabia on a foreign licence?

The law and the rental desk are separate gatekeepers, and the rental desk is the one that can refuse you at pickup.

A longer limit has also been reported. In September 2023 Gulf News quoted the General Traffic Department as saying a visitor can use an international or valid foreign licence for one year from entry, or until it expires if that is sooner. We could not open the traffic department's own statement, so do not plan around the one-year figure without checking.

Rental companies register your right to drive their car with the Ministry of Interior. The Saudi Press Agency reported in November 2022 that rental firms authorise visitors to drive through the Absher Business platform using the visitor's border number, so there is no need to visit a government office.

The safe combination for a short trip is your home licence, an IDP issued before you travel, and your passport showing the entry date. If you plan to stay beyond three months, check the rental company's own rule, because the UK and Avis wording both stop at three months.

What do you need to rent a car in Riyadh?

Yelo lists damage deductibles for accidents with a third party of SAR 7,000 for drivers under 26, and SAR 2,500 or SAR 3,500 for older drivers, depending on the share of fault. Avis says its collision damage waiver reduces the excess to zero. Avis adds SAR 10 a day for an extra driver and charges 15% VAT.

How does a Saher camera fine reach a rental driver?

Camera fines are recorded electronically rather than handed to you at the roadside. The UK government says Saudi Arabia has an automated traffic system, that offenders are notified by text and that fines are recorded on Absher, linked to the passport or ID. The US State Department adds that police may double a fine that is not paid on time.

For a visitor in a rental car, the fine can surface in two places:

1. On your own record. Absher's visitor violation query lets you check fines registered against you by border number or passport number, plus nationality.
2. On the rental contract. Yelo says violations can be added to the contract even after it has closed. Theeb waits up to 21 days before releasing the deposit, and Avis charges every fine to the renter with a surcharge if it goes unpaid.

The two routes overlap. If you pay a fine yourself, keep the receipt and send it to the rental company so it is not charged a second time against your deposit.

Paying before you fly

The UK government says any outstanding fines must be paid through Absher before you leave, and that payment at airports is available only during Saudi office hours. The US State Department warns that unpaid debts can lead to an exit ban. A late-night flight is exactly when an unpaid camera fine becomes a problem, so check Absher a day before departure and pay during office hours.

How much are speeding fines in Saudi Arabia?

Speeding fines rise with how far over the limit you were, but we could not open the official fine schedule, so we do not quote amounts here. Check the exact figure against your passport or border number on Absher.

What the government has published is how it treats serious speeding. In its April 2024 announcement, carried by the Saudi Press Agency, the General Department of Traffic listed exceeding the limit by more than 50 km/h on roads limited to 120 km/h or less, and by more than 30 km/h on 140 km/h roads, among the violations that disqualified drivers from its one-off fine reduction. It also said that violations committed after 18 April 2024 fall under Article 75 of the Traffic Law, which gives a standing 25% reduction when fines are paid within the legal timeframe.

The one-off 50% reduction on older fines applied to visitors as well as citizens and residents. It covered only violations committed before 18 April 2024, and a later Saudi Press Agency report said the extended window closed on 18 April 2025. It is not a standing discount.

Worked example: a weekend drive to AlUla

Suppose you rent from Theeb in Riyadh for four days, and a camera records you speeding on the way.

• The fine: it appears on Absher against your passport or border number, and the rental company can also see it against the car. Paying within the legal timeframe can bring the 25% Article 75 reduction; check on Absher whether it has been applied.
• Your deposit: the SAR 3,000 hold stays on your card for up to 21 days after return while Theeb checks for violations.
• Your flight home: if the fine is still open, you have to settle it before you leave. Paying it on Absher before you return the car, and showing the receipt at the desk, is the quickest way to get the deposit back.

Driving conditions outside the cities

The UK government reports a high number of serious accidents and advises wearing seatbelts, sticking to major roads and crossing the desert in convoy in daylight. The US State Department lists unlit roads, animals on the road and criminals targeting drivers as risks outside the cities, and notes that rental cars may not be available outside Riyadh, Jeddah and Dhahran.

After an accident, the US State Department says all drivers may be held for several days while police investigate, whoever is at fault, and that you must stay at the scene and contact the authorities. Call the rental company's number from the agreement at the same time.