A new International driving licence (IDL) has been launched by the country’s authorities.

The National Transport Authority (NTA) and the Automobile and Touring Club of the UAE (ATCUAE) announced on Wednesday that the new document is compulsory for those wishing to drive overseas and failing to produce the official IDL in case of an accident or any other traffic violations abroad would land the offenders in serious troubles.

“For those who hold one, the existing IDL is still valid for one year, but from today, anyone applying for a new international licence will get the IDL,” said Dr Nasser Al Mansouri, Director-General of the NTA. The new licence has been designed and issued according to the 1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic, as well as the 1969 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic, ratified by the UAE and signed by most nations worldwide.

“By law, the NTA now regulates transport in the country, including tourist transport. The authority changed the IDL to fit in with the international regulations,” added Dr Mohammed bin Sulayem, president of the ATCUAE. The two organisations have been working together since 2010 to issue the new permit.

“Once you have all the necessary documents — your UAE driving licence, two passport-size photos and the passport with a valid resident visa for expatriates — the application process may take as little as 20 minutes,” Dr Bin Sulayem told Khaleej Times.

With over 20,000 IDL applications likely to be received every year, the NTA and ATCUAE have made sure that there are plenty of places to obtain the licence from. More than 140 application points have thus been established throughout the country, including Emirates Post, all police departments, the ATCUAE and even travel companies. The cost of the new IDL is Dh150 and the validity is currently one year, although there is a plan to extend it to three years in the near future.

Recognised in 180 countries worldwide, including most European nations, the new IDL is printed in ten languages — the five United Nations official languages of English, French, Spanish, Russian and Chinese, and German, Arabic, Italian, the Scandinavian languages and Portuguese.

This helps overcome language barriers between drivers and the police, while the document can also be a useful form of identification in the event of a lost passport.For UAE nationals and residents driving to other GCC countries, an IDL is not required.