Can I rent a car in Egypt with a Saudi or other GCC licence?

According to our partner companies (October 2026), they accept national driving licences from any country, for example Saudi. Say which country your licence is from in your request, and the company confirms before you travel.

Do I need an International Driving Permit as well?

For the rental, our partners accept the national licence. For road checks, official advice from the UK Foreign Office and from German and Austrian motoring clubs is to carry a permit together with the national licence. We found no official source that names Gulf licences, so it is a cautious extra, not a promise either way.

Can I rent a car in Sharm El Sheikh with an Egyptian licence?

Yes. Egyptian licence holders can ask to rent on the same basis as visitors: licence and ID at pickup, with the deposit shown on the car's page. Send a request and the company confirms.

Can I leave my passport instead of a deposit?

Some companies accept it for the rental period, and then there is no deposit. It is each company's own policy, so ask in your request, and ask what to show at checkpoints while the company holds your passport.

What documents are checked at police checkpoints?

The UK Foreign Office says police check ID regularly and may detain you if you cannot show your ID and visa. Carry your licence, your passport or ID, the rental contract and the car's papers, and an International Driving Permit if you have one.

Is there a minimum age for renting with a Gulf licence?

Each company sets its own minimum age and how long you must have held the licence, and the figures vary. The car page or the company's reply states it, so ask before booking. Our guide on car rental age has the details.

Rent a car in Egypt with a GCC licence, or with an Egyptian licence

If you hold a Gulf licence, you can ask to rent a self-drive car in Sharm El Sheikh with it. According to our local partner companies in Sharm (October 2026), they accept national driving licences from any country, for example Saudi, and the same is naturally true for Egyptian licence holders. This guide separates two things that often get mixed up: what the rental company accepts, which is your national licence, and what official advice recommends for police checks on the road, which is an International Driving Permit alongside it.

Does a GCC licence work for renting a car in Egypt?

For renting, yes: our partner companies accept national licences from any country, and they named Saudi licences as an example. The same applies to licences from the other Gulf states, but the company that owns the car makes the final decision for its own car, so state the country of your licence in the message field of your request and let the company confirm. You will get the answer before you travel, not at the counter.

This is a statement about rental companies, not about the law. Whether a licence is enough for the police is a different question, and it is dealt with below.

Egyptian licence holders

Egyptian licence holders, including residents of Sharm El Sheikh who want a car for a few days or for a family visit, can rent on the same basis: you show your licence and your ID at pickup. The deposit rules are the same as for everyone else, and the amount is shown on the car's page before you send a request. If your licence is valid but old or has a worn card, mention it in the request so nobody is surprised at the desk.

The International Driving Permit: official advice, separate from renting

Official advice is a separate point from what the rental company accepts. The UK Foreign Office says that you need both the 1949 International Driving Permit and your UK licence with you in the car, and that you cannot buy a permit outside the UK. The Austrian and German motoring clubs give the same advice for their own licences: national licence together with the International Driving Permit. These sources speak about UK, Austrian and German licences. We did not find an official source that names Gulf licences, so we do not claim one way or the other.

Practical conclusion: for the rental, your national licence is what our partners accept; for checkpoints, carrying an International Driving Permit as well is the cautious choice if you can get one at home before you travel. Our guide to the International Driving Permit explains it in detail.

What to bring to the pickup

Bring the original licence, not a photo, together with your passport or, if you live in Egypt, your ID, and a way to show your lawful entry if you are a visitor. Our guide to the documents needed to rent a car has the full list. If you hold an International Driving Permit, bring it too. Keep the Charm Rental booking reference on your phone: it identifies your request if you need to speak to the company or to us.

At the airport, remember that visitors from some countries receive an entry stamp valid only for Sinai. Our entry rules guide explains what that means for a trip beyond South Sinai.

Deposit, or your passport instead

The security deposit is set by the company that owns the car and is shown on the car's page. According to our partners, it is typically 300 to 500 US dollars or euros depending on the car, and about 1,000 for an expensive one. Some companies accept leaving your passport with them for the rental period instead of a cash deposit, and then there is no deposit. This is each company's own policy, so ask in your request.

If the company keeps your passport, ask what you should show at checkpoints instead, because you will be asked for identification on the road. Our deposit guide covers the questions to ask.

Checkpoints: what you will be asked for

Police and military checkpoints are normal on the roads of South Sinai, and the UK Foreign Office notes that police check ID regularly, ask to see your passport and may detain you if you cannot show your ID and your visa or a copy of it. Keep within reach your licence, your International Driving Permit if you have one, your passport or ID, the rental contract and the car's papers. Be calm and polite, hand over what is asked, and do not argue at the roadside. If a document is held by the company, carry a copy and ask the company beforehand what it recommends.

Our guide to driving rules, fuel and checkpoints has the wider picture, and the age rules for younger drivers are in the guide on car rental age.