Kuwait has officially changed the duration of the driving licence, setting it at five years for expatriates and 15 years for Kuwaiti and members of the Gulf Cooperation Council. This decision represented by Interior Minister Decision No. 425 of 2025 is a drastic change in the licensing policies of the country. The new rules also classify licences and a private licence now includes vehicles that have capacity to carry up to 7 passengers including small transport vehicles up to 2 tonnes and taxis. The validity of the driving licence for expatriates is dependent on their residence permit. The general licences are divided into two categories; Category A for heavy transport vehicles which are those that are more than 8 tonnes and dangerous goods and Category B for vehicles up to 25 passengers or 8 tonnes. Motorcycle licences are also categorised into two categories namely category A which covers all motorcycles and category B which is restricted to three wheeled motorcycles only. Furthermore, there are now similar restrictions on the validity of licences for other specific industries like construction and industry. A new type of licence for specific activities has been introduced for the special service vehicles and the licence will be cancelled upon the change of the holder’s residency status. The Ministry of Interior has explained that the application and fees are still the same as before, but the new rules will be enforced strictly. Formerly issued licences will continue to be valid until they expire, and after that, they can only be renewed according to the new system. A source from the Ministry of Interior has explained that the purpose of these changes is to enhance the safety of drivers and passengers on the roads, to enhance the efficiency of the regulatory system, and to harmonize the laws of Kuwait with those of other nations. This means that the new driving licence validity regulations will affect a large number of residents since expatriates make up 68 per cent of the country’s population of 4.92 million people.
