New Licence Rule Applies to Sharjah Only

By Bassma Al Jandaly, Staff Reporter (Gulf News) Published: December 01, 2008, 00:34
Sharjah: A total of 86 professions will be denied the right of obtaining driving licences by Sharjah Police.
Gulf News reported on Tuyday that certain categories will be barred from applying for driving licences in the UAE, but officials from Sharjah Police confirmed that this is a local decision taken only by the Sharjah Government and will only be applicable in the emirate.
The authority decided to stop issuing driving licences to certain categories of residents, to curb the sharp rise in the number of vehicles.
A memo was issued last week by the Sharjah Police Traffic Department and circulated to all driving schools, stipulating the rule, Gulf News has learnt.
Those whose residency visa has been issued from Sharjah that details any of the 86 professions will not be allowed to open a file for a driving licence.
The Police decision stated that only those who have university degree, such as doctors, engineers, architects, managers, accountants, nurses with university degrees and other similar professions can apply. Full list of banned categories will be issued soon.
Those who are on a drivers' residency visa can also apply. Those who cannot apply include: watchmen, typists, cooks, carpenters, housemaids, tailors, cafeteria waiters, unskilled labourers, gardeners and bakers and others who do not have university degrees.
A Sharjah Police official said that the decision was taken last week to reduce the number of applicants, as there is pressure on the Police from those applying for driving licences.
Last week, the Sharjah Traffic Department stopped opening driving licence files for people in these categories.
"Many applications from these categories were turned down," the official said. The official clarified that those who fall under the 86 categories and have already opened driving licence files will still be able to obtain them.
A number of driving schools in Sharjah have announced that such a decision will affect their business badly.
"It will have bad impact on our business as we will have fewer students," a driving school manager said.