Shopping around for driving schools in Abu Dhabi is a shorter job than it is in Dubai. The emirate’s official TAMM locator lists Emirates Driving Company as the approved place to take lessons, so the real comparison is between its packages, its branches and the golden chance route for anyone who already drives. Here is every option, priced as of October 2026, so you can pick the right one before you pay.
How many driving schools are there in Abu Dhabi?
For a car licence, one. TAMM’s centre locator states that driving lessons can only be completed at approved locations, and the driving institutes it lists across Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and Al Dhafra are all Emirates Driving Company (EDC) sites: Street 17 in Mussafah, Mezyad in Al Ain and Madinat Zayed in Al Dhafra. EDC then runs extra branches in malls and in the Western Region.
That is why a search for driving schools in Abu Dhabi Mussafah turns up dozens of “private instructor” pins around Mussafah and Mohamed Bin Zayed City. Lessons with those freelancers do not count towards your licence, and the classes, tests and certificate you need all run through EDC and your Abu Dhabi traffic file. You will also see Dubai names advertised. Excellence Driving, for example, appears on EDC’s own contact page as its partner school, but its listed address is in Al Qusais, Dubai.
Emirates Driving Company
EDC says it has put more than 1.5 million trainees through its courses and runs a fleet of 982 vehicles. Everything from light vehicles to motorcycles, buses and machinery is taught here, with theory delivered in class and via e-learning, simulator sessions, a training yard in Mussafah and road classes for VIP students. Payments and bookings run through its online portal and the EDC Student App, and female students can train in a separate, gender-segregated facility. You choose your instructor at registration, so ask for a male or female instructor then.
Location: EDC HQ, Street 17, Mussafah Industrial Area (M28), Abu Dhabi. Contact: 600 588 880, booking@edcad.ae, edcad.ae. Hours: Saturday to Thursday 7am to 10pm, Friday 6am to 12pm.
Vibe check: Thousands of reviewers rate the patient instructors and the handy mall simulator sessions – but if you are working full time, you will want to grab yard slots early, because the Mussafah run adds up.
How much do driving lessons cost in Abu Dhabi?
A complete light vehicle course at Emirates Driving Company costs from AED 3,991 for a beginner with no previous licence, rising to AED 5,041 for the fastest standard package and AED 16,049.25 for VIP Platinum. EDC’s prices include VAT and a AED 200 exam fee. Add AED 200 to open a traffic file and AED 300 for the licence card if you are 21 or over.
Packages for new drivers with no licence
If you have never held a licence, or yours has expired, you start from scratch with the standard new driver course: two theory classes and 19 practical classes. The three regular packages give you exactly the same training. What you pay for is speed. EDC’s published light vehicle fees don’t split manual and automatic, so confirm the gearbox you want when you book.
| Package | Theory | Practical | Price | Practical days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regular | AED 1,019 | AED 2,972 | AED 3,991 | 17 days |
| Regular Intensive | AED 1,019 | AED 3,182 | AED 4,201 | 9 days |
| Regular Silver | AED 1,019 | AED 4,022 | AED 5,041 | 6 days |
| VIP Plus | Included | Included | AED 12,879.25 | 6 days |
| VIP Platinum | Included | Included | AED 16,049.25 | 6 days |
The two VIP packages squeeze theory into a single day, then give you four days of yard training and two days of road practice outside the training ground, plus free transport. Both offer theory either at EDC or at a location outside it, and VIP Plus adds a WhatsApp line for bookings and cancellations.
The golden chance explained
The golden chance is the shortcut for anyone with a valid foreign driving licence who can’t swap it straight for a UAE one. You open your traffic file, do a theory course, pass the theory test and then sit the road test without the full practical course. Pass and you are done. Fail and you move on to practical training, placed at a level based on how long you have held your licence.
Golden chance theory costs AED 1,390.70 over three days, or AED 1,600.70 for the two-day intensive version. EDC says this covers theory training, simulator training and the theory test. If the road test doesn’t go your way, these are the practical packages you will be offered.
| Level | Who it’s for | Standard | Intensive | Silver |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beginner (13 classes) | No licence, under 1 year or expired | AED 2,027 | AED 2,237 | AED 3,077 |
| Intermediate (11 classes) | Licence held 1 to 5 years | AED 1,754 | AED 1,964 | AED 2,804 |
| Upper intermediate (8 classes) | Licence held 5 years or more | AED 1,344.50 | AED 1,554.50 | AED 2,394.50 |
WOW Expert Tip: Your golden chance hangs on the licence you bring from home. It has to be the original and still valid, and your practical level (and price) depends on how long you have held it, so renew it before it lapses rather than after you land.
Some nationalities can convert their licence without any training at all. EDC doesn’t make that call: the traffic department does, on 800 3333, so check before you book any course.
Emirates Driving Company branches
EDC lists nine light vehicle branches on its booking page. Mussafah is the main campus, the two mall branches save city residents a trip across the bridges, and the Al Dhafra branches serve the Western Region. All of them answer on the same central number.
| Branch | Area | Phone | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| EDC HQ Abu Dhabi | Street 17, Mussafah (M28) | 600 588 880 | Main campus and training yard |
| Al Wahda Mall | Second floor extension, Al Nahyan | 600 588 880 | City residents |
| Mushrif Mall | Ground floor, Sheikh Rashid Bin Saeed St | 600 588 880 | City residents |
| Al Ain Branch | Al Noud, Al Ain | 600 588 880 | Al Ain residents |
| Madinat Zayed | Madinat Zayed, Al Dhafra | 600 588 880 | Al Dhafra residents |
| Ghayathi | Ghayathi, Al Dhafra | 600 588 880 or 02 551 0227 | Western Region |
| Al Sila | Al Sila, Al Dhafra | 600 588 880 | Western Region |
| Al Mirfa | Al Mirfa, Al Dhafra | 600 588 880 | Western Region |
| Delma Island | Delma Island, Al Dhafra | 600 588 880 | Island residents |
How to get your licence through EDC, step by step
The order matters, because each step unlocks the next one on your traffic file. Have your Emirates ID ready throughout.
| Step | What happens | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Eye test | At an approved optician | Set by the optician |
| 2. Open a traffic file | TAMM app or a service centre | AED 200 |
| 3. Register with EDC | Online or at any branch | Package price |
| 4. Theory classes and test | Classroom or e-learning at EDC | Included |
| 5. Practical classes and yard test | Training yard at EDC | Included |
| 6. Road test | On public roads with an examiner | Not published |
| 7. Licence issued | Apply on TAMM after passing | AED 300 (AED 100 under 21) |
Fail a test and you will need to rebook it. If you fail the road test three times, EDC offers six extra road training classes to get you over the line. And once you have your licence, it pays to know the rules that cost money: our guide to Abu Dhabi traffic fines covers how to check and pay them, and the Darb toll guide explains the gates you will meet on your first commute.
WOW Expert Tip: Treat your booked classes like flights. Under EDC’s policy, fees for missed classes have to be paid on the same day to avoid extra charges, and changing instructor means cancelling with 48 hours’ notice. Reschedule early by email at booking@edcad.ae.
Which package should you pick?
- Never driven and in no rush: Regular at AED 3,991. Same classes as the dearer options, spread over 17 days, which suits a full-time job.
- Starting a job that needs a car next month: Regular Intensive at AED 4,201 halves the practical calendar to nine days for an extra AED 210.
- Taking time off to get it done: Regular Silver at AED 5,041 packs the 19 practical classes into six days.
- Busy, nervous or short on patience: VIP Plus or Platinum. You pay for road practice before the test, free transport and a compressed schedule, not for an easier exam.
- Driving for years on a foreign licence: check with the traffic department whether you can convert directly. If not, the golden chance is by far the cheapest route.
New to the city and still working through the admin? Our guide to moving to Abu Dhabi covers the paperwork that comes before your traffic file.
Frequently asked questions
Which driving schools are approved in Abu Dhabi?
TAMM’s official centre locator lists Emirates Driving Company sites as the driving institutes across Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and Al Dhafra. Lessons from freelance “private instructors” do not count towards your licence.
How much does a driving licence cost in Abu Dhabi in total?
For a beginner on EDC’s Regular package, budget around AED 4,491: AED 200 for the traffic file, AED 3,991 for the course and AED 300 for the licence if you are 21 or over. The eye test and any re-tests or extra classes are on top.
What is the golden chance in Abu Dhabi?
It lets holders of a valid foreign licence take a theory course and test, then sit the road test without the full practical course. Theory costs AED 1,390.70 at EDC. If you fail the road test, you move on to practical training priced by how long you have held your licence.
How long does it take to get a driving licence in Abu Dhabi?
The training alone takes two days of theory plus 17 days of practical classes on the Regular package, nine days on Intensive and six on Silver or VIP. Test dates and any re-tests add to that, so plan for several weeks overall.
Can I learn with a female instructor in Abu Dhabi?
Yes. EDC runs a gender-segregated training facility for female students, and you choose your instructor when you register for the course.
What happens if I fail the road test three times?
EDC offers six road training classes to help you prepare for the next attempt. It does not otherwise run private road classes before the test unless you are on a VIP Plus or Platinum package.
What are Emirates Driving Company’s opening hours?
EDC lists its working hours as Saturday to Thursday 7am to 10pm and Friday 6am to 12pm. Call 600 588 880 to check a specific branch before you travel.
Prices and details checked in October 2026 on the Emirates Driving Company and TAMM websites and can change – confirm with EDC before you book.
