Up to QR50,000 fine, three years’ jail for driving without a licence in Qatar: Ministry

Doha, Qatar: The Ministry of Interior on Thursday warned that driving a vehicle without holding a valid driving licence constitutes a serious traffic...

Doha, Qatar: The Ministry of Interior on Thursday warned that driving a vehicle without holding a valid driving licence constitutes a serious traffic offence punishable by imprisonment and heavy fines.

In an awareness post on its social media platforms, the ministry said driving without a licence poses a direct threat to road safety and cannot be settled or reconciled. 

Under Article (94) of the Traffic Law, offenders face imprisonment for a period ranging from one month to three years, and a fine of not less than QR10,000 and not exceeding QR50,000, or either of the two penalties.

The violation applies specifically to individuals who do not hold a valid Qatari driving licence. 

However, for drivers who possess a valid licence but are not carrying the physical card at the time of inspection, the licence can be verified digitally through the Metrash application at checkpoints or during traffic inspections.