Deposits “ How much is the deposit really, and when do I get it back?
The deposit is a refundable amount the rental company holds at pick-up. It is separate from the rental price, and it is the number people most often find out about at the counter. Where a company has given us the figure it sits on the car page next to the rate; where it has not, ask before you commit and we will come back with the amount and when it is released.
The rental company Sets the deposit, holds it, and releases it once the car has been checked back in.
Drivaza Gets the amount and the release timing said out loud before you book, and chases the company if the release runs late. If you would rather not tie money up at all, there is a list of cars that take no deposit.
Extra charges “ I was charged for something I did not expect.
Ask for the charge in writing, with what it was for and the date it applies to. Companies that run their rentals in the Drivaza vendor portal have the rental, the deposit, every extra charge, every payment and any fine on one screen against your booking, so an itemised breakdown can be sent to you rather than described over the phone. If yours does not send one, tell us.
The rental company Decides its charges and issues the tax invoice or receipt, with VAT shown as its own line.
Drivaza If the breakdown does not match what you agreed, send it to us on WhatsApp with your booking reference and we take it back to the company.
Traffic fines “ A traffic fine turned up weeks after I returned the car.
Fines here are registered against the plate, not the driver, so they reach the rental company first and can surface long after the car is back. In Drivaza the company checks Dubai Police by plate, every check is saved as a record, and a fine is attached to the booking whose dates cover the violation. A fine passed on to you should therefore arrive with a date, a time, a plate and an amount.
The rental company Runs the check and bills the fine to the rental that had the car on that date.
Drivaza If a fine reaches you for a day you did not have the car, ask for the record behind it — the check is stored with the violation date and plate. Send it to us and we will take it up.
Mileage “ What is the mileage limit, and what happens if I go over?
Most rentals in Dubai come with a daily kilometre allowance and a charge for every kilometre past it. The allowance differs by company and by car, so treat it as a number to confirm rather than assume — it matters most on monthly rentals and on anything involving a run to Abu Dhabi. Where the company has given us the allowance, it is written into the car page.
The rental company Sets the allowance and the per-kilometre rate above it, and reads the odometer at handover.
Drivaza If the allowance is not on the listing, we get it from the company before you book, in the same message as the price.
Accidents “ I had an accident — what now?
Make the scene safe and call the police from it. In the UAE the police report is what the insurer and the garage will ask for, and a body shop will not start work without one. Then tell the rental company straight away, before the car is moved anywhere. Then message us so there is a second record of what was said.
The rental company Owns the insurance, the excess you are liable for and the repair, and logs the incident against the car.
Drivaza An accident is not something we answer with a stock reply — it goes to a person. Tell us what happened and we will get the company on it and keep a note of what was agreed.
Documents “ What documents do I need?
It depends on whether you live here. Residents need a valid UAE driving licence and an Emirates ID. Visitors need a passport, the visa or entry stamp, and their home-country licence — often alongside an International Driving Permit, which has to be issued in your own country before you travel. If someone else will drive, they need to be named as an additional driver, which is usually a priced extra rather than a favour.
The rental company Decides which licences it accepts and checks the documents at handover.
Drivaza If you are not sure your paperwork will pass, tell us what you are holding before you book and we will check it with the company. Do not send us document photos — a description is enough.
Delivery “ Can it be delivered to me?
Usually. Delivery across Dubai is something most companies here offer — to a home, a hotel, an office or the airport. It is arranged with the company rather than booked as a separate line on Drivaza, so settle the place, the time and whether there is a charge for your area before you confirm, and do the same for the return.
The rental company Brings the car, hands it over, and collects it at the end — or asks you to return it to their office.
Drivaza Tell us where you are when you send the request and we pass it on, so the company replies with a time instead of another question.
