How to Renew Driving License in Qatar: Step-by-Step

If you're driving in Qatar on a license that's about to expire, you've got a short window and a very specific process. Here's exactly how to renew driving license in Qatar — the forms, the fees, the eye test, and the gotchas most people miss.

Quick answer

To renew driving license in Qatar, you need a valid Qatar ID, a recent eye test from an authorised optician, and the renewal fee. For most private licenses the renewal is QAR 250 for 10 years (or QAR 25 per year for shorter periods tied to your residency permit). You can apply through the Metrash2 app, the Ministry of Interior (MOI) website, a Traffic Department service centre, or an authorised typing centre. Expats must have a valid Qatar ID — if the ID is expired, renew that first.

Where to renew

You have four realistic options, and honestly Metrash2 is the easiest if your details are already on file.

Metrash2 app. Open the app, go to Traffic Services → Driving License Services → Renew Driving License. Upload the eye test if prompted, pay the fee by card, and the new license is couriered to you. Processing is usually same-day to 48 hours.

MOI website (moi.gov.qa). Same flow, done on desktop. Useful if you can't log into Metrash.

Traffic Department service centres. The main one is at Madinat Khalifa, with branches in Al Wakra, Al Khor, and the Industrial Area. Walk in, take a ticket, do the eye test on site at some locations, pay, get the license printed within the hour.

Authorised typing centres. They'll handle the paperwork for a small service fee on top of the government charge. Fine if you hate queues.

Pick based on whether your eye test is already uploaded. If not, a service centre or typing centre is faster than toggling between apps.

Documents and eye test

You need:

• Original Qatar ID (valid, not expired)
• Current driving license
• Eye test certificate from an optician licensed by the Ministry of Public Health — valid for 6 months
• Blood group proof (usually already on your QID)
• Passport for expats, in some cases

The eye test is the step people forget. Any licensed optician in Qatar — Al Jaber, Grand Optics, Vision Express, independent clinics — can do it. It costs around QAR 50–100 and takes 10 minutes. Many opticians upload the result directly to the MOI system, so by the time you open Metrash the test is already linked to your QID. Ask the optician to confirm the upload before you leave.

If you wear glasses, the renewed license will carry a restriction code requiring corrective lenses. That's standard.

Watch out: If your Qatar ID has expired, Metrash will block the license renewal. Renew the QID first through the Ministry of Interior — it's a separate process and can take a few days.

Fees and validity

Current fees published by the General Directorate of Traffic:

• 10-year renewal (private license): QAR 250
• 5-year renewal: QAR 150
• Shorter periods: QAR 25 per year
• Replacement for lost/damaged license: QAR 150
• Delivery by courier (optional via Metrash): around QAR 25

For expats, the license validity is capped at the validity of your residency permit. So if your QID expires in 3 years, your license will too — you can't get a 10-year license on a 2-year residency.

Qataris and GCC nationals typically get the full 10 years.

Pay by debit/credit card on Metrash or at the counter. Cash is accepted at service centres but card is faster.

Common issues and fines

A few things trip people up:

Driving on an expired license. It's a traffic offence under Qatar's Traffic Law (Law No. 19 of 2007) and its amendments. Fines start around QAR 500 and your car can be impounded. Don't risk it — renew before the expiry date on the license, not after.

Outstanding traffic fines. Metrash won't let you renew if you have unpaid fines. Clear them first (same app, Traffic Services → Pay Fines) and then come back to the renewal screen.

Mismatch between QID and license data. If your name spelling, nationality, or blood group differs between the two records, the system flags it. You'll need to visit a Traffic Department service centre in person to fix it before renewal goes through.

New residents converting a foreign license. That's not a renewal — that's a conversion, with a different process involving an eye test, a signature test, and sometimes a road test depending on your country of origin. Different fee, different forms.

For more on related procedures, see our answers on Qatar traffic matters.

When to start

Start the renewal 30 days before expiry. The eye test is valid for 6 months, so you can even do that part earlier. If you're travelling around the expiry date, do it before you leave — a license that expires while you're abroad means you can't legally drive the moment you land back.

One more thing: the printed license card now has a QR code. Keep the physical card on you when driving. A screenshot of the digital version on Metrash is accepted at checkpoints in most cases, but not universally — officers can still ask for the card.