Car Hire

Yes you do need it! Luckily I brought mine, but I know people who did not and are stuck without a car for the moment.

Thanks for the info!

Does anybody know if the requirement is a International Driving Permit (IDP)or a International Driving Licence (IDL)?

The AA in the UK suggest a International Driving Permit (IDP) ?

As far as I know if you are on a visit visa or commercial visa, you can drive in Kuwait using your own country drivers licence. Once you get the residence visa, you need to get Kuwait licence. There is no need of an International License. The issue is not with the rental car but the insurance company. Talk to any rental car at the airport (I used Budget Rental Car until I bought my car) and they should be able to provide advice appropriately. Here's Budget's websites

www.budgetkuwait.com

rent can be between 150 -250kd a month

Good luck!

Budget required me to have an international driving license to rent.

+1 for Wisker

A friend of mine is currently waiting for his civil ID to be processed, he has hired a car on just a UK licience.

Don't just rent from the airport - if you shop around you'll get a much better deal.  You might want to see the driving standard too before getting behind the wheel ...

We found that the companies based at the airport were the only ones that would rent to us on an International Drivers Permit. We're from NZ. We did try to shop around and everywhere (and we went to many different areas) we went we were told to go to the airport if we wanted to rent a car. The companies outside the airport all wanted to see a civil ID and a Kuwaiti DL.

The rental companies at the airport are expensive. We rent for 150KD a month plus insurance of 15kd for every 3 months. It's just a Mitsibishi Lancer. Very basic. I have a civil id now but no Kuwaiti licence so we are stuck paying this each month.  I don't think it's good value at all but a family can't live without a car.

I tried to get some help from my employer to organise the Kuwaiti DL but they haven't been able to help me out. They just gave me a list of things I had to do, places I had to drive to , and that was it.  There were 7 separate steps in the process including 4 separate places to visit...So I gave up on that. Just figurered we'd have to keep renting from the sharks at the airport.

If anyone knows something that would help us to rent a car somewhere cheaper on an IDP please feel free to post.

Yes, that is the price I am paying as well and not having too much fun while doing it. By the way, you don't necessarily need to go to the arport, there are a number of rental offices downtown, but the price is the same.
In your case I would just buy a car. If you don't want to do it then just get the driving license done, I think you have to do it by law once you get a civil ID.

At least you have a choice, I don't.

Thanks for that. Well, I am going home to NZ in June so I don't feel like going through the whole drivers license ordeal before I go. I don't understand why its so difficult for expats to get a licence in this country. When I saw the list of things I had to do, I got scared off. And the list didn't even include getting my licence translated which I've read on this forum is a requirement. I just took one look at the list and thought...I might be living in the wrong country. When the authorities make it this much hassle just to get a drivers license it's a sign of more to come.

So. I am going home in June to reevaluate and see whether I can put up with another year here. If I can, then I'll get the licence translated when I'm home. Then I'll start the process on my return. If I don't feel like coming back at least I won't have wasted my time driving around the place and getting stressed out over documentation.

As for buying a car...I still don't think I'd bother with this. Renting for a decent price seems preferable. Especially when you want to leave suddenly. And if you have an accident. And when it breaks down.

Thanks all for the info.

Having been here a week I think taxi safest bet at the moment!