Obtaining a driving licence in Tripoli

On reverse, if I have Romanian-UAE-International driving licence, I need to pass again all exams?

In Libya, you need a LIBYAN driving licence. Basically this is a $hitty looking affair which comprises two pieces of paper glued together ands laminated and one side has your pic.

No Libyan licence, then BIG wahalla with the Federalis

So you mean that no car renting for foreigners?

I can't speak for the car rental companies and which type of licence they'll accept, but I DO know that if the Feds pull you over and you DON'T have a Libyan licence, you're in the $h1t

Sandman

The question is: There, in Libya, I need to undertake again the school? Or, base on some oficial fees, I can exchange the licence into a "double-side, laminated paper"?

Cata2200,

you can validate your driving license for Libya. How to, I don't know, ask the local staff in your company. It cost my husb 350 LYD and about 1 month to wait.

And again, has anybody heard of the driving school with English-speaking instructors? I wouldn't mind Libyan driving license, I want to learn driving to drive here

I had to have my British license translated into Arabic and it cost me 60 lyd and took 2 weeks to arrive, but I have never seen any driving schools in Tripoli and when you start to drive you will know why :-)

Palachakh wrote:

It may sound crazy, but still:

Does anyone know of a school where I could learn driving (in English) and subsequently obtain a driving license (preferably international)?

Is it possible at all? Has anybody tried it?

There are many driving schools, but I am not sure if they give you an international license or not, but you should have the Libyan License any way.

For locals the fees is 10 LYD for one hour, there are one in Dahra.
You are really brave to think to drive, lol

I had my UK licence translated (and stamped) by the British Embassy - cost 60 Lyd and was ready the following day. The company PR dept got the Libyan licence for me, took about 3 weeks.

There are a few driving intructors around, they have yellow and black painted cars (with an extra steering wheel fitted !!!! ) and look like scabby old taxis.

Can I drive using my International Licence, till I will get a local driving licence?

Palachakh

I also want to drive in Libya, so please keep me updated on your progress - if it is worth it to have driving lessons... or should we just "keep our eyes closed" and drive

cata2200 wrote:

Can I drive using my International Licence, till I will get a local driving licence?

National and International driving licences are worthless in Libya, even with an Arabic translation.

So ... CONCLUSION: NO WAY.

Thanks

if you have your own country driving licence is enough , what you have to do is just to make an arabic translation to it which cost around 150 lyd.

Thanks again.

Sara,

Do you hapen to know if they have the driving instuctors speaking English? The driving school close to Dahra sounds perfect!

It is actually the necessity to drive for one thing, and for another, I just thought that Libya is an excellent place to start driving   :

1. new-licensed drivers make lots of mistakes in the beginning - here it is a common thing, so I hope there will be no great roar if I even bump slitely into somebody. And no long processing with insurance companies

2. if I ever can drive here - I can drive anywhere else for sure

Expat MJ,

I'll try to keep this thread alive for you

and Sara,

do you think they'll give a driving lisence to a foreigner?

You bring Dinar....you get licence!

Palachakh,

Unfortunately I think it is a bit naive to assume that people will disregard that you have run into their car and that you will not have to deal with insurance companies.

Being foreign and being a woman are two strikes against you when it comes to determining who is at fault when, (not if, but when), you are in an accident.  It will always be your fault unless you are lucky enough to hit another expat. 

Get into an accident with injuries reported and you will almost definetly be jailed.  Even if your company gets you out of jail quickly, your passport will be confiscated and you will not be able to leave the country for any reason until the goverment says so.  Trust me, it happens. A girlfriend of mine was in jail for 36 hours 3 weeks ago and will be lucky if she is able to leave the country for holiday by Christmas.

Dealing with insurance companies is a bloody nightmare unless you know someone that works at the insurance company or your company is looking after this for you.

In my opinion this is probably the worst possible country in the world to try and learn to drive.  Take a cab and save yourself the trouble.  It will cost you a few dinar but save you a hell of a lot less worry.  If you don't know how to drive already and drive WELL, this is not the time to try and learn.     

Just my two cents - not trying to scare you, simply making sure you are making an informed decision.

Well said LL...

laurieloo82,

thanks for the info. I really thought they do not have car insurance, but now I feel less self-assured about driving. Especially after reading about your friend. I am sorry for her.

Now I think I'd better limit myself to just taking lessons. Anyway, it is another option of, let us say, kind of entertainment vs. staying home all the time or eating out in the Green Square...

Palachakh wrote:

laurieloo82,

eating out in the Green Square...

Ya won't be doing any eating out in Green Square....not for the next month at least

Can anyone advise how to learn about the driving school close to Dahra?

0213333276,coming from Madina,left the lights.

thanks, Sara!

and does anyone know about a driving school around the Al Mahari shop?

Dunno if anyone else has actually seen inside on of the so-called "learner" cars.....

A lot of them are fitted with a second steering wheel on the right (for the "instructor")

PMSFL

The wheel is linked to steel rod which goes through the floor and somehow connects to the main rack and pinion...

TOTAL DEATH TRAP!

Best avoided like a dose of crabs!

Palachakh wrote:

and does anyone know about a driving school around the Al Mahari shop?

Any new news about the driving lessons ?

Sara,

not so far. I still have not found any school close to Al Mahari (which would be ideal), and I will have to leave the country to renew the visa soon. So I am still in the process of looking for the school

Hi
I don't have any knowledge about this. I am an Indian and i want to make my driving license at Tripoli Libya. If you get any idea about that then please inform me also.
I got some idea from my friend living in UK. He told me about a website allnewdrivers.com. They provide some driving books and DVD's for everything regarding driving.

I'm taking lessons with a driving school in Dahra and I'm British. The lessons are in Arabic - which I understand pretty well, but then I'm not a complete beginner anyway so can figure out what I don't understand.

The main terms to learn are the Italian names for brake (Freno) and clutch (frizione), gas is just "Benzine". You also need to know "Left", "Right", "Roundabout", "Slow down!!! & Watch your speed" (LOL.. this one might just be for me!). You could also, like me, teach the instructor English so he can use your language (not ideal for a beginner!)

Lessons cost 15LD per hour because I don't have a provisional licence. If I had one it would cost 10LD per hour. I also paid 45LD for something - not sure what - but my guide assured me it was normal and all people have to pay this (??!!) LOL

In any case, based on experiences with my "instructor", as a complete beginner I wouldn't even bother trying to learn in Libya. On my first lesson, the instructor gave me the keys and told me to get in and start the car... he had no idea if I even knew where the ignition was. He then said drive - again with no idea if I had ever done so before. He spends most of my lessons on his mobile phone and we stop to get drinks or drop off other students. I only keep him coz I prefer him to be distracted so he doesn't steer with me (using the double steering wheel whhich annoys the hell out of me!) and it takes him a while to realise I'm driving at 60 km instead of the required 50 km (how can anyone drive that slow?!).

The car is battered, doesn't have a rearview mirror and I have a funny feeling the car lights don't work properly (I had one, scary, lesson at night!)

I'm mostly taking the "lessons" because I like driving, don't have a licence and need something to do in the evenings (aside from work). I had excellent tuition in the UK but failed my test on a few minor points so that's why I don't feel endangered by attempting to get my licence in Libya. If I didn't already have some experience I wouldn't even bother.

My "instructor" is supposed to be finding out for me how to get a Libyan licence. Whatever info I get I'll post here.

thanks Lipgloss!

that's really good news! Can you, pls, post the tel no. of your driving school so that I could call them to locate where they exactly are?

I am learning Arabic, so I will make a try with an Arabic speaking instructor, if they don't have any English-speaking. This may do good to my Arabic if not to driving

You never know until you try...

Lipgloss,

and what about the theory? Do you take it in Arabic? If the driving license turns possible, will you take the exam for the license in Arabic?

Palachakh wrote:

Lipgloss,

and what about the theory? Do you take it in Arabic? If the driving license turns possible, will you take the exam for the license in Arabic?

What theory?

To be honest, I've only heard about people paying for their licence without taking any tests. I'll ask today if there is a theory and what the driving test involves. If like Egypt, you drive forward, backward and park

The number for the school is: 021 334 2446. I'm not so good with names of places and directions here in Tripoli so can only roughly say... if you know Zueitina Oil Company which is on the left after the bridge, then you take the second road on the right (after the bridge). There is a small garden in the middle of the road and the school is at the end of the street on the right hand side. It's called "Dahra". The name of driving school in Libya is something like "Taleem Quiada". You can ask people in the area for "Dahra Quiada"...

Just another point, which I didn't realise until I started looking for a driving school, some male instructors will not teach women (religious reasons, not wanting to be alone in a car etc) and when you sign up, the school will ask if you want a male or female instructor. Dahra school told me men are better than women for learning though and judging by the way women drive here I believe it! I'm learning road rage at the moment and teaching my instructor words like "Ass hole" and "Stupid twit"

Good luck!

Lipgloss wrote:

What theory?

I love it! this is the explanation to their driving habits I should have guessed 

thanks for the info, Lipgloss! I'll try it when I'm back in November.

Please, drop a line here if they tell you can get the license and how the exam was.

It's taking a while to get full information... so far I have:

You need what I understand to be a police clearance report - stating that you have no "beef" with the police in Libya.I was quoted 50LD for this, but advised to check if it can be obtained cheaper. I'm assuming that this means the quoted cost is excessive.

Copy of your passport - I was told "both sides". I guess this must mean that in the Libyan passports the data page has something written on the back side. Mine doesn't.

There is a system of having a provisional licence first (like in England). But it was also suggested to me that you can go direct to the main licence (I don't suppose the second option is legal though!) I was told the main licence can cost anything from 200LD up to 350LD.

Test info not received yet... I will keep you updated.