Can I Take a Rental Car from UAE to Oman? – All You Need To Know

If you’re planning a road trip from the UAE into Oman, you might be wondering whether you can take a rental car across the border?

The short answer is yes but only with certain companies and you’ll need to follow some specific procedures. Not all rental agencies allow cross-border travel and those that do will usually charge extra and require special paperwork.

This guide summarises what I found after contacting the major rental companies in the UAE and includes practical advice to help you decide whether it’s worth it.

Disclosure: When you make a booking or purchase through links on this site, I may earn commission from partners at no extra cost to you. This helps me to build the site and bring you more great posts! Thanks for your support! (See Privacy Policy)

🇴🇲 Can You Take a Rental Car from the UAE into Oman?

Here’s a summary of my findings on whether it’s possible or not to rent a car from UAE to Oman. Make sure to double-check important points yourself when booking.

✅ Rental Car Companies That Allow Trips to Oman

Yes, a few companies allow it but only with specific vehicles and at certain border crossings. You will have to give advance notice as the rental company will need to prepare a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for you. Plus, additional fees are charges and possibly a higher deposit.

🚗 Car Hire Companies That Allow Travel to Oman

Avis

• Available for residents and tourists: ✅
• Vehicles: Range from economy to standard SUV Nissan X-Terra(7-seater)
• Payment: Credit card only
• Mileage cap: 250km per day in Oman
• Extra charges:
  • AED 450 (standard vehicle) for 1-3 days, 750 for 1 week, 1,500 for 1 month
    • AED 100 per additional day
  • AED 650 (large vehicle) for 1-3 days, 1,100 for 1 week, 2,000 for 1 month
    • AED 125 per additional day
  • Mileage over 250km per day charged at AED1 per km
• Roadside assistance in Oman: ✅ Yes
• NOC: ✅ Requires 72 hours’ notice
• Insurance: Provided
• Border: Mezyad crossing (Al Ain) recommended – other borders may not work with the NOC.
• Reservation: Via call-centre only, pick up at Dubai, Sharjah or Abu Dhabi branches. (+971 4 3307272)

Thrifty

• Available for residents and tourists: ✅
• Vehicles: Limited – max size is a 5-seater (e.g., Peugeot)
• Payment: Credit card
• Extra charges:
  • AED 550 for 1–3 days
  • AED 120 per day after that
• Deposit: AED 1,500 (credit card only)
• Roadside assistance in Oman: No – you’re responsible for fixing the car or returning it to the border
• NOC: ✅ Requires 3 days’ notice
• Border: Only Mezyad crossing (Al Ain) permitted
• Reservation: Visit their website and scroll down to Oman offer or call.

Dollar

• ✅ Available for residents and tourists
• Vehicles: 4- and 5-seater cars only
• Payment: Credit card and debit card
• Extra charges:
  • AED 450 for 1–6 days,
• Deposit:
  • AED 1,000 with credit card
  • AED 3,000 with debit card (residents)
  • AED 5,000 with debit card (tourists)
• Roadside assistance in Oman: No
• NOC: ✅ Requires 1 days’ notice
• Insurance: Yes, upon request
• Border: Use Khatm Al Shikla (Al Buraimi) crossing

❌ Car Hire Companies That Do NOT Allow Travel to Oman

The following companies confirmed that they do not allow their vehicles to be driven into Oman:

• Hertz
• Europcar
• Budget
• Enterprise
• Sixt

🧾 Important Things to Know Before You Go

• NOC (No Objection Certificate) is essential and usually takes around 3 days to process.
• Only certain border crossings are accepted. These are all at the Abu Dhabi border and are Mezyad (Al Ain) or Khatm Al Shikla (Al Buraimi). Different companies specify different borders. Other Oman border crossings will most likely not accept your NOC.
• Roadside assistance varies – only some companies offer support in Oman.
• Deposits and payment methods vary:
  • Some require credit card only
  • Deposits are higher for debit card payments and then also more for tourists.
  • Cash is not an option.
• Vehicle choice is limited,especially with companies like Thrifty and Dollar
• Always confirm: Get all details and documents in writing from the rental company and read them carefully. Check insurance and mileage cap.
• Car hire companies cannot guarantee that you will be allowed to enter Oman with the rental vehicle.

Can We Take a Rent a Car to Oman from Dubai?

Yes, you can take a vehicle that you have rented in Dubai with the companies mentioned above but you must have arranged this in advance and have the NOC and you cannot go through any Dubai-Oman (Hatta) border, only Abu Dhabi border crossings.

Is It Worth Taking a Rental Car from UAE to Oman?

Maybe not, especially if you’re a solo traveller or only planning a short trip. Here’s a quick breakdown:

❌ Why it might not be worth it

• High additional costs (extra fees + large deposits)
• Limited roadside support once in Oman
• Only specific vehicles and border crossings allowed
• Requires advance planning

✅ When it might be worth it

• You’re travelling as a group (3+ people) – then it’s cheaper than flights
• You want the freedom to explore northern Oman (e.g. Sohar, Nizwa, Al Rustaq)
• You’re planning a short road trip and not going to head south.
• You have a quick business trip to do in the northern towns.
• You enjoy slow, flexible travel and don’t mind a bit of admin and extra expense.

Wrap-up on Taking a Rental Car from UAE to Oman

Yes, you can take a rental car from the UAE to Oman, but it’s not as straightforward as you probably hope. You’ll need to plan in advance, confirm details with the rental company and make sure you’re using the correct border crossing.

If you’re heading to Northern Oman (but not Musandam) and travelling with a few people, it may be an option worth considering. Just be prepared for the added paperwork and time waiting.

If you’d like to see more of places to visit in Oman, go here for Musandam Dibba and here for all Musandam and other locations in Oman.

✅ Follow on Instagram or Facebook for regular photos, tips and snippets of cultural and historical information too.
👥 Join the Glimpses of UAE Facebook group
🗞️ Sign up for the Glimpses of the UAE Newsletter
📍Take me to the Glimpses of the UAE Map to find nearby locations and plan my trip.
🥾 See some of my hiking trails, walks and off-road trips on Wikiloc.
🇴🇲 To see my Oman trips, visit In Scotterati Footsteps