Kuwait’s Ministry of Interior, through the General Traffic Department, provides driving license renewal services for citizens and residents under the country’s applicable traffic regulations. Eligible motorists can complete relevant procedures through the Ministry’s electronic platforms and the unified government application, Sahel.

The service is particularly important following regulatory amendments that changed the validity periods of driving licenses, alongside the government’s efforts to replace traditional physical documents with secure digital alternatives and reduce unnecessary visits to traffic departments.

Under the amendments to Kuwait’s Traffic Law Executive Regulations, private driving licenses are valid for 15 years for Kuwaiti citizens and nationals of Gulf Cooperation Council countries, while the validity period for non-Kuwaitis is five years. These provisions are reflected in Ministerial Resolution No. 1257 of 2025, published in the Official Gazette on July 27, 2025. The amendment means that expatriate motorists should no longer rely on the former three-year validity period when reviewing the rules applicable to private driving licenses, although all other legal eligibility requirements remain relevant.

The General Traffic Department has confirmed that driving license renewal and replacement services are available through the Sahel application. Applicants can access the Ministry of Interior’s services, select the required traffic transaction, submit a new request and monitor its progress electronically. The digital services also include applications for replacing lost or damaged licenses. For expatriate drivers, Kuwait has adopted digital driving licenses through the Kuwait Mobile ID application, known as Hawiyti, removing the need to print physical licenses in cases covered by the electronic system.

According to Kuwait’s official government portal, the standard documents listed for driving license renewal include the original Civil ID and a copy, one personal photograph and the expired driving license. The portal also specifies additional medical requirements for certain age groups. Applicants older than 70 seeking renewal of a private driving license, and those older than 60 renewing a public driving license, must undergo another medical examination. Actual requirements may depend on the category of license, the driver’s circumstances and the service channel being used.

Regarding fees, the government service page lists a charge of KD 1 for each year of a private driving license, KD 5 for a motorcycle license and KD 20 for public and construction driving licenses, as categorized on the official portal.

Applicants should verify the final payable amount through the Ministry’s electronic payment process because the actual transaction may depend on the license category, duration and associated services. Renewal charges should also be distinguished from fees for obtaining a new license, as these are separate administrative transactions with different requirements.

Motorists should pay particular attention to the timing of renewal because published government guidance contains some differences. While one official service description states that the license must have expired before renewal, a separate General Traffic Department announcement permits renewal up to six months before the expiry date.

Citizens and residents should therefore check their eligibility directly through Sahel or the Ministry of Interior’s online systems. Monitoring digital license status and following the applicable renewal procedures can help drivers maintain valid authorization and avoid problems associated with expired driving documents.

Source: Kuwait Ministry of Interior — General Traffic Department — Kuwait Government Online.