Before you start

A valid residence permit — nothing proceeds without it
Your original, unexpired foreign licence
A certified Arabic translation where the licence is not in Arabic or English
An eye test from an approved centre

Step-by-step

1
Confirm your country's conversion status with the DVLD
Whether you convert directly or must sit a test depends on the issuing country and any bilateral arrangement. Verify with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Department rather than relying on what a colleague from a different country experienced.
In personWho: YouSame dayFree to check
2
Get the translation and the eye test
A certified Arabic translation is required for licences not in Arabic. An approved centre issues the vision certificate. Do both before your DVLD appointment.
In personWho: YouA day or twoModest
3
Apply at the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Department
Take the residence permit, passport, original licence, translation and eye test. Direct conversions are usually processed on the day; where a test is required you will be referred to a driving school first.
In personWho: YouSame day to a few weeksGovernment fee
4
Insure the vehicle and understand what is compulsory
Third-party motor insurance is compulsory in Jordan. Comprehensive cover is worth having given the density of minor collisions in Amman traffic. Check whether the policy covers you for trips to neighbouring countries if that is relevant.
In personWho: YouBefore you driveVaries by vehicle
5
Think hard about the car before you buy one
Vehicle import duties and registration costs in Jordan are high, which is why the second-hand market is expensive relative to incomes and why hybrids and electric vehicles have a large market share here. Get the total on-the-road cost, including registration and inspection, before committing to a purchase.
In personWho: YouBefore buyingSubstantial — verify current duty rates
6
Learn your hill routes and your winter alternatives
Amman's gradients are severe and a snowfall or ice event makes several routes impassable for ordinary cars. Learn which of your regular routes have the steepest climbs and what the flatter alternative is, before the first cold snap rather than during it.
In personWho: YouFirst autumnFree

Documents you’ll need

Residence permit
Passport
Original foreign licence plus certified Arabic translation where required
Eye test certificate
Vehicle registration and compulsory insurance

Things most newcomers don’t know

Cars are expensive in Jordan for a reason, and it changes the calculation on owning one.

Jordan imposes substantial duties on vehicle imports, which is why second-hand cars cost more here than income levels suggest and why hybrids and electric vehicles have taken a large market share. For someone on a two-year posting the arithmetic frequently favours not owning a car at all: ride-hailing is cheap and ubiquitous in Amman, and the money tied up in a vehicle you will sell at a loss is significant. Price the whole ownership cycle, including resale, before you buy.

Source: Jordanian vehicle import duty regime; local market practice

Amman's roundabouts are the eight numbered circles, and they are how the city thinks.

First through Eighth Circle along Zahran Street are not just junctions — they are the city's coordinate system. Addresses, directions, taxi instructions and dinner invitations are all given relative to them. Several have been rebuilt as tunnels or interchanges but retain the name. Learning them in order, and knowing which circle you live nearest, converts Amman from an incomprehensible sprawl into a navigable line. Do it in your first week.

Source: Local navigation convention

Winter here genuinely closes roads, and almost nobody has appropriate tyres.

Amman sits above 750 metres and gets snow most winters, with a significant fall closing schools, offices and roads for days. The combination of steep gradients, summer tyres and drivers with no snow experience makes even a few centimetres genuinely dangerous, and the city's response is generally to stop. Do not plan around driving in a snow event, keep food in the flat, and if you live on a steep hill, know that you may not get the car out for two days.

Source: Local winter practice; Amman topography

Taxi meters and ride-hailing are a real decision, not a preference.

Amman's yellow taxis are metered and the meter is meant to be used, but negotiation still happens with newcomers, particularly from the airport and in tourist areas. Careem and Uber operate throughout the city with fixed upfront pricing, which removes the argument entirely and gives you a route record. For a newcomer who cannot yet describe an Amman address in Arabic, the app's map pin is worth more than the fare difference.

Source: Local practice

Common mistakes to avoid

Buying a car without pricing import duty, registration and realistic resale.
Starting the conversion before the residence permit is issued.
Assuming your country converts directly because a colleague's did.
Planning to drive during a snow event on an Amman hill with summer tyres.
Accepting a negotiated taxi fare from the airport instead of a metered or app-priced ride.

Some of this may be out of date. Spotted something inaccurate? Help us keep it right for the next newcomer.