File photo by Salim Matramkot / The Peninsula
Doha, Qatar: The Ministry of Interior on Thursday warned that driving a vehicle without holding a valid driving licence constitutes a serious traffic offence punishable by imprisonment and heavy fines.
In an awareness post on its social media platforms, the ministry said driving without a licence poses a direct threat to road safety and cannot be settled or reconciled.
Under Article (94) of the Traffic Law, offenders face imprisonment for a period ranging from one month to three years, and a fine of not less than QR10,000 and not exceeding QR50,000, or either of the two penalties.
The violation applies specifically to individuals who do not hold a valid Qatari driving licence.
However, for drivers who possess a valid licence but are not carrying the physical card at the time of inspection, the licence can be verified digitally through the Metrash application at checkpoints or during traffic inspections.
The advisory forms part of ongoing public awareness efforts aimed at promoting responsible driving behaviour and reinforcing compliance with Qatar’s traffic legislation.
