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Buying a Motorcycle in Oman

Driving permission in any country is different for a tourist then for a resident (non-citizen but long term visa holder). Since most of the countries allow tourists to drive the vehicle with their home country license up to a certain period time (usually 3 - 6 month) but may not beyond without that country licence, like in Oman.

So Far I drove in many countries (About 20 countries: 5 in South America, 6 in Europe, 7 in Asia) but have never been asked for Driving License on road. Have been asked for Bike papers, Insurance and Visa etc. but never for Driving License and that was surprising as it was for the first time that I did get an international driving License from My home country. I took two times earlier (since it is valid for one year only) but was never asked by anyone. So I thought that it's just another method for the  Governments to make money or for show-off or might be asked in USA where I haven't driven.  Moreover, international driving licence is not an authorized document by any international governing body and any country is free to disrespect it if they do not respect your country driving licence because issuing country for body is same. The only thing is that if that particular country can read your driving licence language or if a country does not recognize your international driving license language than you can keep official translation of your driving license in that country language so I did spend money in translation of my driving license to Portuguese for Brazil (Again Waste of Money as nobody asked me for driving licence).

Strict rules in Gulf countries do not suggest that I drive a Motorcycle in Oman without meeting legal Requirements and unfortunately, initially I couldn't find out where I could get the information for the same.

I asked all the people around me, (Expats, Shops, Motorcycle dealers and even Bike-Mechanics) and then went to the Royal Oman police (ROP) Website for the same (ROP Traffic Rules). There was nothing on the website.

Finally there was a motorcycle club in Muscat and they gave me the information and that I cross checked by visiting the Traffic police office in Seeb. So here I share my experience of getting legal requirements fulfilled for driving the bike based on the information collected from People.

1. Need to have Green book (learner license)

2. Buy a bike

3. Get a learner's number plate (L- plate)

Need to have green book (learner license)

You need to go with your country license for blood group or take medical reports showing the blood group.

There is an eye test and then they will give you the green book of 6 months validity. Sometime they stop giving Green Book to expats for motorcycle, sometime they start giving it. So if that has been closed, There is hardly anything one can do.

Buying the Motorcycle

Bikes are twice the rate of India here. So I wanted a second-hand bike here. I went here and there in Ruwi area and Hameria area also, searched with various motorcycle mechanics, but wasted. Then I came to know about oman.dubizzle.com. It's the topmost website here to buy or sell anything here (I am telling this by experience, Google shows many website and I explored all of them like expatriates.com, muscatads.com etc.).

I got a deal really, only a 6-month-old KTM 150 (Chinese bike) at half the price.


First one needs to transfer the insurance at the buyer name (takes 5 Omani riyal (RO) = 5*2.6 = 13USD)

Then we both went to ROP traffic-Seeb office, transition was quick, 5 minute job (Charges again 5 Omani riyal (RO) = 5*2.6 = 13USD.

Get a learner's number plate (L- plate)

I am writing this blog just to pass on the information for the bikers who want to purchase a motorbike in Oman with following suggestion that "Rules keep changing so always inquire fresh and verify directly with the concerned department. You never know what might have change at their end and you might get a piece of luck where initially you see a dead end. I got lucky by myself many times like this. So lnline websites or blogs like this are for preliminary information which may or may not be correct at your time of Inquiry. Hence don't be encouraged or discouraged by reading them, Enquire directly also. 

And in the last I would say that "Follow the passion, noting else is really matter in the life if we observe carefully (at least by following passion, we get happy for that time being😅.)

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