I think the problem is that sometimes decisions are made high up and then not passed down. For example, recently the police announced in the Gulf Times that a visitor could drive for two weeks before having to obtain a driving licence. However, when we visited the Traffic Department to confirm this prior to updating our website they insisted that it was only one week. However, as it is presumably the traffic police we were talking to who will be enforcing the rules, it is probably better to follow their interpretation of the rules.

Incidentally, you should be able to use an International drivers licence for six months, although again this may have been changed.