Frequently asked questions

Yes. Tourists can rent cars across the Maldives — nearly every inhabited island has a road network, and on Dhihvaa you book directly from verified local owners. You'll need a valid driving licence (foreign licence holders should check the licence rules below) and a quick one-time ID verification before your first booking.

Yes — scooters are the most popular way to get around the islands and the most widely listed vehicle type on Dhihvaa. You need a valid motorcycle licence. Helmets are mandatory on bridges, link roads and highways — and a good idea everywhere — so ask the owner to include one.

Yes. You must hold a valid licence for the vehicle category you’re renting — a motorcycle licence for scooters, a car licence for cars. If you hold a foreign licence, you’ll generally need an International Driving Permit or an endorsement of your licence from the Maldivian transport authority to drive legally. Confirm the current requirements before your trip, and bring your licence to every pickup.

Yes — nearly every inhabited island in the Maldives has a road network, so you can drive on virtually any island people live on. Busier town islands have streets where a car or scooter is genuinely useful; on smaller islands a scooter or bicycle covers everything in minutes. The only real limit is practical: islands are separated by sea, so a vehicle stays on the island where you rent it.

The left, like the UK, India and Sri Lanka. Speed limits are low — around 30 km/h in town centres and other urban areas, and up to 50 km/h on the Sinamalé Bridge and highway links.

Where an airport island is linked to nearby islands by a bridge or causeway — such as the Sinamalé Bridge — a rented car or scooter works for airport runs. On islands reached only by sea, you'd collect the vehicle after your ferry or speedboat transfer.

Owners set their own prices, so rates vary by model, island and season. Every Dhihvaa listing shows a daily rate, and most vehicles have discounted weekly and monthly rates. Browse the live listings to compare current prices — the full total, including any security deposit and the service fee, is shown before you confirm.

Scooters are the cheapest motorised option — typically a fraction of a car’s daily rate. Owners set their own prices and most offer weekly and monthly discounts. Check the live scooter listings on Dhihvaa to see what’s available on your island today.

Payments are processed through the platform and held in escrow — the owner is only paid after the rental completes successfully. If something goes wrong, you can open a dispute and our team mediates before any money moves.

Many owners set a security deposit, which is held in escrow during the rental and released automatically after a successful return. It’s only touched if the owner files a damage claim, which our team reviews with evidence.

Yes. Cancel more than 48 hours before pickup for a 100% refund, or 24–48 hours before for a 50% refund. Cancellations under 24 hours and no-shows are non-refundable. If the owner cancels, you always get a full refund.

Yes. Every renter completes a one-time ID verification before their first booking. It keeps both sides accountable and is a big part of why owners are comfortable renting to people they haven’t met.

List it on Dhihvaa: create an account, add your vehicle with photos and rates, and submit it for verification. Listings are typically reviewed within 1–2 business days, and once approved your vehicle is bookable by verified renters.

It depends on your vehicle type, your island, and how often it's available. A scooter that would otherwise sit parked can cover its own running costs; cars and pickups earn more per day. Use the earnings calculator on Dhihvaa for an estimate based on your own rates.

Earnings are credited after each rental completes, with a short 3-day hold that mirrors the dispute window. After that, you can request a payout to your bank account from your earnings dashboard.

Dhihvaa’s protections are the security deposit, renter ID verification, and a dispute process that can apply deposit deductions for damage. This doesn’t replace vehicle insurance — keep your own comprehensive policy active, and treat the deposit as the first line of protection.

Dhihvaa — "ride" in the Addu dialect of Dhivehi — is the Maldives' peer-to-peer vehicle rental marketplace. Locals list their cars, scooters, bicycles and boats; renters book them directly, with ID verification, escrow payments and dispute resolution built in.

Any inhabited island in the Maldives — owners can list from anywhere, and you can search by island. Dhihvaa is built for everyday people renting to each other rather than for resorts, though there's nothing stopping a resort from listing its own vehicles if it wants to.