A method and an apparatus for performing direct communication with at least one other user equipment are provided. A method performed by a UE includes transmitting, to at least one other UE included in a group call with the UE, a first message requesting permission for transmission; starting a timer upon transmitting the first message; restarting the timer in response to the timer expiring before a second message in response to the first message has been received; stopping the timer in response to receiving the second message before the timer expires; retransmitting the first message each time the timer expires before receiving the second message until a total number of transmissions of the first message reaches a predetermined number of times; transmitting, to the at least one other UE, a third message indicating that the permission for transmission is granted to the UE after the first message is transmitted the predetermined number of times and the timer expires before receiving the second message; and transmitting media data to the at least one other UE after transmitting the third message.