Car Registration in Dubai: Renewal, Fees & More

New car registration in Dubai
Documents required for new car registration
Used car registration in Dubai
Car registration renewal in Dubai
FAQs

Whether you buy a new or used car, registration is mandatory before you drive it around Dubai. RTA strives to make the process simple and straightforward for everyone. You just need to take care of the prerequisites and follow a few simple steps.

Today, we will take you through the car registration process of new and used cars in Dubai and discuss the cost associated with the process.

How to Get Your New Car Registered

If you plan on buying a new car of your choice, the dealer will usually get the registration paperwork done before handing over the keys. However, if that isn’t the case for any reason, registration of new cars in Dubai is pretty convenient even when you are doing it yourself.

All you have to do is visit an authorized RTA service centre or service provider with any of the following document to initiate the car registration process:

Valid Dubai issued residence visa
Rental contract in the car owner’s name
Proof of employment in the city of Dubai

Mandatory Documents for Registration of New Cars in Dubai

Important documents for new car registration — Several dealers take care of the registration before handing over the keys to your new car

To register a brand new car in Dubai, you will need the following documents:

Original Emirates ID
Copy of passport
Traffic file for the new vehicle
UAE Vehicle Customs Card or Possession Certificate
A hardcopy or a softcopy of the sales agreement between the showroom and buyer
An authorization letter from the car showroom
Car Insurance Certificate from an authentic insurance provider of the UAE (getting your car insured is a legal requirement for all vehicles in Dubai. Car insurances are generally valid for at least 12 months)
Letter from the bank (in case the car’s purchase was financed by a bank)

After sorting out these documents, visit any RTA approved Customer Happiness Centres or Tasjeel, Wasel or Mumayaz Testing Centres. Submit the required documents, and pay the necessary service fees.

You will receive the new vehicle license card (also known as Mulkiya), car number plate and vehicle expiry stickers after paying the new car registration fees.

The cost of a brand-new car’s registration is AED 420. The new vehicle naturally wouldn’t have a traffic file, but opening one is mandatory and will cost you AED 220. Usually, the entire process of getting a new car registered does not take more than 10 to 20 minutes.

How to Get a Used Car Registered in Dubai

There is a massive demand for second-hand cars in the emirate. To register a second-hand car in Dubai, the following documents are required:

Traffic file
Valid Vehicle Technical Inspection Certificate (if a used car does not clear the technical testing phase, it is sent for retest after necessary repairs)
Vehicle Insurance
Original Emirates ID of the buyer and seller
A copy of the buyer’s residence visa
A copy of the buyer’s passports
Vehicle license or Mulkiya from the seller

All used cars are inspected at Tasjeel or Shamil centres before being handed over to buyers. The documents mentioned above are also submitted at these centres. After submission, the ownership transfers to the buyer and the used-car registration process begins.

After the new owner pays the service fees, they receive the vehicle license, new vehicle license plate (if the number plate was changed) and vehicle expiry stickers.

The cost of second-hand car registration is also AED 420 in Dubai. Other necessary expenses associated with the transfer of ownership include:

Vehicle inspection test: AED 170
Traffic file (if it does not exist): AED 220
Transfer of ownership fee: AED 350
Selling fee: AED 50
Knowledge and innovation fee: AED 20

As for from where to get used cars, apart from Dubai showrooms offering secondhand vehicles, you can buy used cars online from dubizzle, popular cars on the platform include:

Car Registration Renewal in Dubai

Your car registration in Dubai needs a renewal every year. Vehicle owners generally get a grace period of a month after the registration expires – but after that additional fee will be charged. This additional fee can easily be avoided by renewing a vehicle timely.

You can easily renew your car in Dubai following these steps:

Settle all pending fines against your car. Fine payments can be made easily at RTA’s official website or through the application.
If your car has any black points, visit any of the Dubai Police stations to settle them.
If your car is over 3 years old, get it tested from an approved RTA testing facility, such as Shamil, Wasel and Tasjeel.
If your car does not clear the technical inspection stage, you will need to make the required repairs.
The car will be re-tested.
Once cleared, you can apply for the car-renewal registration process in Dubai.
Again, just like buying a second-hand car, you can get second-hand vehicles renewed from an authorized RTA happiness centre or through RTA online.
Once the process is complete and the renewal fee has been paid, you will receive a new vehicle license card number and new expiry stickers.

Where to renew your car registration in Dubai

You can get your car registration renewed through the following:

Vehicle Testing Centres: Wasel, Shamil, Mumayaz or Tasjeel
RTA Mobile Application: Google Play | Apple Store
Official RTA Website
RTA Call Centres
RTA Customer Happiness Centres
Self-service kiosks

Moreover, you can also contact the Road and Transport Authority at 800-90-90 for more questions about the registration and renewal process.

Car registration renewal service fee in Dubai

Vehicle registration renewal charges in Dubai are:

Renewal fees: AED 380
Vehicle Technical Inspection charges (if required): AED 170
Courier service charges: AED 25
Late fine: AED 25 (per month after passing the grace period)

DOCUMENTS REQUIRED FOR CAR REGISTRATION RENEWAL IN DUBAI

The following documents are required to renew car registration renewal in Dubai:

Valid Driving License
Renewed Vehicle Insurance
Original Emirates ID
Old Vehicle Registration Card / Mulkiya
Vehicle Technical Inspection Certificate

HOW TO CHECK VEHICLE REGISTRATION EXPIRY DATE IN DUBAI

You can follow the below-mentioned steps to check vehicle registration expiry date in Dubai.

Visit the official RTA website.
Click ‘Check Vehicle Expiry’
Entre licence plate number and find out the vehicle expiry date

The car registration typically lasts for one year, so keep a check and renew it as soon as it expires.

FAQs about Car Registration in Dubai

Is there any grace period for car registration in the UAE?

Car registration renewal has to be done on a yearly basis in the UAE. Driver’s get a grace period of 30 days to renew their vehicle’s registration after the expiry date has passed.

Can people register several cars under their name in Dubai?

Yes, there is no limit to the number of cars registered in an individuals name.

What are the other costs of owning a car?

Apart from the car’s own cost, the cost for the registration test is AED 170, AED 830 for transfer of ownership, AED 100 in case the buyer wants to get a new number plate, AED 100 for Salik. AED 520 for export inside the country, AED 470 for export outside the country, and AED 200 is applicable if you don’t have a traffic file in Dubai.

We explained the process of registering brand new cars, used cars and the process of car renewals in Dubai in simple terms. Registration of both new and used cars in Dubai is quite simple if you have all the documents prepared. We hope this guide helped you understand all the requirements and prepare accordingly.

For more information on laws and regulations regarding car buying and selling, stay tuned to the UAE’s top auto blog.

How to Register Your Car in Dubai