How to Apply for an RTA Permit to Advertise on Vehicles in Dubai

Advertising on vehicles in Dubai is not allowed. Even if you want to put stickers on your car, you need to get approval. Similarly, if advertising companies need to place ads on Dubai registered vehicles, they need to acquire a permit from the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA). 

Obtaining an RTA vehicle advertisement permit also ensures that the ad content is according to the stated laws of RTA Dubai. The permit is only granted if the content is non-offensive to the values and law of the society and that the vehicles meet the technical specifications. 

Let’s find out how to apply for an RTA vehicle advertising permit, terms and conditions as well as service fee according to the type of vehicle and ad. 

WHO CAN APPLY FOR AN RTA VEHICLE ADVERTISEMENT PERMIT IN DUBAI?

Advertising agencies registered in Dubai can apply for an RTA permit to advertise on vehicles.   

DOCUMENTS REQUIRED FOR OBTAINING AN RTA VEHICLE ADVERTISEMENT PERMIT IN DUBAI

Whether the ad is to be placed on a new or used car in Dubai, the requirement of documents will remain the same for both.  Here is the list of documents that are required for obtaining an RTA vehicle advertisement permit. The required documents vary according to the type of vehicle: 

• For advertisement on commercial vehicles, applicants must submit a copy of the trade licenses issued in Dubai and the design of the ad that is to be printed on the vehicle’s four sides plus a mock-up. 
• Same documents are required for placing advertisements on motorcycles. 
• If it’s a mobile advertising vehicle or a trailer/semi-trailer, the applicant should provide a copy of the trade licence issued in Dubai along with the advertising activity. Also, the ad’s design is to be printed on four sides plus a mock-up. 
• For other vehicles, the requirement of documents remains the same. Only an additional request letter addressing RTA is required for pasting the advertisement sticker on the vehicle with a complete explanation of the activity. 

SERVICE FEE FOR RTA VEHICLE ADVERTISEMENT PERMIT 

The fee for acquiring a permit to advertise on vehicles varies as it depends on the type of vehicle and which areas of the vehicle will be used for advertising. Here is the breakdown of the service fee accordingly:

TYPE	GROUP	DURATION	FEES
TYPE Commercial vehicles: logo and commercial name on the front doors without the windows	GROUP All groups	DURATION Annually	FEES AED 2500
TYPE Commercial vehicles: a complete wrap excluding the windows	GROUP Light vehicle, bus for up to 16 passengers	DURATION Annually	FEES AED 1000
TYPE Commercial vehicles: a complete wrap excluding the windows	GROUP Cooler truck, pick up, pick up with trunk	DURATION Annually	FEES AED 1500
TYPE Commercial vehicles: a complete wrap excluding the windows	GROUP Bus for 26 passengers	DURATION Annually	FEES AED 1500
TYPE Commercial vehicles: a complete wrap excluding the windows	GROUP Heavy bus	DURATION Annually	FEES AED 2500
TYPE Commercial vehicles: a complete wrap excluding the windows	GROUP Light mechanical equipment	DURATION Annually	FEES AED 1500
TYPE Commercial vehicles: a complete wrap excluding the windows	GROUP Heavy mechanical equipment	DURATION Annually	FEES AED 2500
TYPE Commercial vehicles: a partial wrap excluding the windows	GROUP Light vehicle, bus for up to 16 passengers	DURATION Annually	FEES AED 500
TYPE Commercial vehicles: a partial wrap excluding the windows	GROUP Cooler truck, pick up, pick up with trunk	DURATION Annually	FEES AED 1000
TYPE Commercial vehicles: a partial wrap excluding the windows	GROUP Bus for 26 passengers	DURATION Annually	FEES AED 1000
TYPE Commercial vehicles: a partial wrap excluding the windows	GROUP Heavy bus	DURATION Annually	FEES AED 1500
TYPE Commercial vehicles: a partial wrap excluding the windows	GROUP Light mechanical equipment	DURATION Annually	FEES AED 1000
TYPE Commercial vehicles: a partial wrap excluding the windows	GROUP Heavy mechanical equipment	DURATION Annually	FEES AED 1500
TYPE Motorcycles	GROUP Personal advertisement	DURATION Annually	FEES AED 250
TYPE Squad bikes	GROUP Advertisement for others	DURATION Weekly	FEES AED 500
TYPE Advertising companies	GROUP Mobile vehicle & Locomotive and trailer	DURATION Annually	FEES AED 50,000
TYPE Advertising on a special status vehicle	GROUP Mock up special status like mobile vehicles for selling and providing special services	DURATION Weekly	FEES AED 2500
TYPE Advertising on a vehicle for an event	GROUP Light vehicle	DURATION Weekly	FEES AED 2500

HOW TO APPLY FOR AN RTA PERMIT TO ADVERTISE ON VEHICLES IN DUBAI 

Companies can apply for an RTA vehicle advertising permit via RTA Dubai’s official website. Here’s  how they can do it: 

• Log in to the RTA Dubai’s website using your credentials
• Select the service on the website ‘Advertising on Vehicles’
• Upload the soft copy of required documents and submit
• You will receive transaction number via Email and SMS provided when filling the form 
• The RTA’s relevant team will go through the application
• Applicant will be notified about the permit’s rejection or approval via SMS and Email
• If the application is approved, applicant have to pay the fees online or at the RTA Customer Happiness Centres, located in Al Barsha and Umm Ramool
• Print the RTA vehicle advertisement permit 

VALIDITY OF THE RTA PERMIT TO ADVERTISE ON VEHICLE 

The validity period of permit varies, as it depends on the ad type and event duration. However, if the companies need to advertise on vehicles for a long period, then they might have to apply for RTA vehicle advertising permit renewal. 

TERMS AND CONDITIONS 

Before placing any advertisement on the vehicle in Dubai, advertising agencies need to make sure that the following terms and conditions are met: 

• If the applicant is using a rental vehicle for placing the ad, then they should provide a No Objection Certificate from the car leasing company in Dubai
• Approval is required from the Vehicle Licencing Department if the ad is to be placed on mobile advertising vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers
• If the ad to be placed from an advertising agency outside Dubai, then the ad design and mock-up have the stamp from the country’s consulate or embassy 
• Make sure there is no difference in the company’s trade name in Arabic as mentioned on the trade licence
• If the advertising agency is registered in Dubai SME then they can avail 50% discount. But for this an official letter is required with the application
• Approval of Dubai Police (CID) is required to change the vehicle’s colour for an ad 
• If the ad is about real estate, the ad agency should provide a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Dubai Land Department (DLD)
• If the advertising agency is pasting the ad for a brand, then the brands’ owner NOC and trademark ownership registered at the Ministry of Economy should be provided

A few terms and conditions apply on the ad content as well. Here is the list of rules that advertising companies need to follow when creating ads for vehicles in Dubai: 

• The ad content should not have less than 50% of Arabic language
• Any type of religious symbols or slogans should not be in the ad content
• Pictures in the ad violating public morality are not allowed 
• The ad content should only be in Arabic and English language only
• Use of 3D images in ad for vehicles is not allowed 
• Any symbol encouraging smoking is not allowed in advertising content
• No flags of any country are to be displayed in the ad 
• Real people images are not to be used in the ad 
• The ad design should not have all the images and text on one side, it should be equally divided
• Pictures should not be placed on the top part the vehicle
• Vehicle windshields should not have any ad displayed
• You can only add maximum five images in an ad on each side of the vehicle  
• The company can only mention the activities mentioned in the trade licence, mentioning any other activity in the ad is not allowed 
• For a lost or damaged RTA vehicle advertisement permit, the company needs to pay AED 100 to get a new one 
• AED 100 is applicable on any changes in the permit

Here our guide on how to apply for an  RTA vehicle advertising permit comes to an end. Once you apply for the permit, you can check the status of your application via RTA’s official website by vehicle number or application number. Besides, advertising companies can opt to invest in second-hand heavy vehicles for sale in Dubai that can be used for ad placement. However, the requirement of vehicles may vary depending on the type of ad and clients’ requirement. 

Stay tuned to the UAE’s popular auto blog for more information on different vehicle related laws, driving rules, fines and a lot more.