How to Register Your Car in Dubai — A Comprehensive Guide

Firstly, Mulkiya (your car registration card) is a mandatory document to apply for a car insurance plan in Dubai. Secondly, if you drive around without a car registration card, you can be levied with a hefty fine of AED 500 and 4 black points. Find out more about how to register your car in Dubai in this guide!

Vehicle Registration for a New Car in Dubai

We will first find out the ways,process & Document of new car registration in Dubai. You can do car registration for new car in Dubai through only two methods - 

• RTA Website
• Customer Happiness Centres

How to Register Your Car in Dubai via the RTA Website?

For new car registration in Dubai, you can visit the RTA's official website and follow these steps —

• Step1- Log into your RTA account on the official website. 
• Step2- Fill in the registration form and upload the required documents. 
• Step3- Verify your customer ID using the UAE Pass.
• Step4- Pay the fees to complete the process. 

Note: You will get the new vehicle registration card, also known as Mulkiya, vehicle expiry stickers, and car number plate once you pay the registration fees. 

If you are an iPhone user, you can get digital ownership through RTA Dubai App's Apple Wallet feature.  

RTA/Driving License
Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) Sharjah	Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) Dubai
Driving License UAE	Transfer Car Registration
Driving License in Dubai

How to Register Your Car in Dubai through Customer Happiness Centres?

For new vehicle registration Dubai, you can locate the RTA Customer Happiness Centres in any of the following regions —

• Al Barsha
• Deira
• Al Twar
• Al Manarah
• Al Kifaf
• Umm Ramool

Once you visit one of these centres —

• Connect with an employee. 
• You will receive a link where you can upload your documents. 
• Once the upload is done, you will receive a transaction code. 
• Share the code with the employee. To complete your application, review it and sign it electronically.
• Pay the required amount. 

Once you pay the fees, you will then receive the ownership certificate, vehicle number plates, and an expiry sticker.

 

 

Documents Required for Dubai Vehicle Registration for a New Car

Here are the documents required for new vehicle registration in Dubai —

For UAE Nationals

• Customs Certificate or e-Customs Certificate
• Electronic Vehicle Pass Certificate (if the car has been inspected outside Dubai or imported from another source instead of the local dealer)
• Digital Insurance from the Vehicle’s Insurance Provider (valid for over 6 months)
• Original Emirates ID 
• GCC Specification Conformity Form

For UAE Residents

• Original Emirates ID
• ‘To Whom It May Concern’ Letter (applicable for students)
• Customs Certificate or Digital Customs Certificate
• Letter from Resident’s Employer Working in Semi-governmental and Governmental Organisations

RTA New Car Registration Fees in Dubai

Listed below are the new car registration Dubai fees —

• Register a Light Vehicle (Private/Commercial) — AED 400
• Public Vehicle (3 to 12 tonnes) — AED 750
• Long Plate — AED 50
• Expo-branded Number Plate — AED 100
• Knowledge and Innovation Charges — AED 20 or more
• Private Vehicle (3 to 12 tonnes) — AED 500
• Short Number Plate — AED 35
• Dubai-branded Plate — AED 200
• Expiry Sticker Fee — AED 100
• Vehicle Inspection Fee for New Cars — AED 150

Car Registration for Used Cars in Dubai

In this section, we will find out how to register a used car in Dubai. Used car registration, you can do through two methods - 

1. Used Car Registration Process in Dubai Offline
2. Used Car Registration Process in Dubai Online

Used Car Registration Process in Dubai Offline

You can register your used vehicle at Shamil or Tasjeel centres in Dubai. 

For this, simply follow the steps below —

• Step1- First, get a vehicle test certificate from authorised centres like Tasjeel or Shamil. 
• Step2- Next, obtain valid car insurance for your used vehicle. Prepare your documents, including valid Emirates ID, driver's licence, car insurance policy, and car registration card if available. 
• Step3- Visit the RTA website and submit these documents. 
• Step4- Pay the required registration fees along with any additional costs like number plate fees.

 

 

Used Car Registration Process in Dubai Online

Here's what you need to do for the online used car registration process in Dubai —

• Step1- If you are the seller of your car, open the RTA mobile application and go to Change Vehicle Ownership from the services section. If there are any fines due, pay the needful. 
• Step2- Provide the personal details of the buyer. 
• Step3- Sign the Sales Purchase Agreement (SPA) online using your UAE Pass.
• Step4- The buyer too will sign the SPA. 
• Step5- Pay the service charges.

On paying the fee, visit an RTA customer happiness centre and give the Dubai car registration plate. Make sure you do this within 2 weeks of signing the SPA.

The buyer will then get a notification where they can select any of the older Dubai registration plates or a new one. The car registration Dubai fee will change according to your chosen number plate. 

Documents for Vehicle Registration for Used Car in Dubai

Here is a list of the documents required for used car registration in Dubai —

• Traffic Record
• Vehicle Insurance
• Copy of Residence Visa (Buyer)
• Seller's Vehicle Registration Card or Mulkiya
• Vehicle Technical Inspection Certificate
• Original Emirates ID (both buyer and seller)
• Buyer's Passport Copy

Used Car Registration Fees in Dubai

Here are the charges related to used car registration in Dubai —

• Vehicle Inspection Test — AED 170
• Ownership Transfer — AED 350
• Knowledge and Innovation Fee — AED 20
• Traffic File (if not opened already) — AED 220
• Selling Fee — AED  50 

Note that other charges apply for used car registration in Dubai as well —

• Light Public or Private Vehicle — AED 350
• Long Number Plate Fee — AED 50
• Luxury Number Plate Fee — AED 500
• Short Number Plate Fee — AED 35
• Dubai-branded Number Plate Fee — AED 200
• Expiry Sticker Fee — AED 10

Dubai Vehicle Registration Validity

Having figured out the ways for Dubai car registration, it’s essential to know how long the registration remains valid. Usually, Dubai vehicle registration is valid for only a year. After this, it needs to be renewed. Moreover, once the year of registration ends, you, as the vehicle owner, get an additional grace period of 30 days to renew the registration. If the grace period ends, you will be imposed with a late fee at the time of renewing the registration.

Keeping up With Registration: Check Your Vehicle Registration Expiry Date Since the Dubai car registration expires every year, it’s important to keep a check on it. Here’s how to do the same — Visit RTA’s official website. Click on the ‘Check Vehicle Validity’ tab. Provide the car number plate and stay up-to-date with the vehicle expiry date.

 

 

How to Renew Car Registration in Dubai?

Car registration renewal is as important as car registration in Dubai. This is because once your car registration expires, your car insurance expires too. Thus, to easily do car insurance renewal and drive around the Emirates, renew your vehicle registration in Dubai within the grace period. In this part of this guide, discover how to renew your car registration in Dubai once it expires after a year. 

Documents Needed for Dubai Car Registration Renewal

Here’s a list of the documents required to renew your Dubai car registration —

• Valid driving licence
• Original and valid Emirates ID
• Vehicle Technical Inspection Certificate
• Renewed Vehicle Insurance
• Old Vehicle Registration Card/Mulkiya

How to Renew Dubai Vehicle Registration?

Here are the steps to renew your Dubai car registration —

• Step1- Pay all the pending fines. This can be on RTA’s official website or through the mobile application. 
• Step2- In case you have any black points on your driving licence, visit the police station to settle them. 
• Step3- In case your vehicle is older than 3 years, get it tested from a testing facility approved by RTA — Shamil, Tasjeel, and Wasel. 
• Step4- If your vehicle does not clear the inspection stage, you will need to get it repaired as per requirement. 
• Step5- Once done with the repairs, get the car tested again.
• Step6- After clearing the technical inspection test, you can apply for car registration renewal in Dubai. 
• Step7- You can easily renew your Dubai car registration through any of the following —
  • Vehicle Testing Centres located at Wasel, Tasjeel, Shamil, or Mumayaz
  • Official RTA website
  • RTA Customer Happiness Centres
  • RTA mobile application
  • RTA Call Centres
  • Self-service kiosks
  • You can also connect with the RTA staff by dialling 800 90 90 and get further assistance with the registration and renewal process. 
• Step8- Pay the fees. 

Once you pay the registration renewal charges, you will receive new vehicle licence card number and expiry stickers. 

Know More About Car Registration Renewal in Dubai

Dubai Car Registration Renewal Charges

Mentioned below are the fees for Dubai car registration renewal —

• Renewal Fee — AED 380
• Courier Service Fee — AED 25
• Vehicle Technical Inspection Fees (if applicable) — AED 170
• Late Fine — AED 25 (if you renew your car registration after the grace period)

Related Links
Car Registration in Abu Dhabi
Car Registration in Ajman
Car Registration in Sharjah
Car Registration in Fujairah

Frequently Asked Questions