How To Buy A Car In Another Emirate

Have you just found the perfect car for you but it’s for sale in another Emirate? Don’t worry; we’re here to help with a handy guide on “How to buy a car in another Emirate.”

Before we get started here are some general tips when on how to buy a car in another Emirate;

Remove the Salik tag; no Salik tags don’t carry over to the new owner as they are registered in the person’s name, not the car. Make sure the Salik tag has been removed from the vehicle as the previous owner will be getting the bills not you.
Fines; Make sure when buying a used car the vehicle has no fines if there are unpaid fines on the vehicle, it can not be transferred until paid.
Car loans; If the car has been purchased via a loan, the seller needs to clear this loan beforehand. (At least a couple of days due to bank clearance)

Note: Vehicles can only be registered in the same Emirate as one’s visa. If your visa is from Abu Dhabi, the vehicle must be registered in Abu Dhabi and cannot be registered elsewhere.

Now with that out of the way, here’s how you get your newly purchased car to your home Emirate.

Buyer from a dealer? Most if not all dealers in the UAE have extensive knowledge on how to buy a car in another Emirate and will aid you through the process with help from their PRO.

Buying privately? You’ll have to sort transferring the vehicle to your home Emirate by yourself. Check below for more information.

Buying a car in Dubai

You will have to transfer the vehicle on the back of a recovery truck (flatbed/till) from the Emirate where it was purchased into the Emirate of registration. Depending on the destination, the driver will charge between AED 150 to 600 depending on the Emirate.

Dubai Authorities do not provide export plates unless the vehicle is being exported outside of the country.

Buying A Car In Abu Dhabi

Buying a car in Abu Dhabi? You can buy export plates (usually blue) and drive the vehicle back to your home Emirate. These plates are valid for three days, and you will have to purchase export insurance at AED 250, which is valid for 14 days. Alternatively, you can also use a recovery vehicle to transfer the vehicle.

Once the vehicle has been transported to the respected Emirate you are registering it in you’ll need to still register in that Emirate via the Transport Authority.

Recovery prices will be more or less identical to Dubai depending on distance.

Buying A Car In Sharjah

Buying a car in Sharjah, but living in a different Emirate? You have two options to choose from identical to that of Abu Dhabi. You can put it on the back of a recovery, or you can obtain export plates.

Recovery prices will be more or less identical to Dubai depending on distance.

No matter the Emirate, when buying the vehicle, both the buyer and seller must be present. Once transferred to the new owner (buyer) only the new owner must be present. There is, of course, an exception to giving power of attorney to an individual if one is not available.

If the car is purchased from a dealer, most will have a PRO on hand to aid you through the process. They’ll need a copy of your Emirates ID to issue an export certificate in your name to your required Emirate which you can take to the registration department; the seller does not have to be present as long as you have the certificate in your name.

An export certificate costs AED 120.

Registering In Dubai

You’ll need the following documents to complete the process;

Insurance certificate
Driving license
Emirates ID
Transfer certificate from the other Emirate

Registering a vehicle in Dubai costs AED 340.

You may also need a Salik tag; you can check out our guide here.

For further information, check out our How to Register a car guide here.

Registering In Abu Dhabi

You’ll need the following documents to finish the process;

Driving license
Emirates ID or Passport
Vehicle registration
Vehicle test certificate
Insurance policy for 13 months

Registering a vehicle in Abu Dhabi costs AED 305.

Registering In Sharjah

You’ll need the following documents to complete the process;

Original vehicle papers
Insurance documents
Vehicle test certificate
Copy of ID (passport, Emirates ID, driving license)

Registering a car in Sharjah costs AED 395.

Dubicars recommends that you also physically take your passport, Emirates ID and driving license just in case even though copies are said to be accepted.

Once all of that has been handed over and verified, you’ll be given new number plates and a registration card also known as Mulkiya (golden card).

And that’s it! Now is the time to buy a car, choose from over 10,000 new and used cars for sale in Dubai, Sharjah, Abu Dhabi, and Ajman on Dubicars.