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Dubai: Planning to sell your vehicle to a motorist living in another emirate? If so, the process for transferring vehicle ownership from one emirate to another is clear and straightforward, if the car that is being sold does not have pending fines or an unpaid loan.

The buyer and seller can complete the entire process at vehicle testing and registration service centres across the UAE, as long as they both have a traffic file open in the UAE.

Here are all the details.

Step 1: Check if your vehicle has any pending fines or loans

If you are planning to sell your car, the first thing you should do is check if you have any pending fines on your vehicle. If so, make sure you clear all the fines with the local police department in your emirate and apply for a Vehicle Clearance Certificate. This certificate is only valid for a month, so you need to ensure that you complete the sale within this period.

If the car has any unpaid loans, you must clear them, otherwise, you will not be able to sell the car. If you have paid all the instalments, get a clearance letter from the bank to proceed to the next step.

Step 2: Make sure you have the required documents

To transfer the vehicle ownership, here are the documents you must provide:
• Vehicle Clearance Certificate
• Bank clearance letter
• Original Emirates ID
• Valid vehicle registration card (mulkiya)
• Valid driving licence

Step 3: Go to the nearest vehicle registration centre

Both the buyer and seller should be present together at the vehicle registration centre to complete the process. You can visit a vehicle registration and testing centre like Shamil, Tasjeel or Vehicle Inspection Centres (VIC) in Abu Dhabi.

Step 3: Get the Vehicle transfer certificate

Once you provide the required documents, you must pay the service fee and hand over the car number plate at the centre. You will then receive an electronic ‘Vehicle transfer certificate’ through SMS and email. The process will take around 10 to 15 minutes.

Step 4: The buyer completes the vehicle transfer process.

The buyer must then take the transfer certificate and go to the vehicle registration centre in their emirate to finalise the process. If you are the buyer of the vehicle, when you are at the vehicle registration centre, you must also buy car insurance and get the vehicle inspected. Once that is complete, the vehicle will be registered under your traffic file, and you will receive the vehicle registration card, and the new licence plate. 

Cost

Dh100 – for vehicle transfer certificate light vehicles
Dh500 – service fee for transferring vehicle ownership between emirates.
Total – Dh600