UAE: Want to sell your vehicle in another emirate? You must have a vehicle transfer certificate – here’s how to apply for it

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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. 

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