Not on the roads... |
It means that from today anyone transferring vehicles through Dubai will have to use a transporter to carry the vehicle.
According to the law, the plates can be used for a maximum of 14 days after the car has been transported into the country.
In the past, export cars have been illegally sold and their temporary export plates have been used under the guise of a foreign registration plate.
Brigadier Abdul Rahman Rafee, Director of the department told Gulf News that it was all part of efforts to improve services, uphold the law and maintain safety on the roads.
"From now on, two types of number plate will be recognised in case of exporting, importing or transferring a vehicle from another emirate to Dubai. In the case of transferring from another emirate the car will hold a 'transfer' number plate. This plate will be valid for 48 hours only and will carry its date of expiry.
"The other kind is the export plate number used for vehicles that are exported or imported into the emirate. Vehicles with these plates can only be carried on a car transporter and are not to be driven on the roads."
Police outlined their procedures for seizing cars being driven with these number plates, saying that offenders would be fined and made to pay the cost of moving the car to the police station.
Export plates must only be used for a fortnight and if the car is to stay in the UAE it must be quickly allocated a Dubai licence plate.
Many export vehicles are right-hand-drive cars, intended for sale in other countries, and as such they are already deemed illegal in the UAE. The project to impose the new restrictions is already underway and from today people should use the proper export plates.
"We have already started seizing vehicles being driven illegally with export plates," Brig Rafee said.
He added that police have in the past cracked illegal car sales syndicates which have sold cars with illegal number plates. The plates have no corresponding official records and, as such, the owners are difficult to trace.
Dubai is a major trading post for the import and exporting of vehicles and is second only to Japan for the volume of exported cars which pass through.
The emirate has more than 300 car agencies and exports come here before travelling onwards to Europe, Asia and Africa.
Brig Rafee added: "We are keen to offer the best services and to make people's lives safer and more secure. We will be very strict in applying the law and offenders will face heavy penalties."
