How to Transfer Car Registration from Dubai to Abu Dhabi?

Buying second-hand cars are quite popular nowadays in the UAE. This bodes extremely well for the climate, of course, and also helps in ensuring maximum utilisation of vehicles. Transferring car ownership and registration to the new owner is quite simple. However, an inter-emirate transfer may be required. For example, when the owner of a vehicle in Dubai sells their car to a customer in Abu Dhabi. The legal requirements mandate that they will have to transfer car registration from Dubai to Abu Dhabi.

In case the decision to sell the vehicle has been taken, there is a certain process to transfer car registration from Dubai to Abu Dhabi. Provided below is a guide to that same process.

Complete Process to Transfer Car Registration from Dubai to Abu Dhabi

The vehicle registration transfers from Dubai to Abu Dhabi can be done either at the headquarters of the Dubai Traffic Police or any official licensing centre of the Roads and Transport Authority. Both the new and current owner of the vehicle must be present physically for the transfer process to go ahead.

Deregistering the Car

The process to transfer car registration from Dubai to Abu Dhabi is slightly longer. Dubai authority cannot simply transfer a Dubai car registration and number plate to that of another emirate. This applies in the case of all seven emirates actually. The car and Dubai number plate of the car must be deregistered in Dubai first and then re-registered in the emirate of the new owner which is Abu Dhabi in this case. The initial steps of deregistering the car have to be taken by the current owner of the car. These steps can be completed in any authorised RTA centres.

Exporting the Car

Since cars with no valid number plates cannot be driven, the new owner must arrange for physical transport of the vehicle by lorry to Abu Dhabi. This can cost around AED 400 to AED 600. Export documents for the transport can be obtained from RTA Dubai. Once in Abu Dhabi, the new owner will initiate the registration of the vehicle.

Re-registering the Car

The process may be initiated by requesting the form for a vehicle permit application, which has to be duly filled out by the new owner. The permit application and necessary documents will need to be submitted. The authorities will check the history of the vehicle if there are any outstanding fines regarding traffic violations or otherwise. In case these are revealed, they need to be cleared by the original owner.

In Case of an Active Loan

In case the car is still under an ongoing lease or bank loan, it is technically owned by the finance company. Certain legal formalities will need to be taken care of here. The current owner can either settle the loan or get a NOC from the bank to transfer the leftover loan amount to the new owner. Of course, the transferred amount will be adjusted in the price of the vehicle, as agreed upon by both parties. Either way, the bank/financial institution has to be informed if the lease on the car is still active. 

Insurance Plan of the Car

The current insurance policy can either be terminated or transferred to the new owner in Abu Dhabi, if possible. A car insurance plan can only be transferred to the new owner if it has more than7 months of validity left. If not, the plan will have to be cancelled and the current owner will receive a pro-rated refund. The buyer in Abu Dhabi will have to purchase a new insurance policy in case the original one has expired or cannot fulfil the requirement for transfer.

Receiving the Finalised Documents

Once these formalities are done and the final documents have been procured, the transfer of ownership and registration of the car can be completed in Abu Dhabi. The new owner, along with the current owner, can visit any of the Happiness Centres in Abu Dhabi to complete their registration process. Once the registration is complete in Abu Dhabi, the new owner will receive an updated registration card and documents as well as a new number plate for Abu Dhabi vehicles. 

Documents Required to Transfer Car Registration from Dubai to Abu Dhabi

For the transfer of the car registration number from Dubai to Abu Dhabi, both the new owner as well as the seller need to have their own respective sets of documents.

The new owner needs to have the following documents:

• Original and copy of UAE driving license.
• Original insurance certificate
• Copy of their original Emirates ID
• Copy of passport along with accurate residence proof.

The current owner of the vehicle needs to have the following documents:

• Original registration card of the vehicle which was handed to him at the time of purchase (Mulkiya)
• Original copy of Emirates ID
• In case of a car loan having been taken on the car, confirmation of the final loan payment.
• A no objection letter might be required from the bank in case there is an outstanding loan on the vehicle.
• The current number plate of the car

Things to Keep in Mind

• Traffic Fine Settlement: As a standard rule of Abu Dhabi to Dubai car registration transfer, all the existing fines of the car are to be settled by the current owner. One can either do so online by checking fines on the RTA website and settling them right away or visit one of the authorised RTA centres to pay them. The current owner can also settle fines at the time of deregistering the car from Dubai. 
• Insurance Validity: While many believe that car insurance plans cannot be transferred to the new owner of the car, it’s quite certain that they can. The only thing you need to take into consideration here is the remaining validity of the plan. Validity of any less than 7 months makes the plan ineligible for transfer. 
• Loan Adjustments: Remaining a loan on the car which is to be sold can be a tricky thing to get sorted. There are a few options you can try – pay it in full before selling the car, transfer it to the new owner if they and the bank agree, or get a NOC from the bank to keep paying it later until the loan tenure ends. The last two options will require you to obtain a NOC or no objection certificate from the bank. This needs to be acquired before you go to deregister the car. 
• Presence of the Owners: Both the current and the new owner of the car must be present at the transport authority to re-register the vehicle. Make sure that is the case to avoid any inconvenience. 
• Deregistration-Export-Registration: The process of transferring car registration from Dubai to Abu Dhabi goes like this – deregistration of the car – exporting the vehicle using a lorry or similar service – registering it again in Abu Dhabi. Be sure to follow it exactly and do not drive the deregistered car. 
• Transfer in Case of Death of Previous Owner: The transfer process becomes a little complicated in the case of the death of the current owner. In such cases, the nominee or the next of the kin of the owner must be physically present in place of the deceased owner. They also must bring the death certificate of the original owner of the car. It is required to be submitted with the rest of the documents. The transfer process can then move forward as planned. 

In a Nutshell 

Buying a new car, whether second or first hand, is an achievement and a milestone in itself for everyone. While buying process is much smoother in the case of new cars, it can get a little confusing with used cars. But with the right information and correct flow of steps in mind, you can swiftly have the ownership and registration of your new car transferred to you. Just keep in mind the additional things you have to do in case of an inter-emirate transfer and the rest should be fairly smooth.