A practical walkthrough of registering your car in Dubai — the documents, fees, testing rules, and how the Mulkiya links your vehicle to your Emirates ID.
When you buy a car in Dubai, the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) requires you to register it under your name. Your registration card — the Mulkiya — is the vehicle’s official identity document. It links the car to your Emirates ID and provides formal proof of ownership.
“Your car registration card, also known as the Mulkiya, is your car’s official identity document. It links the car to your Emirates ID and provides formal proof of ownership.”
New cars are exempt from technical inspection for the first three years, so the dealership hands over the ownership certificate, registration card, plate and expiry sticker directly. Used cars must pass a technical inspection before the transfer is approved, and the seller initiates the process through the Dubai Drive app or the RTA website. The seller has two weeks from signing the sales agreement to hand over the plates at a Customer Happiness Centre.
Registration is the entry point to the UAE plate market. If you are buying a plate separately from the car, check live listings and valuations before you commit.
Evaluate a plate, browse the market, or list your own number across all seven Emirates.
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