Dos & Don’ts of Shipping Your Car to Dubai

Shipping your car to Dubai

Dubai is best experienced through its roads! That being said, consider the option of car shipping for your prized vehicle from your home country to Dubai, if you don’t have any personal means of transport. Although buses, the metro, and taxis are available in the city and are comparatively cheap to use, you might prefer to use your own conveyance. So read below for the dos and don’ts of this process and book a car shipping company now. 

The Dos of Shipping Your Car

There are some formalities that you have to fulfill and be aware of in order to ship your car to Dubai without any delays. 

Follow UAE Specifications 

When planning to ship your car to Dubai. Keep in mind that the car adheres to GCC specs. These include left-hand driving, enhanced radiators, and rust protection.

Select the Import Regime

How your car is delivered to you is also a crucial part of the shipment. There are three ways to do this:

  1. Container Service: It can be expensive to pay for this service, but it can cut down your arrival time.
  1. Ro-Ro: Roll-On Roll-Off service is provided by RORO shipping companies in Dubai. The car is shipped in a vessel and will mostly involve transshipping.
  1. Air: This service is by far the quickest but also very expensive. It involves sending the car through air freight.

Get Your Documents Right 

To have your car released at the port, make sure you have all the required documents. These include:

  1. Original invoice of your vehicle to prove ownership and value.
  2. Certificate of Origin to prove where the vehicle was made.
  3. Your original passport, driving license, and UAE resident visa.
  4. Original shipping receipt.

Follow Customs 

You will need to pay charges of about 5% of the cars worth to the authorities. It covers the value of the vehicle, 1% insurance, and the cost of the shipment.

Get the Vehicle Clearance Certificate 

Before registration, the car will go through the RTA inspection. You can get the car tested in Tasjeel, Al Shamil, or Tamam.  Upon inspection, you will receive a certificate to approve the quality of the car.

De-register/Register 

Once you get your car, be sure to de-register it from your own country and register it to Dubai from RTA before driving it.

Apply for Motor Insurance 

Regardless of if you’re car shipping from UAE or to UAE, insurance is required to protect the car in case of damage. However, getting car insurance in Dubai for an imported car older than 10 years requires third-party insurance.

Take Precautions 

Make sure that before importing the car, your shipping company has informed you that they will drain the fuel tank and disconnect the battery to prevent a risk of fire. You don’t want unnecessary damage as it can affect your shipping insurance.

Check for Valid License 

Before you ship your car to the UAE, check if you have a valid driving license from the approved countries list. However, if you don’t, then you will need to take a road test and a few classes at the RTA driving school.

The Don’ts of Importing Your Car

When importing your vehicle through car shipping companies in the UAE make sure you avoid the factors mentioned below.

Damaged Cars 

Cars that have manufacturing defects, water damage, have been rebuilt, are burned out, or are beyond repair are banned from being imported. These cars are classified as ‘Grossly Damaged,’ and the ban is implemented to curb the salvaged title cars import. In case you decide to leave your car behind and need car financing in Dubai, compare car loan rates.

No Blue Export Number Plates 

After the three days limit, cars should not be driven with foreign or blue export number plates. It is important you collect the UAE number plates after this period.

Don’t Ship Other Goods 

You may be tempted to ship other goods with car shipping from Dubai to India, for instance. That would not be wise! It is advisable not to ship other goods such as furniture, weapons, or heavy boxes with your car as it can affect the insurance of your vehicle, and it is strictly banned in the UAE.

Don’t Forget NOC 

Remember to request for a No Objection Certificate from the Industry Department at the Ministry of Finances and Industry. NOC will cost you around AED 200.

Don’t Forget to Check the Time Period 

During shipment, check how long it will take to deliver the car to the UAE. The period may vary depending on the form of import and the country of origin.

Depreciation of Vehicle 

Depreciation or the value of the car tends to decrease by approx.15% each year. Thus, make sure the depreciation doesn’t exceed 5 years for it to be imported to the UAE.

Conclusion

Car shipping can be made hassle-free if you follow the standard procedure and regulations. If you’re thinking of importing your car, visit ServiceMarket and get connected with the most suitable car shipping company in Dubai. All you have to do is provide your shipping date and number of vehicles. 

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