Smart City Initiative is an initiative taken by the Dubai Government to modify its services and welcome digitalization with wide-open arms. Along with about seven services offered by the initiation, car registration and renewal are provided online exclusively by the Roads and Transport Authority, commonly known as RTA.

So, this means that the process of renewing vehicle registration will be super-duper simple and quicker! So, with that same level of excitement, let us tell you about the easy steps to renew your car registration without any hassle.

Settle Your Traffic fines

To start the online car registration process, you need to pay your pending traffic fines, if any. You can do this through the RTA Dubai app or Dubai Now App on your phone. Just add your vehicle registration details, and it will show you the fine details you would need to pay. Blocked fines/black points can only be paid at vehicle registration centres.

Renew Your Car Insurance

Your vehicle insurance should be valid for at least twelve months to renew your vehicle registration. Once the insurance is restarted, it gets updated in no time on the RTA portal, and you will be able to complete the process to renew car registration.

Steps to do online car registration in Dubai

Visit the RTA website or download the RTA Dubai Drive app, look for the "Car vehicle registration" option and follow these four steps:

1. Search for your vehicle
2. Select the mode for delivery
3. Confirm with the plate number and Emirate
4. Make the payment using your card

The first thing after you download and launch the app, head to the "RTA services" tab to start the online registration process, where you can select "My Vehicles" on that dashboard followed by "Renew Vehicle". You will be required to input the relevant details of your vehicles, after which a confirmation screen will appear with vehicles and insurance details. Please ensure that your car insurance has also been renewed before you apply for your vehicle license renewal. The service fee varies depending on your vehicle type and whether it is used privately or commercially. If you are using any car rentals services in the UAE, the car rental company is responsible for renewing the vehicle license. They may take the rental car and provide you with a temporary replacement car for the vehicle registration testing and renewal. 

On the other hand, you can use the RTA Dubai's official website for this process. Log in with your registered RTA User ID and a valid password, follow the instructions and pay the renewal fee via an online e-payment portal. 

A few things to keep in mind about vehicle testing in Dubai, if the vehicles are less than three years old, they are not required to be tested. However, suppose your car is over a three-year-old period, it's mandatory to get it tested at any of the RTA approved car testing facilities that are spread across the entire city so that you can choose one at your convenience. Some of the options are Shamil, Wasel, and Tasjeel servicing centres. Also, take notes that there is a testing fee that needs to be paid.

The entire procedure will take roughly 30 minutes for all the formalities to be completed. Once the car passes the test, the result gets uploaded to the RTA database immediately, and you can continue with the car registration procedure online. Suppose you are getting this done at the last minute. In that case, you can ring one of these vehicle inspections centres to find whether they offer a premium service wherein they collect your vehicle from your location, doing all the required testing, and return it after with the testing report. The process of vehicle registration card renewal is almost the same in Abu Dhabi. You can renew the car registration by visiting the Ministry of Interior website or the MOI UAE app.

How much does it cost to renew a car registration?

It takes AED 380 to renew your vehicle registration in Dubai via the online process and is valid only for a year. Additional charges like the courier fee of AED 25 need to be paid. For the coming three months, you are exempted from any vehicle technical inspection fees, which cost approximately around AED 170. 

What if my car registration has expired? 

After your car registration has expired, you have a grace period of 30 days to ensure your car registration renewal is completed before this extension period ends to avoid any penalties. Suppose you, unfortunately, get caught with an expired registration. In that case, you will be fined, and if the registration has expired over three months ago, your car will be retained for seven days as an additional punishment in the UAE.

For any inquiries or help with your car registration renewal, you can also contact the RTA on their toll-free number 8009090 for further assistance.