How To Sell Your Car In Dubai

How To Sell Your Car In Dubai

Planning an upgrade or just need to sell your car for a bit of extra cash? Not sure how to sell your used car in Dubai or what to do? You’ve come to the right place! Here’s our handy guide on how to sell your car in Dubai.

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Selling a used car in Dubai can be done privately, through a dealer, or by selling to a company. Selling privately through platforms like DubiCars offers greater control over pricing and avoids commission fees, connecting sellers with a large pool of potential buyers. Before selling, ensure Salik tags are removed, fines are paid, loans are cleared, and insurance is addressed.

This summary was generated by AI using this article’s content.

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Where can you sell your car in Dubai?

Listing your car on DubiCars allows you to showcase it to 3 million potential buyers. Unlike some platforms that claim to offer free ad posting but limit your reach or charge hidden fees, DubiCars provides premium visibility to help you sell your used car faster.

Why choose DubiCars to sell your car?

Selling your car on DubiCars gives you several advantages:

  • There are no middlemen
  • You can make use of our FREE car valuation tool
  • DubiCars offers the best prices
  • The best bit? There’s no commission involved.

Maximum Exposure for Your Car

The process to sell your car online in the UAE has never been easier. Simply follow these steps:

  • Create an account on DubiCars.
  • Post your car for sale with high-quality images and accurate details.
  • Connect with genuine buyers who are actively looking for vehicles like yours.
  • Negotiate and finalise the sale at your convenience.

How to sell your used car in Dubai: what you need to know

Before you get started, it’s good to be aware that there are a number of ways to sell your car in Dubai. You can sell your vehicle privately, trade in your car to a dealer or sell your car to a company. Below, we’ve got all the information you need, plus the pros and cons for all three methods of selling your used car in Dubai.

How to sell your car in Dubai; car keys are handed from the seller to the cure to complete the car sale in Dubai

What you need to sort out before you sell your car in Dubai

Before selling your car in Dubai, there are a few things that need to be sorted before any money is exchanged:

  • Remove the Salik tag — Salik tags don’t carry over to the new owner as they are registered in the individual’s name, not the car. If the tag is not removed and the new owner drives underneath a gate, you’ll be the one paying for their trips.
  • Fines — Any fine incurred — whether it’s a parking ticket, speeding fine or something else —must be paid off before the car can be sold to any party.
  • Car loans — If the car has been purchased via a loan, you need to clear the loan before you sell it (by at least a couple of days due to bank clearance times). If loans are not cleared, the RTA will not allow you to transfer the vehicle ownership.
  • Insurance — Your insurance on the vehicle needs to be cancelled or transferred to the new owner. Be aware that transferring the insurance is only possible when your vehicle has at least seven months or more remaining on your current insurance plan. If you still have seven months or more left on your policy, you can cancel and request a refund for the remaining amount.

How to sell your used car in Dubai through a private sale

The benefits of selling your used car privately

There are a number of ways you can sell your car in Dubai, but by far one of the most popular methods to sell your car in Dubai is by cutting out the middle man and selling the car to another person directly.

It can sound like a daunting task to sell your used car privately, as you’ll be in charge of everything from answering the phone and speaking with potential customers, to organising any vehicle transfer documentation, but we’re here to help make it as easy as possible. Helping private car sellers is DubiCars’ speciality!

Our online marketplace offers access to millions of buyers, helping you sell your car quickly and for a great price, with minimal costs. In doing so, we take out much of the hassle of selling your car privately, as you can easily market your used car to interested buyers. To start, you can simply add your listing to the site today.

And the results of selling your car privately online are worth it: this method ensures the most return as you won’t have to pay any commission fees or dealer fees.

Here are the pros and cons of selling your car in Dubai privately:

Pros

  • All the money from the sale goes in your pocket.
  • You’ll get the price you want for the vehicle, or at least close to it.
  • No additional parties are involved.

Cons

  • You have to organise everything yourself.
  • It can be annoying to organise a time and place to meet the buyer.
  • If the car you’re selling is your main mode of transport, you may be without a car for a while (until you buy a new one).

Requirements to sell your car in Dubai

Ensure you have the right documents and meet the requirements for the transfer:

  • Registration card — This must be the original and is commonly referred to as ‘Mulkia’.
  • Emirates ID/Passport — We recommend you bring both copies and originals, particularly your original passport.
  • Sellers must be present at the RTA, although, if not possible, you can grant another person Power of Attorney to act on your behalf.

How to list your car for sale privately in Dubai

List your car for the right price

It’s important to know the real value of your car in order to ensure you secure a sale at the best price. List your car at a price too high, and you risk alienating potential customers and missing out on a sale altogether. List your car for too little, and you will get a sale quickly, but not at the price you desire.

To get the price right, you can get a car valuation. DubiCars offers a FREE online car valuation tool which will provide you with a price estimate for your vehicle straight away — all you have to enter a few details. Click here to use our online car valuation tool and get a price for your car today.

Take pictures of the used car for sale

Make sure your car is in top condition to present it at its best by having it cleaned thoroughly. Do not wash your car on the street, take it to the car wash. Washing the car on the road will result in an AED 100 fine.

When listing your car for sale, take good pictures of your vehicle and ensure potential buyers can see the car in full. DubiCars recommends you use no less than seven pictures, including:

  • The front (left and right side)
  • The rear (left and right side)
  • Inside (front)
  • Inside (rear)
  • Wheel shot (front wheel)

Below are examples of what car ad photos should ideally look like.

Front Left

 Front left photograph of a grey Nissan Altima showcasing how to sell a car in Dubai with high-quality photographs of the used car for sale.


Front Right

Front right photograph of a grey Nissan Altima; an example of how to sell a car in Dubai with high-quality photographs of the used car for sale.

Rear Left

Rear left view of a grey Nissan Altima for sale in Dubai; an example of how to sell a car in Dubai with high-quality photographs of different angles of the vehicle.


Rear Right

Rear right view of a grey Nissan Altima for sale in Dubai, showcasing how to sell a car in Dubai on the internet with high-quality photographs of different angles of the vehicle.


Inside Front

View of the front interior of a grey Nissan Altima for sale in Dubai, showcasing how to sell a car in Dubai on the internet with high-quality photographs detailing different elements of the vehicle for sale.


Inside Rear

View of the rear interior of a grey Nissan Altima for private sale in Dubai; an example of how to sell a car in Dubai on the internet with quality photography of different parts of the vehicle for sale.



Wheel Shot (Front Wheel)

Wheel shot of the front wheel of a grey Nissan Altima for  sale in Dubai; an example of how to sell a car in Dubai on the internet as a private seller using high-quality photography to show the vehicle in detail.

If there is anything special about the car or any modifications made, be sure to take a picture of that too.

Add the full car specs to the listing

Once you’ve got all the pictures prepared and uploaded, be sure to add all the information (specs) about your car for sale. Don’t be shy when it comes to this: add all the options for the vehicle you’re selling and do it accurately. Otherwise, you risk losing time handling potential buyers constantly calling to ask questions about the vehicle’s spec.

If your vehicle has any faults, dents or scratches, make sure you note them down in the description when selling your car privately. That way buyers won’t be shocked or angry when they come to view the vehicle. Dubicars recommends sellers take their car to an RTA testing facility and have the car tested before advertising the vehicle. This costs AED 120 and is valid for 30 days. Doing so will flag any issues you may need to be aware of and can help speed up the selling process.

If the car you’re selling has full service history, make sure to also include that in the listing description.

Other notes buyers like to see include:

  • How many owners the vehicle has had
  • If the driver was a smoker/ non-smoker
  • Whether it’s been driven offroad
  • The remaining warranty

It may be a long process to add all this information, but if you want the maximum return, you’ve got to make sure that what the buyer reads is exactly what they are getting.

And once you’re done, you can sit back and wait for the calls and emails to start rolling in.

Never put adverts on or inside the vehicle

Be warned, putting any sort of paperwork or advertisement in or on your vehicle stating it is for sale can land you in trouble with the authorities. Stick to posting it online.

Or, there are other ways regarding how to sell your car in the UAE besides posting it online. Although not as popular as they once were, you can still post newspaper classifieds and print off an ad and pin it on notice boards where permitted.

Test drives

Once you find some interested buyers to come and view the car, it’s important to meet them in person. This allows them to take a look at the car and for you to know they’re a genuinely interested buyer.

They will want to test drive your car for sale to check it runs properly. Here are a few things DubiCars recommends when a buyer wants to test drive your car:

  • Make sure they hold a valid UAE driving license — don’t accept licenses from any other country. Insurance in the UAE covers the vehicle as long as the driver holds a valid UAE driving license.
  • Set a predetermined route, preferably in a quiet area with a lot of open space.
  • If there are any bumps, scrapes, dents, or other damages to the vehicle, make sure you’re both aware before setting off.
  • Do not let the buyer drive the vehicle by themselves!
Letting the buyer take the car for a test drive is essential to sell your car in Dubai; a woman shows an interested buyer the features of the car for sale

Documents the buyer will need

The buyer will also need certain documents to complete the process:

  • Valid insurance for the vehicle (this can be purchased on site if needed).
  • Passport with residence visa (must be the original)
  • Emirates ID
  • Valid UAE driving licence

Note: If the buyer has a visa in another Emirate, the buyer will have to provide documentation that they live in said Emirate. This can be either a tenancy contract with a current water/electricity bill in their name or property ownership documents (must be the original copy).

If you are selling your vehicle to a buyer in another Emirate and need some help, check out our guide here.

Fees for selling your car in Dubai

Note that there is a transfer fee of AED 100 in addition to the usual AED 20 knowledge/innovation fee.

Accepting payment for your vehicle

Now that everything else has been sorted out, it’s time for money to exchange hands. Cash in hand is the best way to do it — just make sure you count every bill before the buyer leaves. And never accept personal or post-dated cheques as payment.

Find used cars for sale in the UAE and new cars for sale in the UAE.

Stay tuned to UAE’s most popular auto blog for more information about the latest happenings in all of the Emirates.

FAQs

What documents are required to transfer car ownership in Dubai?

To sell a car in Dubai, you need an Emirates ID (for both buyer and seller), a vehicle registration card (Mulkiya), valid insurance under the buyer’s name, a vehicle inspection report (if needed), and a signed sale agreement.

How much does it cost to transfer car ownership in Dubai?

The fees depend on the vehicle type. For light vehicles, it’s AED 350. Other vehicles like heavy trucks and buses have higher fees. An additional AED 50 is charged for the sale agreement, and AED 20 for knowledge fees.

Where can I complete the car ownership transfer process in Dubai?

You can complete the transfer at any RTA customer happiness centre or approved service providers like Tasjeel, Shamil, Mumayaz, or Wasel.

Does the vehicle need an inspection before transfer?

Yes, if the car is more than three years old, it must undergo and pass a roadworthiness inspection at an authorised RTA centre before the ownership transfer.

Can I transfer ownership if there are outstanding fines?

No, all outstanding traffic fines must be paid before you can complete the ownership transfer. The system will block the process until all dues are cleared.

What steps should I take to prepare my car for sale?

Clean your car, fix minor issues, gather all documents, get a valuation if needed, and consider a professional inspection to build buyer confidence and secure a better selling price.

Are there online platforms recommended for selling my car in Dubai?

Yes, DubiCars is a leading platform that helps you reach over 3 million potential buyers monthly, offering premium visibility without hidden charges.

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