Why the sale needs someone in the UAE
Ownership of a car cannot change hands at the RTA unless the registered owner, or a person legally authorized by them, attends the service centre. If you have already relocated, you either book a flight back or give someone in the UAE the power to complete the sale for you. For most people who have left, giving a trusted person a vehicle POA is usually the more practical route.
Who can act for you and what they can do
The person you appoint is called your attorney or agent, but they do not need to be a lawyer. A friend, relative or former colleague who lives in the UAE can take the role, and some owners prefer a professional representative when there is nobody they would trust with the money. Whoever you choose should normally be resident in the UAE and hold a valid Emirates ID. The document should spell out each task you want them to handle.
- Agree a price with a buyer, or accept no less than a floor you choose
- Sign the sale contract and transfer forms in your name
- Pay outstanding fines and deal with the traffic department
- Cancel the registration or Salik tag where needed
- Receive the sale proceeds on your behalf
Choosing a specific or a general POA
For a single sale, a specific POA limited to one vehicle is the safer option and tends to be approved with fewer questions. It should name the car precisely, including its plate number, chassis number and model, because a loose description such as “my car in Dubai” is not enough. A general vehicle POA gives wider powers and can suit an owner with several cars, but it calls for a high level of trust. The POA stays in force until any end date it states, until you cancel it, or until the principal dies.
Making the POA valid while you are overseas
To be accepted, the POA needs to be written in Arabic, or bilingually in Arabic and English, and then notarized. You no longer need to visit a notary in person, because Dubai Courts and the Ministry of Justice offer electronic notarization, where the notary confirms your identity over a video call and the signed POA is sent to you digitally. Signing at a UAE embassy or consulate is also possible, but it takes longer, and a document made abroad generally needs attestation before it is used in the UAE. An electronic POA carries the same legal weight as a paper one and is accepted across the emirates, though it helps to state where the car is registered.
- Your passport copy and, if you still hold one, your Emirates ID
- The vehicle registration card (Mulkiya)
- Your agent’s passport and Emirates ID copies
- A mobile number and email address for you and your agent
- A bank clearance letter if the car was financed
Clear the car before you find a buyer
The RTA will not move a car into a new name while anything is still owed on it, so deal with these points early. Doing so also stops a willing buyer from walking away while you wait on paperwork.
- Repay any car loan and confirm the bank has lifted the hold in the RTA system, which you are usually told about by text message
- Pay every traffic fine, including parking fines and any Salik balance
- Have the car pass its technical inspection at an approved test centre, and fix any faults listed if it fails
- Decide what happens to your insurance policy once the car is sold
What happens on transfer day
Your agent and the buyer go to an RTA service centre together with the original documents and copies. The buyer must have insurance cover in their own name; some insurers let you pass on an existing policy if enough of it remains, otherwise you can cancel yours and ask about a refund. Both sides complete the sale form, the buyer pays the agreed price and the government transfer fee, and a new Mulkiya is issued in the buyer’s name.
- Agent brings: the notarized POA, their Emirates ID, the Mulkiya and the passed test certificate
- Buyer brings: valid insurance, passport with residence visa, Emirates ID and UAE driving licence
Mistakes that delay a remote sale
Most failed transfers come down to a handful of avoidable problems. Check each of these before your agent heads to the counter.
- Powers that are implied rather than written out in full
- Vehicle details missing from the POA
- A forgotten parking fine or toll balance
- Assuming a paid-off loan has already been cleared from the RTA record
- An expired Emirates ID, so include your passport details in the POA as well
- Waiting too long while fines grow and the car loses value
How we can help
We can draft your vehicle POA in the correct bilingual format and guide you through notarizing it remotely, so your agent has a document the RTA will accept. If you have questions about your situation, our team is happy to talk them through with you.