Car Shipping Company from Saudi Arabia to the UAE 0552803439 | Open and Enclosed Carriers, Door to Door via Al Batha

Home Safe is a car shipping company from Saudi Arabia to the UAE that moves your car on a carrier from your door in the Kingdom to your address in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah or any other emirate. The route is by land through the Al Batha crossing, about a thousand kilometres from Riyadh to Dubai and about two thousand from Jeddah. The car arrives in one to three days from the Eastern Province, two to four days from Riyadh, and four to six days from the western cities. Prices start from SAR 1,100 out of the Eastern Province, SAR 1,650 out of Riyadh, and SAR 2,350 for a saloon out of Jeddah, Makkah and Madinah. To book: 0552803439.

In this guide45ShowHide

1. Who ships a car from Saudi Arabia to the UAE?
2. Services of a car shipping company from Saudi Arabia to the UAE
3. The land route via the Al Batha crossing and the transit time
4. Car shipping prices from Saudi Arabia to the UAE
5. Shipping cars to the UAE from the cities of the Kingdom
6. Open carrier, enclosed carrier or single-car flatbed?
7. Types of vehicle we carry to the UAE
8. Shipping luxury and classic cars and protecting them on the carrier
9. Preparing the car before loading
10. The procedure for exporting a car at the Saudi traffic department
11. Documents required at the two border posts
12. Conditions for bringing the car into the UAE and registering it
13. Temporary entry on Saudi plates, or permanent export?
14. Drive the car yourself, or ship it?
15. Insuring the car during transport
16. Car delivery cities in the UAE
17. Shipping fleets for companies, showrooms, government bodies and embassies
18. Urgent transport and the route plan
19. Can a car be shipped to the UAE by sea?
20. Air freight for cars from Saudi Arabia to the UAE
21. Steps for shipping your car from Saudi Arabia to the UAE
22. Tracking the car until delivery
23. Shipping cars from the UAE to Saudi Arabia
24. Tips before shipping your car
25. Common mistakes when shipping cars to the UAE
26. How do you choose a car shipping company to the UAE?
27. Why Home Safe for shipping your car to the UAE?
28. Related articles and pages
29. Tags
30. Frequently asked questions about car shipping from Saudi Arabia to the UAE
31. How much does it cost to ship a car from Saudi Arabia to the UAE?
32. How many days does a car need to get from Saudi Arabia to the UAE?
33. Which border post does the car use to enter the UAE?
34. What is the difference between an open carrier and an enclosed carrier?
35. Do I need export plates to ship my car to the UAE?
36. Which papers are needed to ship the car?
37. How much is customs duty on a car entering the UAE?
38. Can an old car be registered in the UAE?
39. Should I drive my car to the UAE or ship it?
40. Do you ship cars that have broken down or do not run?
41. Do you move motorcycles?
42. Is the car insured during transport?
43. Can a car be flown from Saudi Arabia to the UAE?
44. To which Emirati cities do you deliver cars?
45. Do you ship cars from the UAE to Saudi Arabia?

Route: collection of the car from your city, then Al-Ahsa, Salwa and the Al Batha crossing, then the Al Ghuwaifat crossing, then Abu Dhabi, Dubai and the Northern Emirates · Transit time: 1–6 days on the carrier depending on the loading city, and 5–8 days from the far north and south.

Who ships a car from Saudi Arabia to the UAE?

Car owners on this line fall into five groups, and each has a different reason for preferring a carrier to driving. Some have no time for the road, and some are not even allowed to drive the car once its plates have been surrendered. The table shows what suits each of them:

Car owner	Situation	What we suggest
An employee whose job has moved to the UAE	Will register the car there in their own name	Open carrier with the export paperwork completed
A seller or buyer between the two countries	A car sold remotely and waiting for its new owner	Open carrier and delivery at the testing centre
A showroom or car dealer	Several cars in one batch	A full carrier at a batch price
The owner of a luxury or classic car	High value, or paintwork that cannot take dust	Enclosed carrier for a single car
A participant in a show, a race or a bike tour	A fixed date that cannot slip	Enclosed carrier on a set date, or air freight

Services of a car shipping company from Saudi Arabia to the UAE

Our work on this line is confined to vehicles, which is why the service is arranged around the car rather than the truck. You pick the parts you are missing: transport alone if your papers are ready, or transport with export and clearance if you would rather hand over the key and collect it in the UAE.

• Collection from the address: a flatbed takes the car from your home or the showroom to the loading yard, so you do not drive it.
• Land transport by carrier: open or enclosed, depending on the car’s value and the protection you want for it.
• Export paperwork: we go through de-registration at the traffic department with you and the collection of the export plates and certificate.
• Clearance at both posts: an export declaration at Al Batha, then inspection and payment of duty at Al Ghuwaifat.
• Transit insurance: a policy for the car’s value that covers it while it is being carried.
• Delivery to the address: in front of the house, at the showroom or at the vehicle testing centre.
• Air freight: for the car whose deadline cannot bear days on the road.

Furniture, parcels and goods on the same line have their own article: shipping company from Saudi Arabia to the UAE. The vehicle service in general is on the car shipping page.

The land route via the Al Batha crossing and the transit time

Every car carrier bound for the UAE ends up on one road: south from Al-Ahsa to Salwa, then east along the coast to the Al Batha crossing. Shortly after the Saudi post comes Al Ghuwaifat, and from there a motorway runs about 350 kilometres to Abu Dhabi and 480 kilometres to Dubai. The whole road is dual carriageway and paved, so the real time is spent at collection and at the two posts, not in driving.

Stage	What happens to the car	Usual time
Collection and inspection	The car is photographed, its condition report signed, then it is loaded	One to two hours
From the city to Al Batha	About 500 km from Riyadh, and less than that from Dammam and Al-Ahsa	4–8 hours from the Central and Eastern regions
Al Batha crossing	The export declaration is closed and the chassis number matched to the export certificate	Two hours to half a day
Al Ghuwaifat crossing	Inspection, valuation, payment of duty and issue of the clearance certificate	Hours to a day
From Al Ghuwaifat to the emirate	350 km to Abu Dhabi, 480 km to Dubai, and a little further to the north	4–7 hours
Delivery	The car is unloaded and checked with the consignee	Under an hour

What makes it take longer?

• A chassis number that does not match: one different character between the registration card and the export certificate holds the car in the yard until it is corrected.
• Waiting for the carrier to fill: an open carrier leaves when its positions are taken, and may wait a day or two in cities with less demand.
• Border seasons: before the two Eids and in the summer holiday, the queues of trucks and of travellers’ cars both lengthen.
• An unpaid fine: the traffic department does not issue an export certificate while a fine stands against the car.

Times for all other destinations are on the transit times page, and details of the two crossings on the ports and gateways page.

Car shipping prices from Saudi Arabia to the UAE

The price of moving a car rests on two questions: where it is loaded, and on which carrier. A city close to Al Batha is always cheaper, and a shared carrier is cheaper than one reserved for a single car. The figures below are our starting prices; they include loading, transport and delivery in the destination city, and they do not include Emirati customs duty because that is paid directly to customs.

Vehicle and loading city	Carrier	Price starts from
A car from Dammam, Khobar or Al-Ahsa	Open	SAR 1,100
A saloon from Riyadh	Open	SAR 1,650
A four-wheel drive or large family car from Riyadh	Open	SAR 2,000
A luxury or sports car from Riyadh	Enclosed, single car	SAR 2,750
A saloon from Jeddah, Makkah or Madinah	Open	SAR 2,350
A car from Qassim, Tabuk or Abha	Open, via Riyadh	Set on request
A classic car from the western cities	Enclosed	Set on request
A motorcycle	Closed truck, on a base	Set on request
A car that does not run	Flatbed with a winch	Set on request
Air freight for the car	Freighter aircraft	Set on request

Prices quoted in the market: what is published about moving cars on this line is sparse and scattered. From Riyadh to Dubai some advertise SAR 2,900 per car, others give a range between SAR 2,200 and SAR 4,000, and lower promotional figures appear in headlines with no statement of the type of car or of what the price includes. From Jeddah to Dubai, AED 2,500 to AED 5,000 is mentioned, close to the range our previous article carried: AED 2,000 to AED 5,000. In the opposite direction SAR 3,200 to SAR 3,300 is advertised. Always ask three things along with the figure: does it include clearance, is delivery to the address, and is the carrier open or enclosed.

Factor	How it changes the price
Loading city	Every hundred kilometres before Al Batha is added to the fare, which is why the Eastern Province is below Riyadh and Riyadh below Jeddah
Type of carrier	An enclosed carrier takes only one or two cars, so each car’s share of the fare is larger
Size and weight of the car	A four-wheel drive or a pickup takes a longer position and more weight than a saloon
Condition of the car	One that does not run needs a winch and extra time in loading and unloading
Destination emirate	Abu Dhabi is nearer the border post, Fujairah and Ras Al Khaimah further away
Number of cars	A batch that fills the carrier is priced by the carrier, not by the car

How do you bring the cost down?

• Accept a flexible date: an open carrier that waits to fill is cheaper than a carrier that moves for you.
• Drop the car at the loading yard yourself if it is nearby, and the line for the collection flatbed falls away.
• Ship two cars together if your family has two; the second takes a lower price than the first.
• Finish the traffic department paperwork before booking, because a car waiting in the yard for its certificate is charged to you.

A fuller explanation of the cost items is on the pricing factors page.

Shipping cars to the UAE from the cities of the Kingdom

We collect cars from every region of the Kingdom, and the difference between one city and another is the distance the carrier covers before it reaches Al-Ahsa. Carriers load in the Eastern and Central cities and go straight to the border. From the western cities the carrier crosses the whole Kingdom. Cars from the northern and southern cities are first taken to Riyadh and then join the line carrier. The distances below are approximate, as far as Dubai:

Loading city	Approximate distance to Dubai	Carrier transit time	City article
Riyadh	About 1,000 km	2–4 days	Car shipping from Riyadh to the UAE
Jeddah	About 1,950 km	4–6 days	Car shipping from Jeddah to the UAE
Makkah	About 1,870 km	4–6 days	Car shipping from Mecca to the UAE
Madinah	About 1,850 km	4–6 days	Car shipping from Madinah to the UAE
Dammam, Khobar and Jubail	About 850 km	1–3 days	Served from this article
Qassim	About 1,350 km	3–5 days	Served from this article
Tabuk	About 2,300 km	5–8 days	Served from this article
Abha and Khamis Mushait	About 1,950 km	5–8 days	Served from this article

Prices step up with the distance. These are the figures for the cities we have priced, exactly as they stand in their own articles, and all are starting prices:

Loading city	Saloon, open carrier	Four-wheel drive, open carrier	Enclosed carrier
Dammam and the Eastern Province	SAR 1,100	Set on request	Set on request
Riyadh	SAR 1,650	SAR 2,000	SAR 2,750
Jeddah	SAR 2,350	Set on request	Set on request
Makkah	SAR 2,350	Set on request	Set on request
Madinah	SAR 2,350	Set on request	Set on request
Qassim, Tabuk and Abha	Set on request	Set on request	Set on request

Riyadh: the busiest loading point on the line, where cars from the centre, north and south gather. Open carriers leave it on most days of the week, and an enclosed one is booked by appointment.

Dammam, Khobar, Jubail and Al-Ahsa: the nearest cities to Al Batha, so a car from them reaches the border in half a day. They have the lowest price on the whole line, and many of their cars are delivered in Abu Dhabi the day after loading.

Jeddah, Makkah and Madinah: the journey from them covers about two thousand kilometres, so the car spends three or four nights on the carrier. That is why we insist here on the cover and the straps, and offer the enclosed carrier, or air freight from Jeddah airport, to anyone who owns a valuable car.

Qassim, Tabuk and Abha: as a rule no carrier leaves them directly for the border. We send a flatbed to bring the car to Riyadh, where it climbs onto the line carrier, and the price is worked out on both legs together.

The other cities we serve are on the service cities page.

Open carrier, enclosed carrier or single-car flatbed?

Choosing the carrier is the most important decision after the date. An open one is enough for a car that is driven every day, because what it meets on the road is no more than it meets in a week of driving around Riyadh. An enclosed one is called for when the cost of a single scratch is greater than the price difference between the two. We listen to the description of your car and then suggest the best fit, and we do not sell you protection you do not need.

Point of comparison	Open carrier	Enclosed carrier	Covered single-car flatbed
Number of cars	6 to 8 on two decks	One or two cars	One car
Protection	Strapped down, with no shielding from dust	A locked box that keeps out sand, stone chips and sun	A fabric cover pulled tight over the car
Loading	Metal ramps, and the car is driven to its position	A low-angle ramp or a tail lift	A hydraulic bed that tilts to the ground
Departure	When the carrier is full	On the day you set	On the day you set
Suits	Everyday and family cars and showroom batches	Luxury, sports and classic cars	Collection from residential districts and short runs to the loading yard
Price from Riyadh	From SAR 1,650	From SAR 2,750	Set on request

Types of vehicle we carry to the UAE

We carry any vehicle that runs on wheels and that the rules allow to be exported. But a vehicle’s position on the carrier and the way it is tied down change with its height, its weight and its ground clearance. That is why we ask about the model and any modification to it before deciding on the carrier.

Vehicle	What is particular in loading it	Best carrier
Saloon and hatchback	Goes on the upper or lower deck with no special preparation	Open
Four-wheel drive and large family car	Placed on the lower deck because of its height and weight	Open
Low sports car	Its small clearance needs a long ramp or a lift	Enclosed
Luxury car	Covers for the seats and steering wheel, and straps on the tyres rather than the body	Enclosed
Classic car	Driven only a few metres, with its battery disconnected	Enclosed
Pickups and lifted vehicles	Height is measured with the modified tyres before booking	Open, on the lower deck
Motorcycle	A wooden base and straps from four sides	Closed truck
A car that does not run	Pulled by an electric winch; its wheels must turn	Flatbed, then carrier

The details for each type are in the car shipping guide.

Shipping luxury and classic cars and protecting them on the carrier

A valuable car is threatened less by the road than by bad loading. Most damage happens in the minutes of going up and coming down: a bumper scraping the ramp, or a strap tightened over a suspension arm. So we give it a crew who know the tie-down points on each model, and we do not allow it to be driven beyond the few metres of loading.

• Tying down by the tyres: fabric straps wrap around the tyre itself, so the suspension is not compressed and the rims are not touched.
• Wheel chocks: wedges in front of and behind every wheel prevent any lengthwise creep under braking.
• The cover: a soft-lined fabric cover inside the enclosed carrier stops fine dust settling on the paint.
• Cabin protection: covers for the seat, the steering wheel and the driver’s floor, with the odometer reading recorded at collection and at delivery.
• Checking the straps: the driver stops after the first hundred kilometres and then at every halt to tighten them again.

Every scratch or old mark, however small, is written into the collection report with close-up photographs of it. That report protects both sides: it protects you if new damage appears, and it protects us from an old mark being blamed on the journey.

Preparing the car before loading

Half an hour of preparation before the flatbed arrives prevents most of what holds a journey up later. Customs at both posts inspect the car as it is, and anything in it other than the car itself becomes a question. What is asked of you is little:

• Fuel: a quarter of a tank is enough for loading, unloading and reaching the nearest station.
• Personal items: take everything out of the cabin, the boot and the glovebox, even papers, payment cards and toll tags.
• Washing: a clean car shows its scratches in the photographs, so the condition report is accurate.
• Photographs: photograph it from all four sides, the corners, the roof and the cabin, and photograph the odometer.
• Leaks and tyres: repair any oil leak and set the tyre pressures; a car that drips is moved down to the lower deck.
• Alarm and keys: switch off the alarm, hand over one key and keep the second.

The procedure for exporting a car at the Saudi traffic department

A car that is going to be registered in the UAE must first leave the Saudi register. This is done at the traffic department and is called de-registering the vehicle for export, and its result is a set of export plates and a certificate bearing the chassis number and the owner’s name. We go over the papers with you before you go, and give you the carrier’s letter that the traffic department asks for.

• Paying the fines: the application is not opened while a traffic fine stands against the car or its owner.
• Releasing the lien: a financed car needs a no-objection letter from the bank or finance company, and the lien entry is lifted from the record.
• The export form: filled in with the car’s details and its destination, with the original registration card and the owner’s ID attached.
• A resident’s papers: a copy of the residence permit and passport, and a letter from the employer when it is asked for.
• The carrier’s letter: a paper from the shipping company stating that the car will leave on its carrier for the UAE.
• Inspection and handing in the plates: the officer matches the chassis number, then the Saudi plates are handed in and export plates are issued for a fee of SAR 100.

Note: export plates allow the car to be on the road inside the Kingdom for a short period only, so do not obtain them before the carrier’s date is confirmed. Some steps are booked by appointment or followed up electronically, and the details differ from one traffic department to another, so we confirm the procedure in force in your city before you begin.

Documents required at the two border posts

A car’s file is shorter than a goods file, but it cannot bear a missing paper, because every paper in it is tied to the chassis number. We put the file together before loading and send a copy to the broker at Al Ghuwaifat, so the data entry begins while the car is still on the road.

Document	Issued by	Where it is asked for
Export certificate and plates	Saudi traffic department	Al Batha, Al Ghuwaifat and registration
Registration card, or a copy of it after de-registration	Saudi traffic department	Al Batha
Owner’s ID, or residence permit and passport	The owner	Both posts
Consignee’s Emirates ID, residence visa and passport	The consignee	Al Ghuwaifat and registration
Authorisation for the customs broker	The owner, electronically	Both posts
Purchase invoice or sale contract, if any	The seller	Al Ghuwaifat, for valuation
Vehicle condition report and transport waybill	Home Safe	Delivery and insurance

If the consignee is not the owner, a power of attorney or a sale contract is needed to justify the car passing to them. The list of papers for every kind of shipment is on the shipping documents page, and our service at the two crossings on the customs clearance page.

Conditions for bringing the car into the UAE and registering it

A car arriving from the Kingdom is treated in the UAE as an imported car, even if it is built to Gulf specification. It is cleared through customs at Al Ghuwaifat, then tested, insured and registered in the emirate where its owner lives. Its Gulf specification makes the test easier, but does not exempt it from the steps.

Item	Rule in force	Note
Customs duty	5% of the value assessed by customs	Assessed by model, year of manufacture and condition
Value added tax	5%	Worked out on the value plus the duty
A car whose duty was paid when it entered the Gulf	The duty is not repeated if payment is proved by documents	The decision rests with the customs officer, so we prepare the proof in advance
Age of the car	No more than ten years from manufacture for registration	Classics have their own treatment, and we confirm the condition in force
Steering wheel	Left-hand drive only	Matches cars in the Kingdom
Vehicle clearance certificate	Issued by customs after payment	No registration without it
Technical inspection	At an approved centre in the emirate	A car with a serious accident or flood damage may not pass it
Insurance and plates	Local insurance, then plates from the licensing authority	A valid Emirates ID and residence visa are required

Registration itself is carried out by the owner or their representative and lies outside the transport service. But we deliver the car at the testing centre if you wish, so you start from there directly. The destination page, shipping to the UAE, gathers everything else a newcomer needs.

Temporary entry on Saudi plates, or permanent export?

Not everyone who takes a car to the UAE is exporting it. A visitor crosses on Saudi plates and returns on them, pays no duty and does not remove the car from the register. Permanent export is needed only by someone who will live there and register the car in their name, or who has sold it to a buyer in the UAE.

Point of comparison	Temporary entry	Permanent export
Plates	Stay Saudi	Export plates, then Emirati plates
Customs duty	Not paid	5% plus the tax
Insurance	A policy that covers the UAE, or cover bought at the border	Transit insurance, then local insurance
Who may do it	The owner, or someone holding their authorisation	The registered owner or their agent
Duration	Limited to what the rules allow a visitor	Permanent

Even so, some visitors ship their cars and do not drive them. Someone who flies and wants their car with them for a month in Dubai, or who owns a sports car unfit for a long desert road, sends it on a carrier and it enters temporarily on its own plates. In that case the driver needs an authorisation from the owner and insurance valid in the UAE. For those who need a carnet for destinations further afield, it is explained on the triptik and carnet page.

Drive the car yourself, or ship it?

Driving is possible, the road is good, and plenty of people do it. But the sums change when the car has been exported, or when the journey starts in Jeddah rather than Dammam. Compare the two options on these points before you decide:

Item	Driving it yourself	Shipping on a carrier
Time asked of you	One to three days on the road, with overnight stops	An hour at handover and an hour at collection
Odometer and tyres	One to two thousand kilometres are added	The odometer does not change
On export plates	Allowed for a short period only, and with special insurance	No restriction, as the car is carried
The border	You wait in the travellers’ lane and then at customs	The broker completes the procedure for you
Cost	Fuel, a hotel, meals and a return ticket if needed	One sum known in advance
Risks	Fatigue, summer heat, and a tyre that may burst in an empty stretch	Covered by transit insurance

In short: someone travelling from the Eastern Province on a brief visit drives. Someone moving to live there, or starting from a distant city, or owning more than one car, ships. A family with two cars usually drives one and ships the other.

Insuring the car during transport

An ordinary motor policy was written to cover road accidents and is not designed for a car strapped to the back of a transporter crossing a border. What covers that case is another policy called transit insurance, issued for the single journey and for the value of the car that you declare.

• What it covers: damage caused by an accident to the carrier, its overturning or a fire, and damage in loading and unloading.
• What it usually does not cover: mechanical faults unrelated to transport, items left in the car, and scratches recorded in the collection report.
• Declared value: write the true market value, because compensation is worked out on it and so is the premium.
• The claim: the remark is entered on the delivery report before signing, with photographs taken on the spot.

That is why we never waive the condition report at collection; in practice it is half the policy. The terms and limits of cover are on the cargo insurance page.

Car delivery cities in the UAE

We deliver in all seven emirates, and the carrier passes them in the order of the road: Abu Dhabi first, then Dubai, then Sharjah and Ajman, then north to Ras Al Khaimah and east to Fujairah. The large carrier stops in a yard on the edge of the city, and from there a flatbed takes the car to your address. At every delivery the car is inspected on receipt against the loading report before signing.

Emirate	Where we deliver	What is worth knowing
Abu Dhabi and Al Ain	Homes, showrooms and Mussafah industrial area	The first stop after Al Ghuwaifat, and the shortest time
Dubai	Residential districts, the Al Aweer car market, Ras Al Khor and Al Quoz	Heavy trucks are restricted by hours on some roads, so we deliver by flatbed
Sharjah	Residential districts, the Souq Al Haraj car market and the industrial area	A common destination for anyone selling their car in the UAE
Ajman and Umm Al Quwain	The address directly	Served with the Sharjah run on the same day
Ras Al Khaimah	The city and the free zones	About an hour and a half more than Dubai
Fujairah and Khor Fakkan	The city and the east coast	A mountain road, for which we prefer a single-car flatbed

If the consignee is not ready on the day of arrival, the car stays in a fenced yard for a few days, on the terms set out on the storage page. Delivery to the address is explained on the door to door page.

Shipping fleets for companies, showrooms, government bodies and embassies

Moving ten cars is not moving one car ten times. A batch needs one or more carriers travelling together, a single coordinated customs file, and one person in charge of following it. Each kind of body has its own paperwork:

• Car showrooms and dealers: a price for the full carrier, delivery in the showroom yard or at the car market, and one schedule listing all the chassis numbers.
• Rental companies and fleets: a loading timetable in batches, and a condition report for each car under its previous plate number.
• Government bodies: an official letter from the body takes the place of some of the papers asked of individuals, and delivery dates are fixed in writing.
• Embassies and consulates: a diplomatic car needs a letter from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the surrender of its special plates, and we coordinate its date with the mission.

For recurring contracts a fixed price is agreed for the term of the contract, so it does not change with the seasons.

Urgent transport and the route plan

Some cars cannot wait for a carrier to fill: a car that must stand in a show in three days, or one whose owner travels tomorrow. For these cases we send out an enclosed carrier or a single-car flatbed on the very day of the request, with two drivers taking turns as far as the border. The price here is set on request because it is the hire of a whole vehicle.

Whether the journey is urgent or ordinary, a route plan is written for it before departure. We work out the hour of arrival at Al Batha so that it does not meet the peak of the queues, and we avoid entering Dubai during the hours when trucks are restricted.

Can a car be shipped to the UAE by sea?

From Jeddah the sea does not work for this line. The ship sails right round the Arabian Peninsula to reach Jebel Ali, so the land carrier beats it by many days and at lower cost. From Dammam port there is a short sea passage to the ports of the UAE, but it serves batches of commercial cars in containers more than it serves one person’s car, and its price is set on request once an available sailing has been confirmed. The ways of shipping vehicles by sea to distant destinations are on the RoRo car shipping page.

Air freight for cars from Saudi Arabia to the UAE

The aircraft is a little-used option on a line as short as this, but it exists for those who need it. It is asked for with luxury and urgent cars: a rare car whose owner does not want it to spend a night on the road, or a display car tied to an opening. It is flown from Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam airports and delivered in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Item	Air freight for the car
Loading airports	King Khalid in Riyadh, King Abdulaziz in Jeddah and King Fahd in Dammam
Arrival airports	Dubai and Abu Dhabi
Method of loading	The car is secured to a cargo pallet and lifted into the hold of a freighter aircraft
Preparing the car	Very little fuel and a secured battery, according to the airline’s instructions for vehicles
Time	About two hours of flying, and two to four days with booking and clearance
Price	Set on request according to weight, dimensions and the flight

The export and import papers are the same by air as by land. The difference is that clearance takes place in the airport’s cargo village in place of the land border post. From cities with no air freight for vehicles, we send the car by flatbed to the nearest of the three airports. The service is on the air freight page.

Steps for shipping your car from Saudi Arabia to the UAE

The whole order is run from the phone, and you do not need to visit an office. You send the car’s details and we reply with the price and the date, then things proceed in this order:

1. Send the details: model, year of manufacture, collection city and destination emirate, and whether the car runs.
2. Receive the price: an itemised figure with transport, clearance and insurance each on its own line, along with the type of carrier.
3. Finish the traffic department papers: we review your file and give you the carrier’s letter, and you obtain the export certificate and plates.
4. Fix the date: we set the collection day after the certificate is issued, so the plates’ period does not run out.
5. Hand over the car: it is photographed and its condition report written; you sign it with the driver and take your copy.
6. Follow the journey: you receive a notice at departure, at each border post and on entering the emirate.
7. Pay the Emirati duty: the broker tells you the amount customs has assessed; it is paid and the clearance certificate is issued.
8. Collect and inspect: you compare the car with the report and the photographs, then sign and receive the key and the original papers.

Tracking the car until delivery

Anyone who hands their car to a stranger wants to know where it is, and that is their right. We give you the driver’s number and the coordinator’s number from loading, and send you a photograph of the car strapped onto the carrier before it moves. After that a message reaches you at four points: leaving the city, exiting Al Batha, release at Al Ghuwaifat, and approaching the delivery address.

If the car is held up at a border post we tell you the reason and the paper required within the same hour, because most delays are solved by a picture of a document that the owner sends from their phone. How follow-up works is explained on the shipment tracking page.

Shipping cars from the UAE to Saudi Arabia

The line works in both directions, and carriers returning from the UAE bring cars that Saudis have bought in the markets of Dubai and Sharjah, and the cars of residents going back to the Kingdom. The procedure is reversed: an export certificate from the licensing authority in the emirate, then clearance at Al Batha, then registration at the Saudi traffic department.

The Saudi conditions are stricter on age. The rule in force is that an imported passenger car should be no more than five years old, should carry a certificate of conformity to the standards, and should have customs duty and value added tax paid on it. A car with flood damage or a write-off on its record is refused. These rules change, so we check the ones in force before you buy, not after. The general rules are in the article car shipping from Saudi Arabia.

Tips before shipping your car

These are notes gathered from the questions of car owners on the UAE line specifically, and each one saved its owner a day or a sum of money:

• Ask the buyer or your employer in the UAE which emirate the car will be registered in before shipping; delivery near its testing centre saves you a trip.
• Check the year of manufacture on the registration card before anything else. If the car is close to the age limit, ask us before you pay a fee at the traffic department.
• Do not sell the car and de-register it on the same day. Complete the transfer of ownership first if the buyer is the one who will register it, so the certificate is issued in their name.
• If your car is modified, in the engine, the exhaust or the window tint, be aware that the Emirati test may ask for it to be returned to standard.
• Ask for delivery in daylight. Checking paintwork in sunlight is not the same as checking it under a lamp.

Common mistakes when shipping cars to the UAE

The following mistakes recur, and most of them only show at the border, when they are hard to put right:

• Obtaining export plates early: their period runs out while the car is still waiting for a carrier.
• Leaving items in the boot: a forgotten bag or device turns a few minutes’ inspection into a full search.
• Hiding a fault: a car that does not run and was not reported is met by a carrier with no winch.
• Choosing the cheapest without asking: a very low price may mean transport to the border only, with the rest left to you.
• Signing before inspecting: whoever signs the delivery report and then finds a scratch loses the right to claim.
• Neglecting the finance letter: a car under a lien cannot be de-registered, even with a single instalment left on it.
• Estimating the duty on the purchase price: customs assesses the value from its own tables, and the duty may exceed what you reckoned.

How do you choose a car shipping company to the UAE?

The difference between one carrier and another does not show in the advertisement but in the papers it gives you. Ask for these things before you hand over the key, and if a company hesitates over them, look elsewhere:

Sign	What to ask for	Why
Commercial registration	The registration number and the establishment’s name	So you know whom to pursue if a dispute arises
A signed condition report	A copy for you with the driver’s signature and the photographs	It is the basis of any compensation
An itemised price	Transport, clearance and insurance as separate lines	So you compare two offers on the same footing
The carrier type in writing	Open or enclosed, and the number of cars on it	So you do not pay for enclosed and get loaded on open
Clearance on both sides	The broker’s name at Al Batha and at Al Ghuwaifat	Transport to the border alone leaves you halfway
Transit insurance	A copy of the policy and the amount of cover	A spoken promise cannot be cashed

Why Home Safe for shipping your car to the UAE?

Because we take on what comes before the road and after it, not the road alone. We review the traffic department papers with you, clear at both crossings, and set the car down at your door in the emirate you live in. And the price you receive before loading is what you pay after delivery.

To book: 0552803439 by call or WhatsApp, from 7 am to 11 pm. Or use the request a quote page.

Related articles and pages

• Shipping company from Saudi Arabia to the UAE
• Car shipping from Saudi Arabia
• Car shipping company from Riyadh to the UAE
• Car shipping company from Jeddah to the UAE
• Car shipping company from Saudi Arabia to Qatar
• Land freight

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Frequently asked questions about car shipping from Saudi Arabia to the UAE

How much does it cost to ship a car from Saudi Arabia to the UAE?

The figure follows the loading city and the type of carrier. Out of Dammam, Khobar and Al-Ahsa it starts from SAR 1,100. Out of Riyadh it starts from SAR 1,650 for a saloon and SAR 2,000 for a four-wheel drive on an open carrier, and from SAR 2,750 if you ask for an enclosed carrier for your car alone. Out of Jeddah, Makkah and Madinah it starts from SAR 2,350 for a saloon on an open carrier. For Qassim, Tabuk and Abha, for motorcycles and for air freight, the price is set on request.

How many days does a car need to get from Saudi Arabia to the UAE?

One to three days from the Eastern Province, two to four days from Riyadh, three to five days from Qassim, four to six days from Jeddah, Makkah and Madinah, and five to eight days from Tabuk and Abha. These times run from the moment the car climbs onto the carrier and do not include the time needed to obtain export plates from the traffic department.

Which border post does the car use to enter the UAE?

Al Batha in Al-Ahsa governorate, the only land crossing between the two countries. Opposite it stands Al Ghuwaifat in the emirate of Abu Dhabi, where the car is inspected, its chassis number is matched and its duty is collected before it carries on.

What is the difference between an open carrier and an enclosed carrier?

An open carrier is a two-deck transporter that takes several cars together, so the cost of the road is spread across them and it is the cheapest, but the car stays exposed to dust and sun. An enclosed carrier is a locked box that keeps sand, stone chips and prying eyes away from it, loaded by a low ramp or a tail lift, and it is what we recommend for sports, luxury and classic cars.

Do I need export plates to ship my car to the UAE?

If you are going to register the car in the UAE or sell it there, yes. The car is removed from your record at the Saudi traffic department, its plates are handed in, and export plates are issued for a fee of SAR 100 together with an export certificate. If your trip is a visit and you will bring the car back, it enters on its Saudi plates and you do not export it.

Which papers are needed to ship the car?

The original registration card, the owner’s ID or their residence permit and passport, the export certificate and plates, a letter from the carrier, and an authorisation for the customs broker. On the Emirati side: a copy of the consignee’s Emirates ID, residence visa and passport. A financed car needs a no-objection letter from the lender before anything else is done.

How much is customs duty on a car entering the UAE?

Customs duty is 5% of the value that UAE customs assesses for the car, with 5% value added tax alongside it. Once that is paid, the vehicle clearance certificate used for registration is issued. The value is decided by the customs officer according to model, year of manufacture and condition, not by what you paid.

Can an old car be registered in the UAE?

The rule in force is that a used car to be registered should be no more than ten years old from its date of manufacture, and classic cars have their own treatment. The steering wheel must be on the left, and a car with a serious accident or flood damage on its record may not pass the test. These conditions are reviewed, so we confirm the ones in force before your car moves.

Should I drive my car to the UAE or ship it?

If the trip is a holiday and you are coming back, driving is simpler. If you are moving the car for good, shipping suits better, because a car on export plates may only be driven for a short period, and because a thousand or two thousand kilometres add mileage and tyre wear that come off its price when you sell. Shipping also spares you a full day in the border yard.

Do you ship cars that have broken down or do not run?

Yes. The car is pulled onto the bed by an electric winch and its engine is not started. What is required is that its wheels turn and its steering works, and that you tell us its condition when booking so that we send the right vehicle. A line for special loading is added to the price.

Do you move motorcycles?

We carry them inside a closed truck, fixed to a wooden base with straps from four sides, and they are not loaded onto an open car carrier. Their papers are like a car’s: de-registration at the traffic department and an export plate. The price is set on request according to size and the number of bikes.

Is the car insured during transport?

Your Saudi insurance policy covers the car while it is being driven, not while it is carried on a transporter. So on request we issue transit insurance for its declared value, covering it from loading to delivery. The condition report and the signed photographs taken at collection are the reference for any claim.

Can a car be flown from Saudi Arabia to the UAE?

It can, from Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam airports to Dubai and Abu Dhabi. This option is asked for when a car is a luxury model or is tied to the date of a show or a race. The car is secured to a cargo pallet inside a freighter aircraft, and the price is set on request because it follows its weight, its dimensions and the flight available.

To which Emirati cities do you deliver cars?

To Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah, along with Al Ain, Umm Al Quwain and Khor Fakkan. The car comes down in front of your home or showroom, or at the testing centre you choose, and you check it with the driver against the loading report before you sign.

Do you ship cars from the UAE to Saudi Arabia?

Yes, on the same road in the opposite direction. The car needs an export certificate from the licensing authority in its emirate and is then cleared at Al Batha. The rule in force in the Kingdom is that an imported passenger car should be no more than five years old, with customs duty, value added tax and a conformity certificate, and we confirm the conditions in force before shipping.