Let’s familiarize ourselves with the documents required for transferring ownership and let’s find out how you transfer ownership of a vehicle.

Transfer Car Ownership in Saudi Arabia

While the process of transferring ownership of a car has changed, it still requires both the seller and the buyer to visit a car showroom or office responsible for car registration, despite the fact that it takes little time and effort to transfer ownership to the seller and buyer.

Related: how to cancel vehicle ownership in Saudi Arabia.

Car Ownership Transfer Fee

Saudi Arabia charges SR 380 for transferring car ownership, of which SR 150 is paid through SADAD. The buyer will pay the remaining SR 230 on top of the vehicle’s cost. Listed below are all of the fees involved in changing ownership of vehicles in Saudi Arabia:

• Transferring ownership in the Kingdom is arranged as follows: 
• 150 riyals for transferring vehicle ownership with a special driving license.
• It costs 150 riyals to transfer vehicle ownership with a special driving license. 
• A vehicle with a private transport license can be transferred for 150 riyals. 
• There is a 150 riyal fee for transferring ownership of a vehicle with a minibus driving license.
• There is a fee of 300 riyals for transferring ownership of a taxi driving license.
• The fee for transferring ownership of a vehicle with a public transport license is 300 riyals.
• There is a fee of 300 riyals for transferring ownership of a vehicle with a public bus driving license. 
• It costs 150 riyals to transfer ownership of a vehicle with a motorcycle license. Fees for transferring ownership of a vehicle with a public works vehicle driving license are 150 riyals.

Requirements for Car Ownership Transfer

The process of transferring ownership of cars is carried out through approved car showrooms, which are linked to the General Directorate of Traffic’s databases. Vehicle ownership can be transferred under the following conditions:

• Validity of the periodic vehicle inspection form. 
• Neither the buyer nor seller has any traffic violations on their records, nor does the car. 
• A valid car insurance policy is in place. 
• A valid Iqama (for the resident) and a valid personal status card (for Saudis)
• A valid driver’s license.
• Expatriates and foreigners both meet all of the previously mentioned requirements for transferring ownership of a vehicle.

What Documents Are Required for Vehicle Change of Ownership?

Now that we know the conditions for transferring ownership and the fees for doing so. The following papers will help us complete the process without problems.

• Pay the prescribed fees
• Bring a copy of your personal status card. 
• Original driving license
• An approved showroom’s sale contract from the same city. 
• For non-Saudis, bring a copy of the residence permit with identification certified by the sponsor. 
• A copy of your driver’s license. 
• If transferring ownership of a diplomatic driving license, a letter from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is required.
• Keep a file to save documents. 

Car Ownership Transfer Procedures

The car showroom or any office that provides vehicle ownership transfer services electronically conducts the transfer procedures once all conditions for transferring ownership of a car are met, as mentioned above. Transportation procedures can be completed with ease at these offices since they are electronically connected to the Traffic Department.

The buyer and seller sign the contract, and then the buyer receives the contract and the car ownership transfer paper before printing the form. The buyer may move within the Kingdom with the car ownership transfer paper.

For the seller, the sale amount can be transferred from the buyer’s bank account at the time of the sale. However, if the cash payment is made through an ordinary uncertified check, the car must be held until the check’s validity and authenticity is confirmed.

How Do I Transfer a Car with Absher?

In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, you can also transfer car ownership via the electronic Absher platform, which is an easy process that requires only:

Request to Transfer Vehicle Ownership

• You will need to log in to your Absher account.
• Under Vehicles, click on the “Services” tab.
• From the online services, choose “Vehicle Ownership Transfer“.
• Then scroll down and choose “Seller“.

To proceed to the next page, you must;

• Select the car to transfer ownership.
• You will need to enter the vehicle’s price.
• You need to enter the buyer’s Iqama number.
• Select Gregorian as the calendar type.
• Choose the buyer’s birth date.
• Please enter the IBAN of the seller’s account number. This account will receive the proceeds of the car sale.
• You need to select the region where you want to sell the vehicle.

In the next step, you must accept the terms and conditions of the Absher account in order to apply for a transfer of car ownership in Saudi Arabia online.

• There is only one hour for the buyer to accept the request.

Accept the Car Ownership Transfer Request

After creating a request through Absher, the buyer can accept or reject it within one hour. The following steps should be taken in order to accomplish that;

• Access your Absher account by logging in.
• Under Vehicles, click the “Services” tab.
• From the online services, select “Vehicle Ownership Transfer“.
• You can select “Buyer” by scrolling down.

Following that,

• The car transfer request can be accepted or rejected.
• You will need to enter the IBAN number of the buyer’s bank account. In the event of a cancellation, the amount will be credited to this account.
• The region in which the vehicle will be sold must be selected.

To transfer ownership of a car in Saudi Arabia online, you must agree to the terms and conditions. 

In Absher, the payment account number will be displayed. The following is Absher’s bank account information. As of right now, no funds will be released to the seller.

• There is only a 72-hour deadline for the buyer to make the payment.
• If the payment is made outside of banking hours, it will not be processed.
• This price already includes SR 230 for the car transfer fee.

After accepting the request to transfer ownership of a car in Saudi Arabia online through an Absher account, the buyer must make the payment to the designated bank account within 72 hours.

Delivery of the Vehicle

Absher will send an SMS to the buyer and seller following the successful transfer of funds. Using Absher, the seller will deliver the vehicle to the buyer.

For the delivery to be completed, the seller must enter the OTP the buyer received via SMS into his Absher account. The OTP should be given to the seller after the vehicle has been delivered.

Absher will release the payment to the seller once the delivery has been made. This concludes the online process of transferring car ownership through Absher in Saudi Arabia.

Collect the Istimara

After transferring ownership of the car, Istimara must be collected;

• Make an appointment with Muroor for this purpose.
• Take your Iqama to the traffic police station.
• The new Istimara must be collected.

The new Istimara can also be mailed to you. You can do so by scrolling down and;

• Click on the “Request Delivery of Postal Documents” button.
• Select your Saudi national address by pressing the “+” button.
• The delivery request for the phone number must be confirmed.

Your delivery service payment link will be sent via SMS shortly. SR 17.25 is the delivery charge.

Read More: Importing Cars to Saudi Arabia from UAE, How to Change Car Color in Saudi Arabia?

How to Change Car Color in Saudi Arabia

The Ministry of Interior in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has developed a set of procedures and controls that must be followed first in order to be able to change the colour of your car.

For the new car color to be legally approved, there are many legal procedures and steps to follow.

Requirements to Change Vehicle Color in Saudi Arabia

• There is a form designed for this purpose. All data must be entered on this form. To get this form go to the information centre in the General Traffic Department
• It is required that the car’s owner be present or someone acting on his behalf bring a certified authorisation requesting a color change.
• You must bring the original car form.
• Saudis must bring a copy of their personal status card.
• For non-Saudis, a copy of their residence permit is required.
• To change the color of a car, you must submit a request to inspect it and receive a form. Following an inspection, the request form will be signed, and the vehicle will be sent to the agency or workshop for color changes.
• After the car has been painted, it must be taken to the General Traffic Department Information Center for an inspection and amendments to the form and the computer.
• Through the teller (ATM), pay the fifty riyals fee for replacing the lost form.
• The receipt of payment and the new passage form should be given to replace the old one. A maximum of twenty minutes is required for this process to be completed.

Car Color Change Procedure

You must have the car form and the status card (for Saudi citizens) or a photo of your residence (for non-Saudi citizens) in order to change the color of your car legally. If you don’t have these, then changing the colour would be illegal.

Steps to Paint a Car and Change Its Color

• Spray rust-resistant materials on car surfaces to help fill in scratches.
• According to the packaging, you should wait a certain amount of time after applying the primer.
• Once the surfaces have been polished, gently buff them.
• Using wax or acetone, clean the surface of dust and oil.
• According to the manufacturer’s instructions, apply the final paint to the car’s surfaces in a thin layer.
• The paint should be left to dry completely and the car should not be exposed to dust during this time.
• Make sure the surfaces are smooth, clean them of residues, and allow them to dry.
• Make sure the paint is polished very carefully.

How Much Does a Color Change on a Car Cost

Saudi Arabia’s Interior Ministry and General Transport Authority are introducing car colour-changing services at a very low cost. Replacement of the lost form costs 50 riyals.

Read More: Which Countries Accept Saudi Driving Licenses?

Importing Cars from the UAE to Saudi Arabia

Several conditions must be met by the Saudi Customs Authority for cars to be imported into the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and offices to handle the importation are located throughout the Kingdom, in order to serve a wide segment of citizens.

Those who reside in Saudi Arabia and are not citizens of the Gulf will have the option to import one car every three years up to a maximum. Those who work in the car trade, however, may import more than two cars annually if they have a commercial record.

Taxes are assessed by the customs books based on customs finals. Taxes are assessed at 5% for cars and 12% for trucks.

Read More:

Which Countries Accept Saudi Driving License

How To Transfer Car Ownership in Saudi Arabia

Conditions for Importing Cars from the UAE

• Saudi Customs Department allows the import of major auto parts, such as exteriors, transmissions, engines, and differentials, provided they are clean, free of oils, and a certificate of conformity is attached to the parts, which proves that they are refurbished, with the written statement that the parts are refurbished in a non-removable manner.
• A number of car parts are prohibited from being imported by Saudi Customs, including dynamos, compressors, and other parts.
• Vehicles with previous employment, such as police cars or taxis, are not allowed to be shipped into Saudi Arabia by customs.
• In order to be eligible to import a car, the car model must not be older than five years. For trucks, it must not be older than ten years.
• A customs card for an antique car must include an antique phrase stating that the car has been manufactured for thirty years.
• The Saudi Customs Department prohibits the import of right-hand-drive vehicles.
• Automobiles involved in accidents such as fires and drowning are not allowed to be imported into Saudi Arabia.
• Saudi Arabian customs prohibit the importation of cars that are disassembled and later sold as parts or scrap.

The Best Way to Export Your Car

Land trucking is usually the fastest and most expensive method of delivery, followed by ocean-going delivery, which can take longer and is more economical. But before you choose a shipping method, you must comply with all the KSA government’s obligations and rules.

Documents Needed for Customs Clearance

• Documentation requirements include a passport with a picture and visa page as well as an Iqama. To prove ownership, you will also need a title certificate. Another proof of ownership could also be presented, but a title certificate is the most important of all.
• A police clearance or de-registration document from the UAE is also required.
• Conformity certificates, such as those from the Saudi Arabian standards organization (SASO), protect you from fraud and ensure that your products are defect-free. You may apply for them online as well. A purchase invoice, if available, is another possible form of proof of ownership.

Procedure for Registering a Car

After you’ve received customs clearance and your vehicle has been delivered to Saudi Arabia, you’ll need to obtain permission to operate it in the kingdom.

A copy of Bayan will be provided to you by Saudi Arabia’s logistics company, Four Winds. It is also necessary to have a copy of Bayan in order to obtain SASO (Saudi Arabia Standard Organization) certification. You have to provide this SASO certificate to Four Winds. Following that, you must submit the SASO certificate to Jeddah Customs, who will give you a green card.

Once you receive your green card, you must now have your vehicle inspected by MVPI (Motor Vehicle Periodic Inspection). Your car must be registered and have a traffic police certificate before you can drive it. Car insurance is also mandatory. You can now drive your car!

Car Registration Documents

We will provide you with a list of all the documents you will need in order to register your car. 

• Four Winds provides you with a copy of Bayan
• After clearing customs in Jeddah, you will get a “Green Card”.
• MVPI approval 
• passport copy with photo 
• A photocopy of your Saudi driving license 
• You must have car insurance.
• Iqama copy.

Read More: How to convert Saudi driving license to international