Gulf International Shipping handles car shipping from Saudi Arabia to Qatar by road through Salwa and Abu Samra, on group carriers, private hydraulic flatbeds or enclosed transporters, from Riyadh, Dammam, Jeddah, Makkah, Madinah, Taif and Tabuk to your door in Doha, Lusail or Al Wakrah. Riyadh and Dammam customers pay from SAR 1,100 per sedan and SAR 1,390 per SUV; an enclosed transporter for a luxury model begins at SAR 1,850, and a motorbike at SAR 1,840. Cars from the Eastern Province usually arrive in 1 to 3 days, and from Riyadh in 2 to 4 days.
Before price and carrier, one question settles everything: will Qatar accept your car at all? Qatar is among the strictest Gulf states on the age and condition of imported cars, and many of the problems customers face at Abu Samra come from shipping a car that does not qualify. This guide therefore starts with an eligibility check, then moves on to prices by city and carrier type, Saudi export paperwork, and what happens once the car reaches Qatar.
At a glance
- Border crossing: Salwa → Abu Samra, the only land route into Qatar, open around the clock
- Accepted age: a light vehicle older than five model years is usually refused, though classics past 35 are let in
- Charges in Qatar: duty worth 5% of what the car is worth, and VAT does not apply
- Registration: within 14 days of the car entering Qatar, after the technical inspection
- Prices: sedans begin at SAR 1,100, SUVs at SAR 1,390, enclosed luxury moves at SAR 1,850, and SAR 2,300 buys a private flatbed
- Transit: East: 1–3 days · Capital: 2–4 days · Jeddah: 3–5 working days
Path: pickup city → Al-Ahsa (Hofuf) → Salwa → Abu Samra → Doha · Carriers: group / private flatbed / enclosed · Contact: 0568829975
Before you book: will Qatar let your car in?
We ask every customer to review four points before we set a loading date. If any of them fails, it is far better to find out while you are still in the Kingdom than after the car has covered hundreds of kilometres and stopped at the border.
These conditions come from a Qatari ministerial decision on vehicle imports, as reported by Qatar’s motoring press, and the authorities generally apply them strictly. A car that fails them can be confiscated and destroyed, the worst outcome for a customer who has already paid for shipping and clearance. That is why the model year and accident history are the first things we ask about.
Exceptions to the five-year rule
- Classic cars: more than 35 years old
- Returning diplomats: up to two cars
- Returning Qatari students: after at least two years studying abroad, one car
- Limited-production and special-purpose vehicles: with approval from the competent authority
GCC nationals
GCC citizens can usually import two vehicles a year, provided the car has export plates, official documents and moves with a licensed transport company. Entering by land requires temporary border insurance of around QAR 100, and the car must then be registered within 14 days.
Permanent export or temporary entry? Pick the right path
A Saudi-plated car can enter Qatar in two ways, each with different paperwork and consequences. Choosing the wrong path at the start means missing documents at the border or charges you did not plan for.
Most of our customers are relocating for work or to settle, so they need permanent export. Anyone wanting the car for a long visit before bringing it back is better served by temporary entry, and usually drives it. Note that a private vehicle falls outside the used-furniture exemption Qatari customs grant to people arriving to work, even when it travels in the same booking as the household goods.
Approximate car shipping prices from Saudi Arabia to Qatar
Note: Dammam gives the quickest arrival (one to three days), Riyadh comes next (two to four), and the western trio of Jeddah, Makkah and Taif takes three to five working days; Qatari duty is not in these figures.
The lower number in each row is Gulf International Shipping’s starting price, and the higher one is the top of the range the market publishes for the same service. We set our prices 5% to 10% under the lowest advertised rate in each city, which is why the same car costs differently from Riyadh, Dammam and Jeddah.
Car shipping price by departure city and carrier type
Prices in SAR, starting from the figure shown. No carrier lists rates for Makkah, Taif, Madinah or Tabuk, so we apply Jeddah’s, the closest city that has them. “On request” cells are priced once we know the model and city.
Why does a car from Jeddah cost roughly double one from Riyadh? Jeddah to Doha is about 1,550 km, more than twice Riyadh’s roughly 600 km. A carrier from the west crosses the whole Kingdom via Riyadh and Al-Ahsa and spends two extra days on the road. Dammam is the closest, so its prices match or undercut Riyadh’s. Furniture and carton rates for every city sit in shipping prices from Saudi Arabia to Qatar.
Why do two cars cost different amounts to ship to Doha?
- Size and weight: a large SUV takes more deck space than a sedan
- Carrier type: group carriers are cheaper because several cars share the cost; enclosed and private flatbeds cost more
- Departure city: every extra kilometre before Salwa adds cost, and the Eastern Province is closest
- Car value: it sets the optional insurance premium and the Qatari duty amount
- Loading date: a group carrier waits to fill up, while a private flatbed leaves on your date
- Delivery point: Doha, Al Wakrah and Lusail are on the usual route; remote northern areas may cost more
Car carrier types for Qatar: which suits your car?
Group carrier
A two-deck truck carrying several cars in one trip, and the most economical option for everyday family cars. Gulf International Shipping charges a sedan from Riyadh or Dammam SAR 1,100 and up. Its only drawback is that departure depends on filling the load, so the car may wait a day or two at the consolidation yard.
Private hydraulic flatbed
A flatbed carrying your car alone, with a hydraulic deck that lowers to a gentle loading angle so the underside never scrapes. It suits low-slung and luxury cars and anyone needing a set date. It starts from SAR 2,300 from Riyadh, and from SAR 1,850 for SUVs and luxury cars from Dammam.
With every carrier type we secure the car with wide straps around the tyres rather than the body, fit wheel chocks, and cover the car against dust and sun for the desert stretch between Al-Ahsa and Salwa.
Enclosed carrier
A fully closed box that shields the car from sand, heat and curious eyes, some with a rear lift platform. It is the usual choice for luxury, sports and classic cars, starting from SAR 1,850 from Riyadh and Dammam, and from SAR 3,880 for a sedan from Jeddah.
Saudi paperwork for exporting a car to Qatar
These are the usual documents for a permanent export; your case may differ slightly:
- Valid vehicle registration (istimara) in the owner’s name
- The owner’s national ID or valid iqama
- A traffic export certificate, with the Saudi plates removed and export plates fitted
- A valid periodic technical inspection
- Proof that no traffic fines are outstanding
- Written consent from the bank or finance company if the car is financed or leased
- An electronic authorisation for the carrier through Absher or Fasah
- The customs card, which can be viewed on Absher
Financed cars
A car with an outstanding loan cannot be exported without the bank’s written consent. Start with this step because it can take time, and do not book a shipping date until you have it.
What happens at Abu Samra and after the car arrives in Qatar?
After exit formalities at Salwa the carrier enters Abu Samra, where the car’s customs declaration is lodged through Al Nadeeb. Qatari customs usually ask for the original proof of ownership, an invoice or document establishing the car’s value, and the import declaration. The duty bill equals 5% of the vehicle’s value; nothing is added for VAT, which Qatar has yet to introduce.
Once cleared, the car is delivered to your address. Two steps then remain: the vehicle technical inspection, then registration with Qatari traffic, Qatari plates and new local insurance, all within 14 days of the car entering the country. We can guide you through the order of these steps, but they are completed in your name with the Qatari authorities.
Car shipping time to Qatar by departure city
All figures are rough and shift with the road taken and the collection point; they include formalities at Salwa and Abu Samra, and a private flatbed usually beats a group carrier.
- Shipping from Riyadh to Qatar: the Khurais–Hofuf road out of the capital
- Shipping from Dammam to Qatar: the shortest run to Salwa
- Shipping from Jeddah to Qatar: crossing the Kingdom west to east
- Shipping from Makkah to Qatar: collection from Makkah and nearby towns
- Shipping from Madinah to Qatar: a long haul routed via Riyadh
- Shipping from Taif to Qatar: loading up in the highlands
- Shipping from Tabuk to Qatar: the longest road in the group
Getting your car ready for the Salwa run: a pre-loading checklist
- A quarter tank of fuel is enough to drive on and off the carrier; a full tank adds weight and risk
- Empty the car completely, as personal items inside are not allowed and delay clearance
- Photograph the car from 12 angles, including the dashboard; we photograph it too at collection
- Disable the alarm, or show us how, so it does not go off on the road
- Hand over one key and keep the spare with you
- Check the battery and tyres, and tell us about any fault that stops the car starting
Driving through Salwa or using a carrier: a practical comparison
Some residents drive their own cars to Qatar, which is possible with the right paperwork. A carrier is often the better choice, though: when the family flies and nobody can drive the second car, when the trip from Jeddah or Tabuk runs to around 1,900 km, or when the car is new or high-end and the owner does not want to add mileage. Even from Riyadh it is about 6 hours behind the wheel, a full travel day once the border is included.
Another advantage of a carrier is that the export papers and customs declaration are prepared together with the shipment, so you are not left alone at Abu Samra looking for a clearing agent. For a permanent export the car needs export plates either way, whether you drive it or ship it.
Electric cars, classics and motorcycles
Electric cars: we ship them on enclosed or open carriers like any car, with the battery at the charge level the manufacturer recommends for transport, and hand over the charging cable with the documents rather than in the boot. Out of Jeddah, an open carrier runs from SAR 3,230 and an enclosed one from SAR 5,540.
Classic cars: the main exception to the age limit, once the car is more than 35 years old. We always load classics in an enclosed carrier and document their condition with photos before loading.
Motorcycles: shipping starts from SAR 1,840, with the bike fixed on a dedicated stand inside the truck so it cannot tip on the road.
Shipping the car and furniture in one booking
When a family moves to Qatar, the car is part of moving the whole household. In that case we align the car’s date with the furniture’s, prepare both sets of papers together, and the car and furniture arrive in the same week with one clearing agent dealing with you. Remember, though, that used furniture may be duty-free under its conditions, while the car pays 5% in every case. Before booking, read furniture moving from Saudi Arabia to Qatar for the household side and Qatar used household goods customs for the duty rules.
Can a car be flown to Qatar?
Flying a car is technically possible but rare and very expensive compared with road freight, since the land route to Qatar is relatively short. We quote it on request for rare or extremely urgent cars. The air freight our customers actually book alongside a car is for spare parts, keys and personal items needed on arrival: Riyadh to Doha takes about 1 hour 20 to 35 minutes, Dammam about 55 minutes, Jeddah about 2 hours 25 minutes and Tabuk about 2 hours 55 minutes, and belongings fly from SAR 1,110 a cubic metre. We explore this option further on the page air freight from Saudi Arabia to Qatar.
Mistakes that leave a car stuck at the border
- Shipping a car older than 5 years without confirming an exception applies
- Assuming the furniture exemption covers the car; cars always pay duty
- Forgetting the bank’s consent on a financed car before requesting the export certificate
- Unpaid traffic fines that block the clearance certificate
- Loading belongings inside the car to save a carton, which delays clearance
- Missing the 14-day window to register in Qatar after the car enters
From booking to Qatari plates in six steps
- 1Tell us about the car
Share the make, model year, your city and where in Qatar it is going, on WhatsApp 0568829975 or through the quote form. - 2Eligibility check and price
We review the age and condition rules, then send a price by carrier type and date. - 3Export paperwork
We explain the export certificate, plates and electronic authorisation, and check your documents. - 4Collection and loading
Our driver picks the car up at your door or the yard; we photograph, strap and cover it. - 5Crossing and clearance
Salwa exit, then the customs declaration at Abu Samra through Al Nadeeb and payment of duty. - 6Delivery in Qatar
The car reaches your address, and we guide you through the inspection and registration within 14 days.
What you get when Gulf International Shipping moves your car
We check before we ship
We verify the car’s age and history before loading so it is not refused at Abu Samra.
Three carrier types
Group, private hydraulic flatbed and enclosed, depending on the car’s value and your date.
Prices by your city
A clear table for Riyadh, Dammam, Jeddah and the western cities, below published market rates.
Organised paperwork
We guide you through the Saudi export and Qatari declaration, and link the car to your furniture shipment.
Door to door
Collection from your home in the Kingdom, delivery in Doha, Lusail, Al Wakrah and Al Rayyan.
Photo records
We photograph the car at collection and delivery, and offer optional insurance.
Check your car’s eligibility and get a price
Send us the model, model year and your city, and we will tell you whether Qatar accepts it, what shipping costs and the next available date.
Pages that complete this guide
- Salwa–Abu Samra border crossing: what happens to the carrier at the border
- Shipping prices from Saudi Arabia to Qatar: every item for every city
- Qatar used household goods customs: for anyone shipping the car with the home
- Shipping company from Saudi Arabia to Qatar: our main guide to Qatar
- Car shipping service: service details on our site
- Land freight from Saudi Arabia to Qatar: trucks, loads and routes
- International destinations from the Kingdom: the Gulf, the Levant and beyond
