Car shipping from Saudi Arabia to the UAE with Gulf International Shipping is done by road, on car carriers and hydraulic flatbeds that cross at Al Batha and then Al Ghuwaifat. We collect from Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam and every other Saudi city and deliver to Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and the rest of the Emirates. A sedan on a shared carrier starts from SAR 1,100, an SUV from SAR 1,390 and a luxury car in an enclosed carrier from SAR 2,300. Delivery usually takes 3 to 5 days from Riyadh and 2 to 4 working days from Dammam. Once in the UAE, the car normally attracts 5% duty and another 5% in VAT. To book: 0568829975.
In short
- Method: overland only through Al Batha and Al Ghuwaifat; choose a shared carrier, private flatbed or enclosed carrier
- Sedan: from SAR 1,100 on a shared carrier from Riyadh
- SUV: from SAR 1,390 from Riyadh and SAR 1,660 from Dammam
- Luxury and EVs: from SAR 2,300 enclosed from Riyadh, and from SAR 3,600 from Jeddah
- Transit: fastest from the Eastern Province (2–4 working days), then Riyadh (3–5 days), then the west (4–6 days)
- UAE charges: normally 5% customs duty + 5% VAT
- Age: in several emirates, cars older than roughly 10 years face extra hurdles
Car shipping costs from Saudi Arabia to the UAE
Note: the closer your city is to Al Batha, the sooner the car arrives — 2–4 working days out of the Eastern Province, up to 4–6 days out of the west — with the emirate and clearance speed adding small variations.
Prices vary by departure city, because the distance to Al Batha differs and so do the market rates published in each city. These are the starting prices at Gulf International Shipping by region:
It may seem odd that a sedan costs more from Dammam than from Riyadh, even though Dammam is closer. Car transport prices in each city follow local supply and demand for carriers, and our rates are set below the lowest published price in each city. The final figure depends on the size of the car, the type of carrier and the emirate it’s going to.
What pushes the price up?
- Size: a large 4×4 or pickup takes the space of two small cars on a carrier.
- Enclosed carrier: it keeps sand and dust off the paint, but holds fewer cars, so it costs more.
- Private flatbed: it runs for your car alone, on the date you choose.
- Emirate: Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah are further than Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
- Condition: a car that doesn’t run needs a winch to load.
Will the UAE accept your car? Import rules to check before shipping
The first thing to check isn’t the price. It’s whether your car can be registered in the UAE once it arrives. These are the points we go through with every customer before booking:
Check your emirate’s rules before shipping
Age and inspection rules differ slightly between Dubai, Abu Dhabi and the other emirates. If your car is close to 10 years old, or was originally imported with non-GCC specs, send us the model year and specs and we’ll check it before you pay anything.
UAE charges are paid to customs on entry and aren’t part of the shipping price. A car that enters the UAE for a visit and comes back to Saudi Arabia is treated differently from one imported for permanent registration. We cover that further down.
Three ways to move a car to the UAE: which one suits you?
Shared car carrier
A two-deck truck carries several customers’ cars and the cost of the trip is split between them, which makes it the cheapest option: a sedan from SAR 1,100 from Riyadh. It suits everyday family cars and anyone without a fixed deadline, since it leaves once the carrier is full.
Private hydraulic flatbed
A flatbed that carries your car alone. The hydraulic deck lowers to the ground, so the car goes up without a steep ramp, which matters for low and sports cars. It starts from SAR 2,050 from Dammam or Jeddah and leaves on the date you set.
Enclosed carrier or flatbed
A fully closed box that protects the car from sand, heat and flying gravel on the desert road to Al Batha. It starts from SAR 2,300 from Riyadh and SAR 3,600 from Jeddah. It’s the right choice for luxury, classic and electric cars, and for new cars whose owners want them to arrive with no trace of the road.
With all three methods the car is covered and strapped down at the wheels, not the body, so the suspension and paint aren’t stressed during the trip.
Export documents for a car leaving Saudi Arabia for the UAE
A car leaving the Kingdom for good goes through the traffic department before customs. Have these ready a few days before loading:
- The original registration (istimara), plus the owner’s ID or iqama and a copy of their passport.
- All traffic fines paid and any lien cleared. The export certificate isn’t issued until this is done.
- Final export certificate and export plates from the traffic department, once the Saudi plates are cancelled.
- An Absher authorisation if someone else is handing over the car for the owner.
- A Fasah authorisation for the carrier, so we can lodge the customs declaration in your name.
- The receiver’s UAE details: name, mobile number, address and a copy of their Emirates ID or passport.
Financed cars
If the car is financed by a bank or instalment company, it can’t be exported until the finance is settled and the lien released. Start this early, as it can take several days.
Drive it yourself or ship it?
If you’re going to the UAE for a visit or a short-term job, you can usually drive your own car across Al Batha on temporary exit papers and bring it back. If you’re moving there for good and want UAE plates, you need a final export and full customs clearance. Shipping then saves you a drive of more than a thousand kilometres in the heat. Our team handles the customs side, and you collect the car in Dubai or Abu Dhabi without adding a single kilometre to the clock.
Shipping electric and hybrid cars to the UAE
Electric cars usually travel in an enclosed carrier, from SAR 3,600 from Jeddah and SAR 2,300 on an enclosed flatbed from Riyadh. Before handover:
- Leave the battery between 20% and 50%: not empty and not fully charged.
- Hand over the charging cable and spare key card in a separate bag with your name on it.
- Switch off sentry or alarm mode so it doesn’t drain the battery on the way.
Getting your car ready for loading
- A quarter tank of fuel only. A full tank adds weight for no benefit.
- Take out all personal items. Anything inside the car gets searched at customs and can delay clearance.
- Photograph the car from every side, including the odometer, and keep a short video on your phone.
- Remove external accessories such as bike racks and extra lights.
- Wash it before handover so any old scratch shows up in the joint inspection.
Car shipping route and transit time by departure city
Every car bound for the UAE passes through Al Batha. The difference is how far the carrier travels before it gets there:
The northern emirates (Sharjah, Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah) add roughly a day. For city details see Shipping from Dammam to the UAE, Land freight from Riyadh to the UAE and Shipping from Jeddah to the UAE.
What happens once the car reaches the UAE?
At Al Ghuwaifat the car is cleared, duty is paid and a customs certificate is issued for it. Registration then takes three steps:
- 1Technical inspection
At an approved vehicle testing centre in the emirate. It’s simpler for GCC-spec cars. - 2UAE insurance
A policy from a UAE insurer in the owner’s name. - 3Registration and plates
At the emirate’s roads authority or traffic department, with the customs certificate, test result and insurance.
We deliver the car to your home or workplace in Dubai, Abu Dhabi or any emirate, or to our depot for your representative to collect. Its condition is checked with you against the photos taken at pickup in Saudi Arabia.
Shipping your car and furniture in one booking
Families relocating to the UAE often ship the car and the furniture together. One booking covers both: the car rides on a carrier, the household goods in a closed truck, and the customs files are prepared together, so the two land within a day or so of each other. Furniture details are in Furniture shipping from Saudi Arabia to the UAE, and the duty exemption for used belongings in UAE customs rules for used household goods.
Air freight alongside car shipping
The car itself goes by road, because flying a car is very expensive and makes little sense over a distance the road covers in days. Air freight is still useful alongside it: the spare key, original papers and urgent spare parts arrive in 24 to 48 hours from SAR 46 per kg. See Air freight from Saudi Arabia to Dubai.
Common mistakes when shipping a car to the UAE
- Shipping an older car without checking the age rule in the destination emirate.
- Leaving fines or lien release until loading day.
- Leaving personal belongings in the boot, which holds the car up at inspection.
- Not photographing the car at handover, then disputing an old scratch.
- Putting a luxury car on an open carrier, exposed to sand and gravel.
- Forgetting the UAE charges (5% + 5%) when budgeting the move.
How to ship your car with Gulf International Shipping
- 1Send the car details
Model, year, your city and the emirate, on WhatsApp 0568829975. - 2We check the rules and price
We confirm age and specs and quote by carrier type. - 3Complete the export papers
Fines, export certificate and plates, Absher and Fasah authorisations. - 4Handover and joint inspection
We collect the car from your home or a pickup point and photograph it with you. - 5Border and clearance
We follow the car through Al Batha and Al Ghuwaifat until the customs certificate is issued. - 6Delivery in the UAE
We deliver to your address and compare its condition with the pickup photos.
Why ship your car with Gulf International Shipping?
Checked before booking
We confirm the car’s age and specs before you pay.
Three options
Shared carrier, private flatbed or enclosed carrier.
From SAR 1,100
Below the published rates in Riyadh, Dammam and Jeddah.
From every city
Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam, Makkah, Madinah, Taif and Tabuk.
Get a price to ship your car to the UAE
Send the model, year, your city and the emirate, and we’ll reply with the price and the rules that apply.
