What you are transferring
The official service is called Ownership or Resale of Vehicle Registration Numbers. It is run by the Ministry of Interior’s General Directorate of Traffic (GDT) with the Information & eGovernment Authority, and it covers owning, or reselling to another person, a registration number that is currently used on a vehicle or reserved.
One rule matters before anything else. Under Interior Ministry Decision No. 141 of 2025, someone who was assigned a private car number (599999 and below) before Decision No. 47 of 2017 took effect cannot transfer it to another person until they have first taken ownership of it, which costs BD 100. Ask the seller whether they own the number or only hold it.
Before you agree
Ask the seller for proof that they own the number, and agree on the price and on who pays the official fee. The sale price and the government fee are separate. The service requires valid vehicle registration, no legal restrictions such as seizure or loans, and any traffic fines, contraventions and accident records cleared.
Documents to bring
Bring a valid ID card, the vehicle ownership certificate, the licensing division form signed by the owner, and a letter of waiver for the registration number. Companies also provide a copy of the commercial registration, the form stamped by the company, and a letter signed and stamped by the authorized signatory. Transfers between spouses need a marriage certificate; transfers between parents or grandparents and their descendants need a birth certificate.
Online: owning a number
To own a number that is used on your vehicle or reserved, you can apply online. Go to the eGovernment website, choose the General Directorate of Traffic services, enter the authentication details that confirm your eligibility, and pay the fee. The certificate of number ownership is sent to you by email.
In person: reselling to someone else
To resell a number to another person, book an appointment through the Appointment System app (Mawaeid). Then visit the GDT Vehicle Licensing Division or an external service centre with the documents. The documents and conditions are checked, and then you pay the fee.
Fee and timing
The published fee for owning or reselling a number is BD 100, payable by debit card, credit card, or cash at a TAM kiosk. The published processing time is one working day. This fee is separate from the amount you pay the seller and from other services, such as metal plates (BD 3.500 for one private plate) or moving a number from one vehicle to another (BD 20 listed for that separate service).
Family transfers: no fee
The fee does not apply to transfers between spouses, between parents or grandparents and their children or grandchildren. Bring the marriage or birth certificate that proves the relationship.
After the transfer
Keep the official ownership certificate and your record of the agreement and payment. PLATES only helps buyers and sellers find each other; it does not process payments or carry out the transfer, which is done with the GDT. Fees, documents and conditions can change, so check the official service page before you go. Last reviewed 14 October 2026.
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