How to Check Vehicle Owner Details in UAE

The United Arab Emirates has one of the most restrictive regulations in the field; vehicles are intensively policed with ownership, registration, and legal status kept as records by the concerned governments. When you are buying a used car, and when you either get into a road accident or simply trying to verify stocks, you may wonder how you can legally obtain such information and at what time. Nevertheless, UAE has harsh data privacy regulations and illegal access to personal data of vehicle owners is prohibited.

This blog is a break-down of ownership verification in UAE, what the authorities offer in relation to ownership-verification, as well as the exact times and means by which such information can be requested legally.

Are UAE Vehicle Owner Details public?

No. In the UAE, the vehicle ownership details are kept secret. The registrants cannot make the personal information, including the complete name, phone number, Emirates ID and address of the car owner, publicly accessible. This is applicable in all the seven emirates such as Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah among others.

The government through its entities like:

• • Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) -Dubai
  • Abu Dhabi Police Traffic services
  • Sharjah Roads and Transport Authority (SRTA)

• Ministry of Interior(Federal Traffic and Licensing System)
  

The information which these authorities gather and control is: registration number of vehicle, its history, short-cuts and insurance and whether there are any violations.

Legal Situations in Which Owner Details are Available

As much as the data is confidential, there are multiple legal situations in which the rights of access can be sanctioned:

1. Purchasing a second-hand car

Buyers need to confirm ownership of a used car before buying one. The dealer is supposed to produce the original Mulkiya ( Vehicle Registration Card ) which contains:

• Name of registered owner
• Plate number
• Chassis number, Model of vehicle
• Date of expiry of registration
  

Both the buyer and seller should be present at an office of a Traffic Department or RTA in order to transfer the ownership on the day of sale.

2. Participation in a Traffic Accident

Presuming you are involved in a road accident and have lost your car ownership certificate, then you have to report the case and the receipt of the ownership of the other party can be directly obtained by the police. This is not addressed by the individual, instead Dubai Police or Abu Dhabi Police will arrange this process and report the said details to your case file.

3. Insurance and Legal Claims

Ownership records can be accessed after the formal request by insurance companies in need of the information during accident claims or vehicle inspection. Sometimes such data can be accessed by legal advises or authorized law offices upon an application that is accompanied by official documents.

4. Abandoned Vehicles or Suspicious Vehicles

In cases where a vehicle blocks your way of access, the vehicle may look like its owner has left it or there may be a suspicion of crime being committed, then you can just report the vehicle via apps provided, such as Dubai Police App, Abu Dhabi Police App, or via the Emirates Vehicle Gate. There will be investigation by official who will trace internally the owner registered.

RTA Dubai: Services To Check Vehicle Details

Despite the fact that Dubai RTA shows no personal owner information to anyone, it gives you the grounds too, verify what is necessary without personal details. These include:

• Vehicle registration validity
• Outstanding traffic fines
• The situation with mortgage status of vehicles
• Verification of chassis and plate verification
• Report of vehicle history (consumer)
  

You may find these services at:

• The website of the RTA
• Dubai Drive App
• Happiness Centers of RTA Customer
  

To check deeper into the authenticity, RTA also collaborates with Tasjeel, which provides pre-purchasing vehicle inspection and history report.

Abu Dhabi and Other Emirates: Its Working

In Abu Dhabi there is car ownership and vehicles services which are managed through Abu Dhabi Police e-services portal and TAMM platform. With a UAE Pass, a resident can log in, check their vehicles records, renew registries, and look at violations. Through these portals it is also possible to:

• Electronic sign off of ownership
• Registering of plate numbers
• Averting of accidents or stalled cars
  

Similar services are also available in Sharjah, Ajman and Ras Al Khaimah through local traffic department, in many cases with connections to the online services of the Federal Ministry of Interior at evg.ae.

What You Cannot Do

It is also worth pointing at what you cannot do in the UAE without being in breach of the law regarding details of vehicle ownership:

• It is not possible to identify a name of the owner of the license plate by searching a number online
• It is not possible to present your request to obtain the vehicle details of another person having no valid reasons or legal document
• Accessing ownership data by use of fake information is a criminal act within the Emirati jurisdiction
  

Having breached the laws of data privacy, a person may face high fines, arrest, and even deportation in the case of a serious violation.

Best Advice when Buying a Used Car in UAE

These are the best practices to follow to make sure that you are not in a legal or financial bind when you check the information of the vehicle you want to buy:

• The Emirates ID of the seller needs to be checked and the Mulkiya (registration card) requested.
• Check the vehicle history report by RTA or Tasjeel
• Make sure, no debted fines or police barring has to be met
• Transformation of ownership should be done in person at the RTA or cloned traffic center
• Do not pay in advance when they are legally not yet owners
  

In the case the vehicle is on mortgage, the seller cannot sell it before paying the vendor off with the bank.

Conclusion

Although the owner information of any vehicle in the UAE cannot be made publicly available by virtue of the UAE privacy laws, verification of vehicle status and ownership can be made legally under certain conditions. Regarding purchasing a vehicle, reporting a claim under an insurance policy or any car complaint, it is always better to utilize channels under a relevant authority such as the RTA, Abu Dhabi Police or Emirates Vehicle Gate.

With the knowledge of the process and the respect of the UAE law, you will be able to guarantee the safe, legal, and smooth process of dealing with any car-related issue in UAE.

FAQs

Is it possible to locate the owner of a car in UAE based on plate number?

No, the vehicle ownership information is a personal matter and cannot be availed by plate number.

How do I ensure that I am getting a legal car in buying a second hand vehicle?

Request the original Mulkiya (registration card) of the seller and check it correlates with his/her Emirates ID.

Will the police be able to access details of vehicle owners following an accident?

Yes, police will be able to access complete information of ownership during one of their cases or through accident reports.

How can you know the status of a vehicle legally in Dubai?

Check fines and insurance and license status on the RTA home page or the Dubai Drive device.

Can one look into the car details of another person without their permission?

No, this is against the privacy law of UAE because obtaining the details of vehicle owners without any legal purpose is wrong.