Car number plates

Below you will find some steps regarding car number plates:

Lost/damaged Number Plate:

It is offense to drive without a number plate, especially the back plate missing (please read here for more info). You can report this by Matresh app and pick this up at the local traffic office of your choice. Or you can go straight to the traffic department, report and pay for the licence plate. Location for plate workshop: https://maps.app.goo.gl/jiCaf7H89SMrzwRVA

Transfer plate to another car:

There are a few methods for this and they'll need to be done at the traffic office. You can convert your number plate to a special plate number and register this to the other car, both cars must be in your name.

Other option, perhaps the cheaper one is to register a new plate for the old car and transfer number plate to the other car. Again, both cars must be under your QID.

There are fees associated to registering a new number plate (QAR 300 at the time of writing this) and converting into a special number plate (QAR 500 at the time of writing). Please double check these fees at the traffic office.

Sell the car, keep the plate:

To keep you plate, similar to above, convert this to a special plate. Than you'll need to register a new number plate for the car you want to sell. Fees are the same as above.

Special Number Plates and Transfer:

1. Make a number plate special (if you feel it has additional financial value)

2. Remove the special plate from your car (e.g. before selling the car)

3. Add a new plate to your car (to replace the special plate you've just removed)

All this can be undertaken in one location as long as you meet certain criteria and pay the relevant fees.

Location: Traffic Department - Licence Plate Workshop (https://maps.app.goo.gl/5BiNb6wdAJJ2ZcHTA)

1. Making a plate special

1. Go to the License Plate Workshop and go into the main office building

2. Take a ticket and once your number is called give the lady your car Istimara for the plate you want to make special

3. Pay QR600

4. You will be given a credit card style card with your QID and the plate number (see below)

5. The plate is now registered to your QID and is now a special plate

Please note you must own the car (with that plate number) for at least one year before being able to make the plate special or to even remove the plate.

However, if you speak to the Captain and fill in a form (given to you by the guy at the main desk....which is only in Arabic!!!!) and get the Captain to sign it, then the 1 year rule can be overlooked ....depends on the mood of the captain.

2. Remove special plate

1. Take you car and queue up and wait your turn to be seen by the people in the security huts behind the barrier

2. When it's your turn give the guy your car Istimara

3. He will check whether your number plate is special or not. Obviously if you've already followed the steps above...it will be

4. You will then proceed to the next security hut

5.Tell the lady you want to remove the special plate and replace it with a new number plate

6. She will ask you (i) whether the new plate you want is square or rectangular in shape (this obviously varies from car to car) (ii) whether you have a preference for the new plate....you can select from a few options. However, if you're selling the car then doesn't make any difference what number plate they give you

7. Pay QR300

8. The lady will give you a hand written slip with your new plate number

3. Adding a new number plate

1. Following on from step 8 above, drive forward to the workshop area

2. Give the paper slip to one of the workers

3. They will remove your current (special) plate and keep it. You're not allowed to have these unfortunately

4. Within minutes they will create the new plate with the new numbers (as per the slip)

5. They will then fix the new plates to your car (front and back obviously!!!)

6. Drive forward and park up

7. After 10 or so minutes walk and return back to the lady who gave you the hand written slip of paper and took QR300 from you.

8. She will then issue you with your new Istimara for your car, now displaying your new number plate

9. Job done!!

Credit to Anjum