Al Mellah International Shipping (0580402747) ships cars from Riyadh to the UAE on enclosed carriers via the Al Batha → Ghuwaifat crossing, from your door in Riyadh to Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Al Ain, Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah in 3 to 5 days. A sedan starts from SAR 2,000, a 4×4 from SAR 2,300 and a pickup from SAR 2,150, with export plates, clearance at both crossings and photos of the car’s condition at loading and delivery.
Shipping a car to the UAE is one of the most common questions from Riyadh: an employee who’s moved to Dubai and wants their car, a family relocating to Abu Dhabi with two cars, a trader selling cars in Sharjah, or a sports-car owner who doesn’t want to drive 1,000 km across the desert. This guide is about cars only: prices by car type, the right transport method, export-plate steps in Riyadh, registration in the UAE, and what changes for a short visit rather than a permanent move.
💰 Car shipping prices from Riyadh to the UAE by car type
| Car type | Examples | Transport | Starts from | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sedan | Camry, Sonata, Elantra, Accord | Open or enclosed carrier | SAR 2,000 | 3–5 days |
| 4×4 | Land Cruiser, Tahoe, Patrol, Yukon | Enclosed carrier | SAR 2,300 | 3–5 days |
| Pickup | Hilux, Shas, F-150 | Open carrier | SAR 2,150 | 3–5 days |
| Low sports or luxury | Porsche, Mercedes-AMG, Ferrari | Enclosed hydraulic flatbed | Request a quote | 3–4 days |
| Classic or modified | Older cars and collections | Enclosed carrier with special securing | Request a quote | By appointment |
Prices from Riyadh to Dubai or Abu Dhabi, including door collection, transport and clearance at both crossings, excluding UAE registration fees.
What raises or lowers the price?
| Factor | Effect |
|---|---|
| Car size and weight | A 4×4 takes more space on the carrier |
| Enclosed or open carrier | Enclosed costs slightly more and protects from sand and stones |
| Receiving emirate | Fujairah and Ras Al Khaimah are further than Dubai and Abu Dhabi |
| Collection and delivery | Door to door or from a consolidation point |
| Number of cars | A second car on the same carrier is better value |
| Season | Holidays and the end of the school year are busier |
How to get the cheapest price for your car
🚛 Enclosed, open or hydraulic flatbed?
The road from Riyadh to Ghuwaifat is a long desert route, and blowing sand and gravel can mark paint and glass. So we choose the transport by the car’s value, not just the price:
| Method | Suits | Advantages | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Open carrier | Ordinary sedans and pickups | Cheapest, 6–8 cars | The car is under a protective cover |
| Enclosed carrier | 4x4s and new cars | Full protection from sand and sun | Recommended for the desert road |
| Enclosed hydraulic flatbed | Sports, low and luxury cars | A low ramp that won’t scrape the underside | Separate booking and wheel-strap securing |
🔑 Steps for preparing the car in Riyadh
🛂 Route, crossing and trip duration
| Stage | Approx. duration |
|---|---|
| Collection in Riyadh and loading | One day |
| Road to Al Batha (≈ 700 km) | A day |
| Clearance at Al Batha and Ghuwaifat | Half a day to a day |
| Ghuwaifat → Abu Dhabi or Dubai | A day |
| Delivery in the northern emirates | Sometimes an extra day |
| Emirate | Approx. distance from Ghuwaifat | Delivery |
|---|---|---|
| Abu Dhabi | ≈ 350 km | Usually day four |
| Dubai | ≈ 480 km | Day four or five |
| Sharjah and Ajman | ≈ 520 km | Day five |
| Al Ain | ≈ 420 km | Day four or five |
| Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah | ≈ 600 km or more | Day five |
🇦🇪 Registering the car in the UAE after arrival
After clearance at Ghuwaifat you receive a customs certificate for the car, and with it you start registration in the emirate where you live:
| Step | What you need |
|---|---|
| UAE insurance | A policy from a company licensed in the UAE |
| Technical inspection | Inspection at an approved testing centre |
| Registration and plates | The customs certificate, Emirates ID or residence and tenancy contract depending on the emirate |
| Specifications | GCC-spec cars are easier to register; non-GCC cars are reviewed before shipping |
🕐 Short visit or permanent move?
| Your situation | Best solution | Note |
|---|---|---|
| A visit or short holiday | Drive on your Saudi plates with insurance covering the UAE | No shipping or export plates needed |
| You don’t want the long drive | Temporary shipping on a carrier with your Saudi plates | We review the documents needed to cross |
| Moving for work or residence | Export shipping with export plates, then UAE registration | The permanent solution |
| Selling the car in the UAE | Export shipping and clearance in the buyer’s or showroom’s name | Sale documents required |
🔋 Electric and hybrid cars
Electric cars are increasing in Riyadh and Dubai, and shipping them needs special arrangements: the battery is charged to 30–50%, neither full nor empty; the home charger and cables go in a separate box, not inside the car; and remote connectivity is disabled if the manufacturer requires it. We need to know the model in advance because some carriers need special classification for large batteries.
| Point | What we ask |
|---|---|
| Charge level | Between 30% and 50% at handover |
| Charger and cables | In a separate box with your belongings shipment |
| Transport mode | Enable tow or transport mode per the manufacturer’s manual |
| Key | One key handed to the driver, the spare kept with you |
🛋️ Car and home furniture in one move?
If you’re moving your whole home to the UAE, the car travels on its own carrier and the furniture in an enclosed truck, but we coordinate both so they arrive on about the same day, with one invoice and one point of tracking. Details are in the guide to shipping from Riyadh to the UAE.
🛡️ Transport insurance
Your Saudi insurance doesn’t cover the car while it’s on the carrier, so we issue transport insurance from loading in Riyadh to delivery in the emirate, on the value you declare at booking. The photos we send you at loading are your reference if anything is noted at delivery.
🚗🚗 Shipping several cars and showrooms
For families moving with two cars, and showrooms and traders shipping several cars to Sharjah or Dubai, we book a full carrier or part of one at a reduced per-car price. For commercial cars we need purchase invoices and the importer’s or receiving showroom’s name in the UAE.
📄 Documents and clearance
| Document | Personal move | Cars for sale |
|---|---|---|
| Registration or owner’s authorisation | ✔ | ✔ |
| Export plates and export certificate | ✔ | ✔ |
| ID or iqama | ✔ | ✔ |
| Fasah authorisation | ✔ | ✔ |
| Lien-release letter if any | ✔ | ✔ |
| Purchase invoice and importer’s name in the UAE | — | ✔ |
🏁 Delivery in the UAE
We deliver the car to your home or office in the emirate, remove the cover in front of you, and compare its condition with the loading photos before you sign. If you haven’t arrived yet, someone you authorise can receive it with a copy of their ID.
🚢 Road, sea or air for the car?
| Method | Route | Duration | When it fits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Road by carrier | Riyadh → Al Batha → the emirate | 3–5 days | The usual choice for nearly all cars |
| Sea RoRo or container | Dammam port to Jebel Ali | Depends on the sailing | Large commercial numbers or cars gathered in Dammam |
| Air | King Khalid Airport to Dubai | One to two days | Rare and very costly, for exceptional cars only |
🚫 What isn’t allowed in a car shipment
🅿️ Car storage and tracking
If your UAE home isn’t ready yet, we store the car in a covered yard in Riyadh before shipping or in a partner warehouse in Dubai after arrival, until your date. You get WhatsApp notices at loading, when crossing Al Batha, at clearance in Ghuwaifat, and hours before delivery.
⚠️ Common mistakes
⚖️ How to choose a car shipping company from Riyadh to the UAE
🔁 From the UAE to Riyadh
We also ship cars from the UAE to Riyadh, taking into account the Kingdom’s used-car import rules, SABER platform requirements, 15% VAT and Saudi standard specifications.
❓ FAQ: car shipping from Riyadh to the UAE
❓ How much does it cost to ship a car from Riyadh to Dubai?
From SAR 2,000 for a sedan, SAR 2,300 for a 4×4 and SAR 2,150 for a pickup; luxury cars are quoted.
❓ How long does car shipping from Riyadh to the UAE take?
3 to 5 days from collection to delivery.
❓ Do I need export plates?
Yes for a permanent move and UAE registration; for a short visit you can drive on your Saudi plates.
❓ Can I put belongings inside the car?
No, it can stop the carrier for inspection at the crossing.
❓ Do you ship low sports cars?
Yes, on an enclosed hydraulic flatbed, quoted by model.
❓ Do you deliver to Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah?
Yes, usually with an extra day.
Send the car type, year and receiving emirate, and we’ll send you the price and carrier date.
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