Dubai

دبي

CURRENT SERIES 

(a)     Since 22nd May 2004 private and company owned vehicles have had black on reflective white plates with single line plates measuring 520×112 mm and two line plates 305×153 mm.   At top left is the western series letter and at top right the western number;  all this is above DUBAI .   On single line plates, the series letter is to the left, over DUBAI is in the middle and the number is at the right.
        Many plates of all classes carry a small hologram sticker and have the police crest visible in the reflective sheeting.   Due to the large number of plates required other factories are used and these do not have the hologram or crest.
        Police vehicles use normal private registrations.

(b)     Since 1st January 2004 vehicles for hire and reward have had similar white on reflective green plates.   On two line plates (“public transport”) is at top left with the western number at top right, all being above DUBAI .   On single line plates is to the left of DUBAI below with the western number to the right.

(c)     Since 5th August 2009 taxis have had similar black on reflective yellow plates. On two line plates (“taxi”) is at top left and the western number at top right, all being above DUBAI .  

(d)     Since 1st January 2004 export plates have been white on reflective blue with EXP. below at upper left and the western number at upper right, above DUBAI .
        Small numbers of these plates are issued in white on reflective green for trucks being exported from the U.A.E. fully loaded.   About 300 export numbers are issued each working day and the series restarts about every 12 months.
        Since December 2007 transfer plates for vehicles being exported from Dubai to the other emirates have been similar to export plates but with (“transfer”) above TRF in white on yellow at the top left.

(e)     All one and two digit numbers from each of the current private series are reserved for the royal household with some single digit plates having a lead zero. Since 2005 surplus royal numbers, usually from serial letter F onwards, have been made available at auction.
        The private cars of his highness Sheikh Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai, have similar plates but use the letter M.   The official government cars of Dubai have plates similar to the current private series, are numbered from 1 to 25 and have no series letter.   Numbers such as 10000 and 30000 are also used.

(f)      Since 2000 dealer plates have been purple on reflective white.   To the left of a vertical line is دبي above DUBAI with, to the right, تجربة (“test”) above the number in Arabic.

(g)     Since 1st January 2004 motorcycles have had 200×115 mm black on reflective white plates without dividers.   DUBAI is below the western number of up to five digits.

(h)     Imported vehicles are issued with plate sized stickers which are valid for one day only.   To the left is above DUBAI in blue on white with استيراد (“Import”) above IMPORT in white on blue as well as الانتهاء (“expiry”) with a box for the written date between.   To the right is the Arabic number above the western equivalent in white on blue.

(j)      Since 1990s police motorcycles have had numbers from the normal motorcycle series but usually on a very large illuminated plastic plate with the police crest in the centre.   To the left is DUBAI and the western number in dark blue on white with POLICE in white on dark blue;  to the right are the equivalents in Arabic.   At the bottom are the Dubai police website and email addresses.

FORMER SERIES

(p)     Until 2005 the Dubai section of the Ministry of Interior Civil Defence used normal private plates on their vehicles apart from water tanker semi-trailers.   These had plastic plates with a western fleet number followed by a vertical line and the modified seven stars and falcon emblem for the civil defence organization. Under the emblem was وزارة الدفاع المدني - دبي (“Ministry of Civil Defence - Dubai”).

(q)     Since the 1950s royal household plates had ﻲﺑﺩ in red on white to the left and an Arabic number in white on red to the right.   Some plates had both ﻲﺑﺩ and the number on the red section.   Some plates had DUBAI and the western number also.

(r)      From 1st January 2004 to 5th August 2009 taxis had white on reflective black plates similar to and in the same series as vehicles for hire and reward, see paragraph (b).   On two line plates (“taxi”) was at the top left with the western number at top right, all being above DUBAI .   On single line plates was to the left of above DUBAI with the western number to the right.

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