This month sees the introduction of the new UAE nationwide driving license and car registration regulations. Here’s what it means to you

Characteristics
Rather than each Emirate having its own type of license and registration, there will now be one unified system that operates on a federal level. With the new Injaz system (the word means “achievement” in Arabic and among other things is the name of the UAE’s first cloned camel) all drivers in the UAE will have the same silver driving license and gold registration card, similar to other neighbouring GCC nations. There is also a unified customs card for anyone bringing a car into the country.

The new cards are not just uniform in appearance, but come with enhanced security features (notably a hologram label and UV tagging) to help detect fake or altered cards.

More importantly, these cards are linked to the Roads and Transport Authority, which will allow the government to collect traffic fines incurred in any of the seven Emirates at the time of renewal, rather than only the one in which the car or driver is registered.

The new Injaz cards are also currently linked with thirteen insurance companies including Al Ain Al Ahlia insurance, Al Dhafra, Takafal, Emirates Insurance, and Abu Dhabi National Insurance. When people approach insurance companies to insure their vehicles the data entered will automatically be available electronically to the traffic departments. The goal is that the Injaz cards will eventually be linked with all the insurance companies in the UAE.

Advantages
• Drivers no longer need to return to the emirate that first issued their license or registration to renew; instead, you can now get these—and other—tasks accomplished in any of the seven Emirates. This flexibility will be especially convenient for those who live in one Emirate but work in another.

• Enhanced security features such as hologram labels and UV tagging safeguard the new cards against fraud, theft, or damage. Furthermore, peeling these new cards will cause the information to come off, helping to safeguard against identity theft.

• There are 13 services that motorists can take advantage of with the Injaz system, including renewing driving licenses and car registration, paying traffic fines incurred anywhere in the UAE, obtaining import and export certificates, replacing damaged cards or requesting duplicates, and obtaining permission for vehicle modifications, among others.

• Because the Injaz cards are linked to the insurance companies, motorists will save time on renewal—the information will already be stored within the system, so you won’t have to wait for the clerk to re-enter the same details.

Getting yours
Despite the improvements in the new Injaz system, the charges will remain the same—AED 200 for public or private light vehicles.

If you already have a driving license and your car is already registered, you don’t need to switch to the new cards. Instead, you’ll automatically go into the Injaz system when you renew. The process and documents needed to obtain or renew both license and registration are the same as before. For guidelines, check out the government website at www.abudhabi.ae.

All seven Emirates will eventually participate in the Injaz system; at the time of writing, however, Dubai was not yet online. Keep an eye on local news sources
— there is not yet a firm timeline for Dubai’s involvement, but they’ll spread the word as soon as they are.

If you find these instructions have changed or have any useful information to add, let us know via This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it and we’ll post an update.