Shafaat Ahmed
 (KT Exclusive) – Khaleej Times

19 April 2010, 11:25 PM

Come August, life will be easier for hundreds of thousands of motorists in the UAE.

It will be possible then onwards to renew driving licences and re-register vehicles anywhere in the country, irrespective of the origin of documents or the vehicle, Khaleej Times has learned.

The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), jointly with Abu Dhabi authorities and Dubai Police, recently launched phase two of a project linking the traffic systems of all the seven emirates.

Phase one, completed last year, has enabled all emirates to access information regarding traffic offences and fines of all vehicles. It has also enabled motorists to pay fines in any emirate, irrespective of the place of offence.

Phase two seeks to enable the re-registration of a Dubai number plate, for instance, anywhere in the UAE and number plates from other emirates in Dubai. The service will extend to other traffic documents.

“In the second phase of our project to link the federal traffic system with Dubai’s, we are working on the process to allow renewal of vehicle registration, licences or certificates from any emirate, regardless of where it was originally issued,” Ahmed Hashem Bahrozyan, CEO of the RTA’s Licensing Agency, told Khaleej Times.

“For example, if a car is registered in Abu Dhabi and the owner is currently residing in Dubai, the car can be re-registered from Dubai,” he said. “The person will not have to go all the way to the capital, which is currently the case. The same is applicable to other emirates as well.”

Currently there are two independent systems in Dubai. “Though both the systems are advanced and adhere to international standards, RTA wants to maintain its own system, because the number of vehicles registered in Dubai is very high,” Bahrozyan said.

The first phase is already proving beneficial. “We know there are thousands of people who have their cars registered or DLs issued in one emirate and live in the other,” he said. “The new system will help them process their documents from wherever they are and make their life easier.”

The CEO also hinted that once the two traffic systems are completely linked, it may be possible for people to procure licences from any emirate, regardless of the origin of the work permit.