Vehicle Registration and Plates in Kuwait
The same department that issues licenses also handles vehicles. These guides cover registration, renewals, plates, transfers and cancellations.
Buying, selling, importing or exporting a car? Pick the guide that matches your case. Every page lists the documents and the official form.
Looking for the license itself? Go to driving license guides.
Vehicle registration
New vehicle registration
New and imported vehicles are registered by the GDT after a customs certificate, a technical inspection and valid insurance.
Read the guide Vehicle registrationGovernment vehicle registration
Vehicles belonging to the Amiri Diwan and government bodies follow a lighter route: a licensing fee exemption, a one-year license and a letter from the owning authority.
Read the guide Vehicle registrationVehicle registration renewal
Renewing a vehicle registration in Kuwait comes down to renewed insurance, a technical inspection and your ownership papers.
Read the guide Vehicle registrationRenewal when outside Kuwait
A vehicle that was abroad when its registration came due can still be renewed on time: you just need proof it was out of the country.
Read the guide Vehicle registrationDamaged registration replacement
A damaged registration document is replaced with a printed request and a copy of your Civil ID.
Read the guide Vehicle registrationLost registration replacement
To replace a lost vehicle document or plate you need a police station notice, a printed request, and your Civil ID copy.
Read the guide Vehicle registrationTransfer vehicle ownership
Both buyer and seller must appear in front of the GDT employee, transfer the insurance and confirm there are no outstanding financial violations.
Read the guideGeneral terms and conditions
General registration terms
A new vehicle or motorcycle license is valid for 3 years in Kuwait, and the GDT sets a short window to renew it after expiry.
Read the guide General terms and conditionsCommercial plate registration
Commercial plates are issued after you submit the form and attach four documents proving who you are and that your business is registered.
Read the guide General terms and conditionsCommercial vehicle usage
Commercial plates come with a license exemption for vehicle manufacturers, traders, importers and repairers, but only for specific purposes.
Read the guide General terms and conditionsForeign vehicle stay
A car registered abroad can stay in Kuwait for up to three months if it keeps a valid license and legal plates from its country and carries the required insurance.
Read the guideVehicle plates
Diplomatic vehicle plate
Diplomatic plates need an insurance document, a customs certificate and a document from the embassy authorized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Read the guide Vehicle platesExport plate
To export a vehicle that was registered in Kuwait you exchange its plates for export plates that are valid for 48 hours.
Read the guide Vehicle platesImport temporary plate
Temporary customs plates cover two cases: vehicles in transit (48 hours) and individually imported vehicles without plates (one week).
Read the guideOther vehicle services
Cancel vehicle registration
Cancelling a registration is the step before taking a vehicle out of the country: you get an export certificate valid for 48 hours.
Read the guide Other vehicle servicesScrap a vehicle
Scrapping goes through the unused-vehicles division in Al-Jahra; insurance is not required.
Read the guide Other vehicle servicesVehicle modifications
Any fundamental change to a vehicle that alters its license data has to be reported to the General Directorate of Traffic, and color changes follow Article 47 of the Traffic Law.
Read the guide Other vehicle servicesVehicle report request
For a vehicle report you need either the responsible person's Civil ID or a formal authorization for a representative.
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