RTA Vehicle Branding Approval in Dubai: Rules, Documents, Process & Costs

Table of Contents

• Key takeaways
• What is RTA vehicle branding approval?
• Which vehicles are eligible?
• What documents do you need?
• What are the artwork and language rules?
• What safety restrictions apply?
• How does the approval process work?
• How long does approval take?
• What do RTA permits and branding cost?
• How does renewal work?
• What mistakes get applications rejected?
• What should you check before installation?
• Conclusion
• Frequently asked questions

A logo on a company van looks like a simple job. In Dubai, though, the design has to be approved before any vinyl goes on. This guide covers what RTA (Regional Transport Authority) checks, what you submit, and what you pay. Sorting out approval early makes vehicle branding in Dubai smoother and saves you from reprinting rejected artwork.

Key takeaways

• Get an RTA advertising permit before any logo or ad goes on a Dubai vehicle. You apply online with your Dubai trade licence and a design mock-up.
• Arabic must cover at least 50% of the ad content, and only Arabic and English are allowed.
• RTA permit fees and installation costs are separate, so budget for each.
• Permits last one year and are issued per vehicle, so track every renewal date.

What is RTA vehicle branding approval?

It is the permit that lets a business advertise on a vehicle registered in Dubai. Anything from a small door logo to a full wrap counts as advertising, so all vehicle branding in Dubai falls under it.

Therefore, you cannot skip this step. Unauthorised vehicle stickers can attract an AED 500 fine under UAE traffic rules, and you may have to pay to strip and redo the graphics.

The company applies through the RTA portal or app with its Dubai trade licence.

Which vehicles are eligible?

RTA’s advertising service covers more than cars. Eligible categories include:

• Light vehicles and buses up to 16 passengers
• Pickups, cooler trucks and pickups with a trunk
• Buses for 26 passengers and heavy buses
• Light and heavy mechanical equipment
• Motorcycles and quad bikes
• Trailers, semi-trailers and mobile advertising vehicles

Event vehicles and special-status vehicles, such as mock-ups used for selling or providing services, are charged weekly instead of annually. Vehicles used only to carry ads fall into a separate category with a much higher fee.

What documents do you need?

The requirements vary by vehicle type:

• Commercial vehicles and motorcycles: a design of all sides with a mock-up, plus a copy of your Dubai trade licence.
• Other vehicles: the same design and licence, plus a letter to RTA describing your activity and requesting the advertising sticker.
• Trailers, semi-trailers and mobile advertising vehicles: a design of all sides with a mock-up, plus a trade licence that lists advertising activity.

Some situations need extra approvals:

• Dubai Police approval if you change the original vehicle colour
• A No Objection Certificate from the Dubai Land Department for real estate ads
• A leasing company NOC for rented vehicles
• Proof of trademark ownership, or the brand owner’s NOC, if you advertise a brand
• An embassy or consulate stamp if the advertising agency is foreign
• An official letter to claim the 50% Dubai SME discount

What are the artwork and language rules?

RTA looks closely at design content. The following are not allowed:

• Smoking symbols in any form
• Country flags
• Religious slogans or symbols
• Images that go against public morality
• 3D images
• Images of real people
• Barcodes
• Any language other than Arabic and English

However, each side of the vehicle can carry no more than five images, and you cannot advertise an activity your trade licence does not list.

How much Arabic do you need?

Arabic must make up at least 50% of the advertising content. Your Arabic trade name has to match your trade licence and vehicle ownership record exactly, so check the spelling before design starts. A small mismatch can hold up approval.

What safety restrictions apply?

These rules exist to protect visibility and keep drivers’ attention on the road.

• Nothing goes on the windscreen.
• No images on the front upper part of the vehicle.
• Lights, mirrors, and number plates stay uncovered.
• The reflective markings required at the back of heavy vehicles stay visible.

If you want window graphics, ask RTA before planning them.

How does the approval process work?

• Log in to the RTA portal or app with your username and password.
• Go to Permit, then Permit on Vehicle, and choose Advertising on Vehicles.
• Upload the scanned documents. You will get a transaction number by email and SMS.
• RTA reviews the application technically and replies through the website, email, and SMS.
• If it is approved, pay online or at a Customer Happiness Centre in Umm Ramool or Al Barsha.
• Print your permit from the advertising system.

Therefore, wait until step 6 is done before you install anything.

How long does approval take?

RTA lists the service time as three to seven days once your application is complete. Your own preparation comes on top of that: design corrections, Arabic translation, and any approvals from Dubai Police, a leasing company or the Land Department. Leave a buffer in case you need to resubmit.

What do RTA permits and branding cost?

Budget for vehicle branding in Dubai in two parts: RTA permit fees, which go to the government, and branding costs, which go to your supplier.

RTA permit fees

The figures below follow RTA’s published schedule for the Advertising on Vehicles service. Fees can change, so confirm the final amount on the RTA portal before paying.

Other charges apply on top:

• AED 20 knowledge and innovation fee per application
• AED 100 to amend permit data or replace a lost or damaged permit
• AED 2,500 per week for event vehicles and special-status vehicles
• A 50% discount for Dubai SME companies, with an official letter

Branding and installation costs

RTA does not set these. The price depends on vehicle size, how much of the vehicle is wrapped, vinyl quality, design complexity and how many vehicles you have. Ask for a written quote that lists design, material, printing, installation and removal separately. RTA fees are fixed by category, but supplier quotes are not, so compare them on scope as well as total.

How does renewal work?

Permits are valid for one year per vehicle. To renew, submit updated documents, confirm the vehicle details, and pay the renewal fee.

Any change, such as new artwork or a different vehicle, needs a fresh approval, so an old permit cannot cover a redesign.

Moreover, keep permit dates in a fleet sheet and line them up with vehicle registration renewals, since an expired permit can complicate your registration.

What mistakes get applications rejected?

• Designing the artwork before reading the rules
• Using too little Arabic, or spelling the trade name differently from the licence
• Advertising a service that is not on the trade licence
• Adding flags, photos of real people or 3D effects
• Changing the vehicle colour without Dubai Police approval
• Installing before the permit is printed
• Letting renewal dates slip

What should you check before installation?

• The vehicle is registered in Dubai and your trade licence is valid.
• You hold a leasing NOC if the vehicle is rented.
• The Arabic trade name matches your licence.
• The artwork follows the rules above and the mock-up shows all sides.
• The permit is approved and printed.
• Your installer follows the approved design exactly.

Furthermore, pick a vehicle branding company in Dubai that asks for your permit and design proof before printing, not after. When you search for vehicle branding near me, look for a team that can show past fleet work and explain how RTA fees differ from its own charges.

Conclusion 

If you are planning to brand a fleet or a single company vehicle, Iconic Impressions Advertising, a vehicle branding company in Dubai, can talk you through artwork, materials, and installation. Send your vehicle list and design, and ask what help they offer with RTA approval.

Frequently asked questions