Licencing made easier for UAE drivers

A unified nationwide driving licence and car-registration system is to be introduced next month, the Ministry of the Interior has announced. At present, motorists must renew their documents, or pay any fines they incur for driving offences, in the emirate where they were issued. However, under the new service, called Injaz , which means "accomplishment" in Arabic, vehicle and licence procedures will be standardised across the emirates. Injaz will take effect from December 12. "This is to make things easier for motorists," said Col Ghaith al Zaabi, the director general of traffic co-ordination at the Ministry of Interior. "We chose this date in order to mark the National Day, as this service will be federal," he added. The system also means those who hold a residency visa for one emirate but who work in another can have their car registered where they are employed. Furthermore, from Dec 6, there will be a unified customs card for people bringing cars into the country. "We were the only GCC country that had seven types of licence. Now we have a uniform card, with the same data and colour, across the emirates." The new licences are silver and the registration cards a gold colour. "The new cards also have high security elements, which will make it very hard to forge," said Col Anwar al Mulla, the director of IT and Telecommunications at the ministry. [e-mail]

* Paying fines. * Renewing and exchanging licences. * Renewing car registration. * Issuing a replacement for a lost car registration. * Issuing a replacement for a damaged car registration. * Changing the colour of the vehicle. * Changing vehicle information. * Reserving car number plate. * Ownership certificates. * Certificates for tourism car travel. * Export certificates. * Import certificates. * Issuing clearance certificates for GCC and Arab countries number plates.