Exporting a Car to Saudi Arabia: Costs, Steps, & Insurance
If you’re planning to export a car to Saudi Arabia or bring your own car after you relocate, the process is now easier than ever! You no longer need the help of agents to complete the customs process.
Here’s everything you need to know from exporting to getting a car number plate in Saudi Arabia, including how to buy motor insurance online with a customs card number.
Key takeaways 🔍
1. You no longer need agents’ help for customs clearance.
2. If the imported car is still under warranty, the authorised dealer in Saudi Arabia is required to provide parts and repairs.
3. Use SABER service to inspect Non-GCC cars before importing to Saudi Arabia
4. Imported cars are subject to a 20% total tax (5% customs duty + 15% VAT).
5. Make sure the car meets all ZATCA and SASO requirements; if it exceeds the age limit or the required energy efficiency standards, it could cost you more than SAR 20,000
What are the fees to export a car to Saudi Arabia?
Exporting a car to Saudi Arabia requires paying a 5% Customs Duty and a 15% VAT, both calculated based on the car’s value. You must also budget for car insurance, registration fees, inspection costs, and shipping fees.
| Expense | Cost (SAR) | Notes |
| Customs Duty | SAR 4,801 | 5% of car value |
| VAT | SAR 14,403 | 15% of car value |
| Car Insurance | SAR 686 | The cheapest third party car insurance price found. Expect price to change based on your profile. |
| Registration Fees | SAR 300 | Standard fee (Subject to change) |
| Inspection Costs | 0.00 | Free/exempt here because the car had GCC specs. |
| Shipping Fees | 0.00 | Self-driven in this example |
| Total Expenses | SAR 20,191 | Estimated Total for this example |
This is just an illustrative example using a Ford Territory (valued at SAR 96,025) to show how the math works. These prices aren’t fixed at all. Car insurance quotes, shipping, and inspection fees might look totally different depending on your situation.
What do you need to export a car to Saudi Arabia
To export a car to Saudi Arabia, you must have:
- Valid residency (Iqama)
- Driver’s license
- Certificate of car ownership
Saudi Arabia car import rules
Importing a car into Saudi Arabia involves meeting SASO standards and Zatca’s import rules:
- cars must be no older than 5 model years (excluding the current year).
- Example: In 2026, eligible models are usually:
- 2021+
- plus 2026 current-year models
- Example: In 2026, eligible models are usually:
- Saudi Arabia also prohibits importing:
- Right-hand drive cars
- Salvage cars, including cars with a history of drowning, fires, roll-overs, or major chassis damage
- cars used previously as public taxis, police cars, ambulances, or school transport.
So before anything else, check:
What’s SABER service in Saudi Arabia?
SABER is an official service that will help you find SASO-approved inspection centre before the car leaves its origin country.
The customs process of bringing a car into KSA from outside
1. Decide how to bring the car into Saudi Arabia
You have 2 options for getting your imported car into the Kingdom:
- Shipping it by land or sea through a reliable transport company.
- Driving the car yourself into Saudi Arabia.
2. Use ZATCA’s ‘Vehicle Import for Individuals’ service
Using Zatca’s ‘Vehicle Import for Individuals’ service allows you to complete all required paperwork online + apply for temporary number plates and track your application status
3. Pay the fees online
After your application is processed, you can pay your 5% duty, 15% VAT, and the SAR 300 temporary plate fee directly through ZATCA’s website using SADAD, Mada, or credit cards.
4. Get your car customs card
After completing the payment, you’ll be able to find and print your customs card on Zatca’s website.
With your custom card ready, you can now start the first steps of registering your car officially in Saudi Arabia
5. Buy car insurance online
The first step to register any car in Saudi Arabia is to buy car insurance. You can buy car insurance online using your car customs card on wakeel.
Buy car insurance now using your customs card number on wakeel
It’s as easy as this: Enter Your Iqama + Customs Card Number→ Input Car Details → Compare & Buy → Get Your Car Insurance Instantly
6. Visit Moroor to get Saudi number plates
After you get your car insurance, go to the nearest traffic police branch, and they’ll swap out the import plates for regular white ones.
You’ll receive:
- Saudi plates,
- registration card (Istimara).
All in all, is exporting a car to Saudi Arabia worth it?
Exporting a personal car to Saudi Arabia is only worth it if the car is relatively new, GCC-specs, and if the entire process is cheaper than paying its market price here.
Otherwise, you’ll be burning cash, or you’ll end up driving the car in and out of Saudi Arabia every 90 days just to keep it legal.
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