RTA Vehicle Branding Permit Renewal and Cancellation in Dubai

Getting the first permit is the part everyone plans for. What catches companies out is year two: a van whose permit lapsed months ago because nobody owned the date, a lease car returned with branding still on it, or a new phone number stuck over the old one without telling anyone. None of it is complicated, but the permit only works if someone tracks it.

We look after permits for single cars and for fleets that change every quarter. This guide covers everything that happens after the first approval: renewing, amending, transferring and cancelling, and the order to do things in so the vehicle, the permit and the Mulkiya always tell the same story. The first application is covered in our permit application guide.

What the permit is tied to, and what triggers a change

Since April 2025 the Permit to Advertise on Vehicles is issued by Mada Media with the RTA and Dubai Municipality. Whatever platform it sits on, the permit links three things: a specific registered vehicle, the design that was approved, and the company that applied. The last published RTA fee table priced vehicle advertising permits annually, with weekly permits only for special cases such as event advertising. Check the validity shown on your own permit, because that date is what counts.

Renewing a permit without a gap

A branded vehicle on an expired permit is carrying an unpermitted advert. The last published RTA fine for unauthorised stickers on a vehicle was AED 500, and the risk runs every day the vehicle is on the road out of date.

Line it up with the Mulkiya

RTA's own service for renewing a company vehicle's registration lists an e-NOC from the advertising section as a conditional document for vehicles carrying an advertising poster. In plain terms, a branded company vehicle with its advertising paperwork out of order can hold up the registration renewal. We set permit renewals to fall due before the Mulkiya renewal, so the advertising side is current when the registration comes round.

What to prepare

• Your current trade licence. If it renews in the same month, renew the licence first.
• The approved design or mockup, so you can confirm the vehicle still matches it.
• Current photos of all four sides of the vehicle, taken straight on. Even if the platform does not ask, they are a quick way to check the branding is still what was approved.
• The permit reference from the first approval.

Look at the vinyl while you are at it. Cast vinyl with UV lamination lasts about 3-5 years in UAE heat, and a roof or bonnet facing the sun every afternoon fades first. If the branding is chalky or peeling at renewal time, that is the cheapest moment to refresh the design, because you are dealing with the permit anyway.

Amending a permit: data changes versus design changes

People mix these up, and it causes problems.

Data amendments

Corrections to the permit record itself, such as a detail entered wrongly or a replacement for a lost or damaged permit. The last published RTA fees charged AED 100 to amend permit data or replace a permit. Check the current amendment options on Mada Media.

Design changes

Anything that changes what is on the vehicle: a new phone number, a new logo after a rebrand, an added service, a QR code, a bigger wrap. The permit covers the design that was approved, so a new design needs approval before it goes on. We redraw the mockup from the approved master, change only what is new and submit it. On the vehicle, we replace only the affected panels, so a phone number change on a HiAce is usually a few strips of vinyl, not a full rewrap.

What not to do is stick a new number over the old one and deal with the paperwork later. The vehicle then shows a design nobody approved. If the change is bigger than a few strips, such as a rebrand across the fleet, our fleet branding team plans the batch approval and the rollout together.

Selling or transferring a branded vehicle

A permit is issued to your company for your advert on that vehicle. It does not travel with the vehicle to a buyer, and a buyer has no reason to want your branding anyway. The safe order is:

1. Cancel the permit on the platform and keep the confirmation.
2. Remove the branding properly, with heat and slow peeling, so the paint is not damaged. Our guide on removing a vinyl wrap explains why rushed removal pulls paint.
3. Restore the colour record if the wrap changed the main colour and the Mulkiya was updated. Removing the wrap returns the vehicle to its paint colour, so the Mulkiya needs to match again. See updating your Mulkiya after a wrap.
4. Transfer ownership. RTA's company vehicle registration service asks for vehicles with a colour change to be inspected before renewal or amendment, so settle the colour question before the day of sale, not on it.

Moving a vehicle between companies in the same group counts as a transfer. The new owner applies with its own trade licence, even if the design stays the same.

Lease returns: start two weeks early

Leased vans and cars are where we see the most last-minute panic. The lease ends on a Thursday, the van is still fully branded on Tuesday, and the leasing company inspects for paint condition.

• Check the lease terms for how the vehicle must be returned. Most expect the original paint with no residue or damage.
• Book removal at least a week before the return date. A full van wrap that has been on through several Dubai summers takes longer to remove than it took to fit, because the adhesive has cured hard.
• Expect a faint outline where vinyl has protected the paint for years while the surrounding paint aged. A polish usually blends it; tell the leasing company in advance rather than letting them find it.
• Cancel the permit and keep the confirmation with the return paperwork.

If you lease a replacement vehicle, the new one needs its own permit and a fresh NOC from the leasing company before branding.

Cancelling a permit: what to check

The old RTA system had a cancel option inside the vehicle advertising service. On Mada Media, find the permit under your company account and check the cancellation options it offers for that permit. A few things to settle before you click:

• Refunds. Do not plan on getting unused months back. Read the terms on the platform before cancelling early.
• Outstanding fees. Settle anything due first, so the cancellation is not held up.
• Timing with removal. Cancel and remove in the same week, and photograph the bare vehicle from all four sides with the date visible. If anyone later asks why the vehicle has no permit, the photos answer it.
• The fleet record. Mark the vehicle as cancelled in your own register, so nobody renews it by mistake next year.

Keeping a fleet's permits in step

With five vehicles you can keep dates in your head. With twenty-five, you cannot. A simple register, owned by one named person, prevents nearly every problem in this article.

Set reminders 30 days before each expiry. If your fleet is growing or changing models, our fleet branding team can keep this register for you and batch renewals so vehicles are not pulled off the road one at a time.

Frequently asked questions

What happens if a branded vehicle's permit expires?

The vehicle is then carrying advertising without a valid permit. The last published RTA fine for unauthorised stickers on a vehicle was AED 500, and an out-of-date advertising record can also hold up the company vehicle's registration renewal. Renew, or cancel and remove the branding.

Does renewing the Mulkiya also renew the advertising permit?

No. The Mulkiya is the vehicle registration and the advertising permit is a separate approval for the branding. RTA can ask for the advertising NOC when you renew a branded company vehicle, so keep the permit current before the registration falls due.

Can I move my permit to a replacement vehicle?

A permit is tied to the vehicle it was issued for, so a replacement vehicle needs its own permit. If it is the same model and colour, the approved mockup can usually be reused with the new plate details, which saves design time.

Do I get a refund if I cancel a permit before it expires?

Do not count on it. Refund terms are set by the issuing authority, so check the current terms on madamedia.com before cancelling early. If you are only changing the design, applying for the new design is usually the better route than cancelling.

We rebranded our company. Do all our vehicle permits need to change?

Yes, if the vehicles will show the new logo or name. Each vehicle needs approval for the new design, and if the licensed company name changed, the trade licence and Mulkiyas should be updated first so every document matches the new artwork.

Got a renewal, sale or lease return coming up?

Send the plate number, permit expiry date and what is changing on WhatsApp at +971 56 925 9327. We will tell you whether it is a renewal, a new design approval or a cancellation, and book any vinyl changes or removal to fit your dates.