Dubai Police Permission for Car Colour Change: Get the CID NOC Before You Wrap
Wrapping a car in a new colour without approval is the quickest way to turn a good-looking car into a fine and a registration headache. Here is exactly how Dubai Police colour change permission works, what it costs, what comes after, and how Bayan Branding takes care of the steps around the wrap.
- Approval first, wrap second, registration last
- An experienced team that handles the paperwork around your wrap
- Honest answers on whether your design counts as a colour change
Do You Need Dubai Police Permission to Change Your Car's Colour?
- Yes, before you wrap or repaint. A colour change needs Dubai Police approval, often called the CID NOC, before any work starts.
- You request it online. The service is called Change Vehicle Colour on the Dubai Police website and app. You select the current colour, the new colour and, if relevant, a second new colour, then pay the fee.
- Wrap only after approval. The order is: approval, wrap, inspection, registration update.
- Without it you risk a fine. A fine of AED 800 is reported for changing colour without permission, and the registration can cause problems later.
- It is not the same as an advertising permit. Commercial branding uses a separate RTA approval.
Where this applies
This page covers Dubai. Sharjah, Ajman and Abu Dhabi police have their own colour change processes and forms, so check the emirate where the car is registered.
Reviewed 13 October 2026. This is general guidance, not legal advice. Fees and steps change, so we confirm current requirements for your car.
How Dubai Police Car Colour Change Permission Works
Six steps, in this order. Swap the wrap and the approval and you have created a problem that is expensive to fix.
- Choose your colourPick the new colour, and a second one if the wrap has two main colours. The form asks for both, so decide before you apply.
- Request approval from Dubai PoliceUse the Change Vehicle Colour service on the Dubai Police website or app. Enter the vehicle details, the current colour, the new colour and any second colour.
- Pay the fee and receive approvalPay online. Keep the approval, because you need it again at registration.
- Wrap the carOnly now does the film go on. We fit it to the approved colour, so it matches what you applied for.
- Get the vehicle inspectedThe car is inspected at an authorised centre to confirm the new colour.
- Update the registrationThe new colour is recorded on the vehicle registration. Until then, the car does not match its paperwork.
Documents and Photos for the Colour Change Request
What the request typically needs. If the car belongs to a company, ask us what to prepare, since the owner details differ.
Valid Emirates ID
The owner's valid Emirates ID is part of the request.
Email address
Used for the application and the approval notice.
Vehicle plate number
Identifies the car in the request.
Photos of the car
The app asks for images of the car, so take clear photos of every side before the change.
Current and new colour
Choose these on the form. A second new colour is optional.
Approval copy for later
You need the approval for the inspection and the registration update.
What Dubai Police Colour Change Permission Costs
Government fees are modest next to the cost of the wrap, but they are easy to forget when you budget. Figures are reported and change over time, so we confirm the current amount for your car.
The permission request
Published figures put the Dubai Police colour change request at about AED 120, made up of a service fee and levies.
Inspection
A separate vehicle inspection fee applies after the wrap. Dubai Police have published an inspection fee for colour or shape changes.
Registration update
The registration update has its own small fee. We list all current government fees separately on your quote.
What Happens If You Change Colour Without Permission
A fine
A fine of AED 800 is reported for changing a vehicle's colour without police permission.
A registration problem
A car whose colour does not match its registration can be refused renewal or transfer until it is fixed.
Removal and re-doing the job
If the wrap has to come off or change, you pay for the film twice.
Insurance questions
A car that does not match its paperwork can complicate a claim, so tell your insurer about the change.
Choosing a Colour That Gets Approved Without Surprises
Most problems come from assuming a design is not a colour change. These are the cases that cause the most questions.
Two-tone and multi-colour wraps
The form has a field for a second new colour. If the wrap has two main colours, list both rather than hoping one is enough.
Finish versus colour
Switching from gloss to matte in the same colour is different from changing colour. When in doubt, ask before you wrap.
Chrome and colour-shift films
Unusual films can be harder to classify. The authority decides, so check before you order the film.
Stripes and accents
Small stripes are often treated differently from a full body change. Send us photos and your design and we will say how it is likely to be read.
Commercial branding
Company logos and advertising on a commercial vehicle need a different approval. See the comparison below.
Returning to the original colour
Removing the wrap restores the original paint. If you updated the registration, you may need to update it again.
What Bayan Branding Does for Your Colour Change Permission
Our experienced team knows this process. You keep control of the owner-only steps, and we handle everything around them, so it gets done in the right order.
Colour and finish advice
We tell you whether your design is likely to count as a colour change before you order any film.
Request guidance
We take you through the Change Vehicle Colour request, field by field, so nothing is entered wrongly.
Photos and details checked
We help you take the right photos and check the vehicle details before you submit.
Wrap scheduled after approval
We book your wrap only once approval is in hand, so nothing is fitted early.
Inspection and registration coordination
We guide you through the inspection and the registration update and keep the paperwork together.
Records kept
We keep the approval, photos and wrap details on file, which helps with insurance and resale.
Colour Change Permission: What We Do and What You Do
Some steps must be done by the registered owner. We tell you which, and take care of the rest.
| Step | Bayan Branding | You (the owner) |
|---|---|---|
| Choose the colour and finish | ✓Advise and mock up the design | Decide and approve |
| Request Dubai Police approval | ✓Guide the request and check the details | Complete the owner-only steps |
| Pay government fees | ✓Show them separately on your quote | Pay as agreed |
| Wrap the car | ✓Yes, after approval | Make the car available |
| Inspection | ✓Guide and coordinate | Attend as required |
| Registration update | ✓Guide and coordinate | Complete the owner-only steps |
| Keep records | ✓Yes | Keep the approval with your documents |
What a Colour Change Job Looks Like With Us
An illustrative walk-through, not a specific client case.
- The enquiryA customer wants a satin dark green wrap and asks whether they can book it next week.
- Day one: adviceWe confirm that it is a colour change and explain the request, the order of the steps and the fees.
- RequestThe owner files the Change Vehicle Colour request with our guidance, listing the current and new colour.
- ApprovalOnce approved, we book the wrap and confirm the film.
- Wrap and inspectionThe car is wrapped, then inspected at an authorised centre.
- RegistrationThe registration is updated, and we hand over the wrap care sheet and a copy of the records.
Colour Change Permission vs RTA Advertisement Permit
People mix these up all the time. A commercial vehicle in a new colour with a company logo may need both. Our RTA vehicle advertisement permit page explains the advertising side.
| What matters | Colour change permission | RTA advertisement permit |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Permission to change a vehicle's colour | Permission to advertise on a vehicle |
| Who decides | Dubai Police (CID) | RTA |
| When you need it | Before wrapping or repainting a different colour | Before fitting commercial advertising |
| Who it applies to | Any vehicle changing colour | Commercial vehicles carrying advertising |
| Follow-up steps | Inspection and registration update | Fit graphics and keep the permit |
Dubai Police Car Colour Change Permission FAQs
Direct answers to what Dubai car owners ask before wrapping. For vehicle wrap questions see our vehicle branding FAQ.
Do I need Dubai Police permission to change my car's colour with a wrap?
Yes. A colour change in Dubai needs Dubai Police approval, often called the CID NOC, before you wrap or repaint. After the wrap, the car is inspected and the registration colour is updated.
How do I get a car colour change NOC from Dubai Police?
Use the Change Vehicle Colour service on the Dubai Police website or app. Enter the vehicle details, select the current colour, the new colour and an optional second colour, and pay the fee online.
How much does Dubai Police colour change permission cost?
Published figures put the request at about AED 120, made up of a service fee and levies. An inspection fee and a registration update fee are separate, and fees change, so we confirm the current amounts.
What documents do I need for a car colour change request in Dubai?
The owner's valid Emirates ID, an email address, the vehicle plate number and photos of the car. Company vehicles use the company's details, so ask us what to prepare.
Can I wrap my car before getting approval?
No. Approval comes first. A fine of AED 800 is reported for changing a vehicle's colour without police permission, and the registration mismatch can cause problems later.
Do I need to update my registration after a colour change wrap?
Yes, if the colour changes. After the inspection, the new colour is recorded on the registration. If only the finish changes within the same colour, a registration update is usually not needed, but confirm first.
Does a matte or chrome wrap count as a colour change?
A finish change within the same colour usually does not change the registered colour. Chrome and colour-shift films can be harder to classify, and the authority decides, so check before you order.
Can a company vehicle get colour change permission?
Yes, a company can request it using the company's details. If the vehicle also carries commercial advertising, it needs an RTA advertisement permit as well.
What if I want to go back to the original colour later?
Removing the wrap restores the original paint. If you updated the registration to the wrap colour, you may need to update it again, so ask us about the right order.
Is a colour change permission the same as an RTA advertisement permit?
No. Colour change permission comes from Dubai Police and covers the car's colour. The RTA advertisement permit covers commercial advertising on a vehicle. A branded commercial vehicle in a new colour may need both.
Get Colour Change Permission and Wrap Help
Tell us your car, the colour you want and whether it is registered to you or a company. We will say what approval applies and what it takes. You get an itemised quote with the vinyl brand and grade named.
- Itemised fixed quote within 24 hours
- Nothing is wrapped before approval is in hand
- Government fees shown separately on your quote