I just moved here from another country and I'm in the process of buying my first car in the UAE, but honestly I'm finding the whole registration and ownership verification process a bit confusing compared to back home where everything was done through a simple online portal with the DMV. I've been looking at a few used cars on the classifieds and the sellers all seem friendly enough, but I have no idea how to actually confirm that the car is properly registered, that the seller is the legitimate owner, and that there aren't any outstanding fines or traffic violations attached to the vehicle that I'd end up inheriting after the purchase. I've asked around and some people mentioned checking the Mulkiya and the traffic file, but I'm not sure what exactly I'm supposed to look for on those documents or whether there's a way to verify everything online before I even meet the seller. I found what looks like
a beginner's guide to checking vehicle registration in Abu Dhabi and it seems to explain the basics about using the MOI app and the Tamm platform, but I'd love to hear from actual residents who've been through this process and can tell me what the common pitfalls are and what questions I should be asking the seller beyond just "is it registered". Also, is there a way to check the accident history or whether the car has been written off before, because I've heard that some shady dealers try to hide that kind of information from unsuspecting buyers. Any advice would be really appreciated because I want to make sure I'm doing everything by the book and not setting myself up for a headache down the line, especially since this is my first time dealing with the system here.
