How to renew your Istimara (vehicle registration) in Qatar
There comes a time every year where car owners are required to renew their Istimara (vehicle registration), a process that is unfamiliar to some.
Although quite daunting at first, it is imperative that all car owners in Qatar are informed of this process which has been simplified over the last few years.
Moreover, the COVID-19 pandemic has led to the digital transformation of this process and enabling a contactless renewal service.
Isitimara renewal
You can now visit any of the Fahes branches available in many of the Woqod gas stations in Qatar to complete your vehicle inspection.
According to their website, you can visit any of their branches between 8 am and 12 pm to avoid the busiest times. Locations of all the current Fahes branches can be found using this link.
Once you choose your preferred outlet, you will be required to present your vehicle permit card and pay for the technical check-up.
Keep in mind that cash is not accepted so you will require a debit/credit card for the payment. The list of payments for varying types of vehicle inspections can be found here.
If the first re-inspection is a 'FAIL' then the subsequent following re-inspection is a paid inspection at the normal main inspection rate, any inspections after this follow the pattern of ‘one paid and one free’ if they are within the 30 days from the original main inspection.
If a vehicle doesn't ‘PASS’ within 30 days of the first main inspection, all previous reports and repairs will be ignored, and a new fresh main inspection will take place checking every item again.
As a result, we recommend you visit a mechanic first for a general check-up to fix all major technical faults so that you can get a ‘PASS’ on your first try.
The results of the inspection will be sent via SMS. If you have passed the vehicle inspection, you can immediately pay for the renewal of your vehicle insurance and collect your renewed vehicle registration card at the Fahes branch itself.
It is also important to inform you that the insurance policy provided in Fahes is that of Qatar Insurance Company.
On the other hand, if you wish to get a policy from a different insurance agent, you may leave Fahes following the inspection and go to an insurance agent of your choice.
This will require you to make another trip to a traffic department if you choose this route.
Was this article useful to you? Let us know in the comments section below. If you have any queries, please visit Fahes for more information.
---
Make sure to check out our social media to keep track of the latest content.
Instagram - @qatarliving
Twitter - @qatarliving
Facebook - Qatar Living
YouTube - qatarlivingofficial
