New rules issued to import used vehicles from Gulf countries

Muscat: In a significant policy shift aimed at regulating the inflow of used vehicles and supporting the local automobile sector, the Royal Oman Police (ROP) on Wednesday announced that, effective July 1, 2025, it will suspend the acceptance of vehicle imports using the clearance certificate system.

The decision, announced jointly by the General Directorate of Traffic and the General Directorate of Customs, will limit vehicle imports from Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries to only those accompanied by an official export certificate issued by competent authorities in the country of registration.

“The ROP is pleased to inform vehicle importers from GCC countries that it will no longer accept vehicle imports using the clearance certificate system.”

“Imports will be limited to those accompanied by an export certificate issued by the competent authorities,” the ROP added.

An ROP official confirmed that the measure is aimed at “regulating the process of importing used vehicles from Gulf countries through the internal border crossings of the GCC states.”

The move comes amid mounting concerns over the surge in used car imports  from GCC countries, which industry insiders say has negatively impacted Omani car dealerships.

Market observers say the trend of importing second-hand vehicles using clearance certificates, which bypassed stricter export certification standards, allowed for easier access to cheaper vehicles.

This in turn undermined the sales of both new and used cars within Oman.