Letting employees drive company cars: authorisation and fines
How to authorise an employee to drive a company car in Saudi Arabia and Egypt, who pays traffic fines on company cars, and how to prove who drove.
Reviewed 7 min read
What is the istimara, and when does it expire?
Istimara is the everyday name for the vehicle registration licence (رخصة السير): the document that proves the car and its owner are registered, with its expiry date printed on it and visible in Absher. Because it isn't renewed every year, many people forget it until a camera, a checkpoint or a sale reminds them.
Istimara renewal requirements
- Valid car insurance (third-party at least).
- A valid periodic technical inspection (Fahas).
- All traffic fines on the car paid.
- The renewal fee paid, and the late fine if any.
- Being inside the window in which Absher allows renewal before expiry; if it's too early, the service tells you.
Order matters: insurance and inspection first, because the renewal system checks both. If your Fahas has expired, book it weeks ahead; slots fill up at month-end in some cities.
Good to know: “Istimara renewal without inspection” is a common search. The general rule is that a valid inspection is required, and any exception the authority announces shows in Absher itself when you apply, so check there before relying on it.
How much does istimara renewal cost?
Fees depend on the vehicle type and renewal period and are shown in Absher before you pay; that's the binding figure. We don't print figures we can't confirm on an official page; the table shows where to find each amount.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Private car registration renewal fee | Shown in the Absher renewal service before payment |
| Late renewal fine | Added automatically and shown with the fee in Absher if you're late |
| Periodic inspection (Fahas) | Shown when you book the inspection |
| Insurance | Depends on the insurer, car and driver |
Watch out: Driving with an expired istimara can bring a separate traffic fine, so don't leave renewal until after the date.
Renewal steps on Absher
The general steps as they stand today; menu names may change:
- Check your insurance and Fahas are valid.
- Pay fines and the renewal fee using the payment methods the Absher renewal service shows.
- Log in to Absher (absher.sa), open the vehicle services and choose the vehicle registration renewal service.
- Choose the car and confirm.
- Note the new expiry date as it shows in Absher.
Sayarti+ is an independent app, not affiliated with any government entity. The procedure itself is done on the official portal.
Company cars and cars someone else drives
If the car is registered to a business, renewal is done from the business account on Absher Business, and the deadline is the company's responsibility, not the driver's. If a relative or employee drives your car, the istimara is still yours as the owner, so don't count on them remembering.
Read next: Company car driving authorisation and who pays fines
How not to miss the date
The problem isn't that renewal is hard; it's remembering it years later. Write the expiry date somewhere that will remind you on its own. In Sayarti+, choosing Saudi Arabia sets up the istimara, insurance, Fahas and driving licence dates for you: type the date or scan the document, and you're reminded 30 days, 7 days and 1 day before, with a link to the official portal. Reminders run on your phone even offline.
We never ask for or store ID or Iqama numbers; the date is enough.
FAQ
How much is istimara renewal?
The fee shows in Absher before you pay and depends on the vehicle type and period, plus the late fine if there is one.
Can I renew without a Fahas?
As a rule a valid inspection is required. Any exception shows in Absher itself, so check there before relying on it.
What is the late fine?
It's calculated automatically and shown with the renewal fee in Absher before you pay. The easiest way to avoid it is to renew before the expiry date.
Should I renew insurance and istimara together?
Renew the insurance first if it ends before or with the istimara, because renewal checks it's valid.
Does Sayarti+ renew the istimara?
No. Sayarti+ is an independent app that reminds you and links to the official portal; renewal itself happens on Absher.
Sources
Sayarti+ is an independent app, not affiliated with any government entity. This guide is general information; the binding procedure and fees are on the official portal.
We write practical guides on car costs, maintenance and company cars. Every number has a source.
From Sayarti+ — sayartiplus.com · Not affiliated with any government entity
