The Ministry of Interior has launched a nationwide project to replace all existing vehicle number plates with a newly enhanced design that adheres to leading international standards and supports modern smart-traffic technologies.

During a press conference yesterday at the Ministry of Interior's headquarters, officials outlined the key features of the new number plates. They highlighted their role in improving traffic management, enhancing road safety, and supporting digital integration across the country.

Colonel Dr. Jabr Hamoud Jabr Al-Naimi, Assistant Director of the Public Relations Department and Official Spokesperson of the Ministry of Interior, and Staff Colonel Ali Hassan Al-Kaabi, Assistant Director of the Licensing Affairs Department at the General Directorate of Traffic, addressed the conference.

Colonel Dr. Jabr Hamoud Jabr Al-Naimi said that the project aims to replace existing vehicle plates with newly designed number plates that enhance the visual identity of vehicle plates and standardise them according to clearer and more precise criteria, while supporting the traffic system through the integration of advanced digital technologies.

He said that the project covers all categories of vehicle plates as part of an integrated development plan for the national plate numbering system, ensuring its sustainability, providing multiple future options, and keeping pace with the continuous growth in the number of vehicles.

He further clarified that the rollout of the new plates will begin with private vehicles, adding the single letter (Q) to their plate numbers, followed by the letters (T) and (R), with the project to be implemented in several phases.

The first phase includes allocating the letter (Q) to vehicles whose owners obtain special plate numbers through the Sooum application, during the period from December 13 to 16, 2025. The second phase will begin on April 1, 2026, and will include newly registered private vehicles in the vehicle licensing system, with available letters assigned in accordance with the approved sequence.

The third phase will include all currently licensed private vehicles, whose plates will be replaced by adding the letter (Q) to their numbers in line with timelines to be announced later. Additional phases will subsequently be implemented for non-private vehicles, adding two letters to their plate numbers.

Following this, a video was presented revealing the new design of private vehicle plates, along with a preview of plates for non-private vehicle categories, to which two letters will be added during subsequent development phases. The mechanism for obtaining special plate numbers through the Sooum application was also demonstrated.

Staff Colonel (GS) Ali Hassan Al-Kaabi, Assistant Director of the Licensing Affairs Department at the General Directorate of Traffic, explained that the project represents a new stage in the development of the vehicle plate system in the State.

He noted that the project goes beyond merely changing the appearance of plates, aiming instead to establish an innovative and sustainable national numbering system that provides greater clarity, easier on-site and electronic readability, improved integration with intelligent traffic systems and vehicle licensing databases, and support for the State’s digital transformation and innovative transport development efforts in line with best standards.

Staff Colonel Al-Kaabi added that, from the perspective of the General Directorate of Traffic, the project constitutes a practical step towards enhancing road safety through clearer plates that are more compatible with intelligent monitoring and enforcement systems, in line with urban expansion and the steady increase in the number of vehicles in the country.

He noted that the project will be implemented gradually and in an organised manner, without imposing sudden burdens on the public, and with reliance on electronic services to facilitate procedures for vehicle owners.

Colonel Dr. Jabr Hamoud Jabr Al-Naimi affirmed that this step is consistent with the Ministry of Interior’s comprehensive modernisation efforts to develop its services and enhance the efficiency of traffic systems in accordance with best standards. He called on all vehicle owners to follow the Ministry’s official channels to stay informed of the latest updates on the project’s implementation phases.

To a question about the fees, the official clarified that the new number plates will be issued under the same existing charges.

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