Transport Ministry removes garage‑permit requirement to ease vehicle registration from January

From next month, the Transport Ministry will no longer require a garage permit issued by Male' City Council or the Housing Development Corporation (HDC) to register vehicles with more than two wheels.

In a statement, the ministry said many motorists face difficulties obtaining the mandatory garage permit during the registration process. To ease the burden, two regulatory changes will take effect on January 1.

The first change removes the requirement to submit a garage permit issued by Male' City Council or HDC. Instead, applicants will only need to provide a document confirming that the vehicle has a designated garage and that the garage owner has no objection to parking the vehicle there.

The ministry has also decided to allow ownership transfers for vehicles registered before 2009 without a valid garage permit, provided the transfer occurs within the same registration zone. For vehicles already registered with a valid garage, ownership can be transferred from next month with a written no‑objection statement from the garage owner.

The ministry noted that delays in registering imported vehicles, especially in the congested Male' area, are a recurring public concern, with limited parking space contributing to the issue.

In April this year, regulations were amended to require a garage letter even before importing four‑wheel vehicles. Importers must submit proof of a designated garage or warehouse, and the ministry must verify that the vehicle will be parked at the stated location.