Unlike a quad or a buggy, a Harley-Davidson is a road motorcycle, and in the UAE its path to a number plate almost mirrors that of a car: the same customs, the same RTA registration service, the same specification requirements. The differences are the tariff code, the fees and the licence. Below is what to prepare if you are buying a Harley in Canada and plan to ride it in Dubai or the other emirates.
Tariff code and charges
Motorcycles in the UAE tariff are classified under heading 8711 by engine capacity. Anything over 800 cc falls under subheading 8711.50: this covers Touring and Softail models with the Milwaukee-Eight, as well as the Sportster S, Pan America and Nightster with Revolution Max engines. All ten lines of heading 8711 carry the same rate — 5% (Dubai Customs). For three-wheelers — the Road Glide 3 trike or the Can-Am Spyder and Ryker — we confirm the code separately at clearance. The general UAE import rules are covered in detail in our article on clearing a car from Canada into the UAE; below is what applies to a motorcycle.
| Payment | Rate 2026 | Source |
|---|---|---|
| HS code | 8711.50 — motorcycles over 800 cc (8711.40 — 500–800 cc) | Dubai Customs, HS Code Master, Dubai Customs, 12-digit HS |
| Customs duty | 5% of CIF value | u.ae — Customs duty |
| VAT | 5% on CIF + duty + customs fees | Decree-Law 8/2017, Art. 3, 35 |
| Excise | None — vehicles are not on the list of excise goods | u.ae — Excise tax |
| Recycling / eco fee | Not listed among import charges | u.ae — Customs duty |
| Fees | RTA motorcycle registration — AED 200, plate — AED 25, plus the AED 20 Knowledge and Innovation fee; Dubai Customs processing charges — 2026 amounts confirmed at calculation | RTA, Dubai Customs Customer Guide |
Duty and VAT together come to about 10.25% of the CIF value: 5% duty plus 5% VAT on a base that already includes duty and customs fees. CIF is the price of the motorcycle including freight and insurance, and the value for duty is set by customs inspectors, not just by the invoice (Dubai Customs).
Bought in Canada, made in the USA: what about the CEPA
In July 2026 the UAE and Canada announced the conclusion of negotiations on a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, the CEPA (UAE MoFA). Its entry into force had not been confirmed at the time of publication, so we calculate at the general 5% rate. Even once it is in force, it is unlikely to affect a Harley: tariff preferences under such agreements are tied to the country of origin of the goods, and Harley-Davidson motorcycles are made in the USA. The fact that a motorcycle is bought and shipped in Canada does not in itself reduce the duty. Our advantage lies elsewhere — in the source: the Canadian market, new motorcycles and clean used ones without an auction history.
If the motorcycle is bought not for your own use but for resale outside the UAE, it can be placed in a free zone such as Jafza: goods stored in a free zone for re-export are not subject to customs duty — duty arises only when they are released into the mainland market (u.ae). The condition is that the cargo must be consigned to a free zone licensee; this scheme is covered in more detail in the UAE clearance article linked above.
Documents: from port to number plate
For an import through a shipping company, Dubai Customs asks an individual for the invoice, packing list, bill of lading and a copy of the passport (Dubai Customs). After release a Vehicle Clearance Certificate (VCC) is issued — an imported motorcycle cannot be registered without it (Dubai Customs). Next comes RTA registration under the same service as for a car (RTA). It requires:
- the owner's Emirates ID;
- an electronic customs certificate;
- a sale agreement;
- a MoIAT document confirming compliance with Gulf Specifications — if compliance is not shown on the Customs Card;
- passing a traffic safety test; inspection is mandatory for imported and used vehicles.
A North American spec motorcycle usually does not show GCC compliance on the Customs Card, so we plan for the MoIAT document from the outset. For a used motorcycle MoIAT also issues a Product Status Statement confirming that the imported used vehicle can be registered; the service costs AED 200 (MoIAT). The registration procedure in Abu Dhabi and other emirates we confirm separately for the owner's emirate, and we start assembling the document package before the motorcycle leaves Canada.
Licence: motorcycle category from age 17
The minimum age for a motorcycle licence in the UAE is 17; for cars it is 18 (u.ae). If the motorcycle is for a younger family member, check this threshold in advance, as well as which foreign licences the emirate recognises for your category.
Which Harley to choose from our stock
The models below are in our catalogue; specifications are taken from their listings:
- Long highway rides between emirates. Road Glide 2024 — 121ci Milwaukee-Eight VVT, 115 hp and 169 Nm; Street Glide Limited 2025 — Grand American Touring with the 117ci engine.
- Classic cruiser. Heritage Classic 114, Fat Boy 114 and Breakout 117 — the Softail line.
- Sport bagger. Low Rider ST 2025 — 117ci, 103 hp and 168 Nm.
- Adventure. Pan America 1250 Special — Revolution Max 1250T with 150 hp and Adaptive Ride Height.
- If liquid cooling matters to you. The Sportster S (1252 cc, 121 hp) and Nightster (975 cc, 90 hp) list liquid cooling in their specifications.
The full range is in the motorcycles section. How we prepare a Harley for shipping and which export documents we handle in Canada is covered in our guide to importing a Harley from Canada.
Shipping to Jebel Ali
A motorcycle usually travels by sea in a container — strapped down or crated, sometimes together with the client's other vehicles; how this works is described in our piece on sea freight in a container. For self-propelled vehicles there is also RoRo: Atlantic Container Line sails from Halifax to Jebel Ali once a month, with a 43-day transit (ACL, Middle East services). Container transit times vary by line and are confirmed at booking.
Estimate and order
We do not publish motorcycle prices: they depend on the model, year, trim and exchange rate. We calculate the full estimate before purchase — CIF, duty, VAT, customs and RTA fees, the MoIAT document — so the final amount is known in advance. Choose a model and submit a request through the order form; our general terms for the UAE are on the "Cars from Canada to the UAE" page.
Rates are given as of October 2026 and may change. The final calculation is made on the clearance date.