Kurdistan interior minister waives vehicle registration penalties until Feb. 1

ERBIL — The Kurdistan Region’s interior minister on Sunday approved a temporary waiver of late penalties for vehicle registration and ownership transfer, extending the grace period through Feb. 1, 2026, according to an official decision.

Under existing rules, vehicle owners are required to complete registration or transfer ownership within 60 days. After that period, a daily fine of 10,000 Iraqi dinars (about $6.85) applies for each day of delay. The ministry said penalties accrued beyond the 60-day limit will not be enforced until the end of the waiver period.

According to the Interior Ministry of the Kurdistan Regional Government, any citizen who, for any reason, was unable to register a vehicle or complete an ownership transfer within the 60-day deadline will be exempt from late fees through Feb. 1.

The ministry noted that a similar waiver was announced late last year to give drivers and vehicle owners additional time to update registrations and complete ownership transfers that had fallen behind schedule.

The decision also comes as vehicle numbers in the Kurdistan Region continue to rise. The KRG Ministry of Trade and Industry said nearly 184,000 vehicles were imported into the region in 2025, up from 172,000 the previous year, with imports entering through Erbil and Sulaymaniyah airports and four international border crossings, reflecting growing pressure on registration systems and traffic administration.

In February, the Interior Ministry announced that fully electric vehicles would be exempt from both initial registration fees and the annual environmental levy under Directive No. 2 of 2025, issued by Interior Minister Reber Ahmed, as part of efforts to encourage the use of electric cars and reduce environmental risks.