Bahrain

At a glanceRequirements at a glance

Commercial Registration with the Correct Activity Required

Yes

Yes. A mover needs an active Commercial Registration (CR, the official business registration) through the Sijilat portal, and the licensed activities on the CR must match the services it actually performs. MTT lists road goods transport as two separate licensed activities: Internal Transport of Goods (activity 4923-1) for carriage within Bahrain, and International Transport of Goods (activity 4923-2) for cross-border carriage.

MTT Goods-Transport Licence Required

Yes, where the mover operates its own vehicles. The company operating the vehicles must hold a valid MTT licence for the applicable goods-transport activity (internal, international, or both). MTT’s Land Transport Affairs issues these licences through the Sijilat portal, the same system used for the CR. Where a mover hires another company to do the driving (a subcontracted carrier), the carrier’s own MTT licence covers the transport it performs, and the mover should use carriers that hold the licences that transport requires.

Vehicle Operating Card Required

Yes, where the mover operates its own vehicles. A licensed transport company must obtain an MTT operating card for each vehicle before using it for the licensed activity (Article 29 of Ministerial Resolution No. 11 of 2015, as cited by the Bahrain government services catalogue). The operating card is a separate document from the vehicle’s Traffic registration.

Vehicle Registration and Technical Inspection Required

Yes, where the mover operates its own vehicles. Every vehicle must be registered with the General Directorate of Traffic, and registration is renewed annually. For vehicles registered to a commercial registration for public transport use, the Traffic service states that the vehicle must pass technical inspection (be “technically validated”) before each registration renewal.

Insurance Required

Yes, where the mover operates its own vehicles. Traffic Law requires insurance against civil liability arising from vehicle accidents (often called third-party motor liability insurance), kept in force for the whole registration period. This motor insurance covers liability to others from road accidents. It is not insurance for the customer’s household goods, which is a separate product (transit insurance) that a mover may or may not offer. This research found no Bahraini rule requiring movers to insure customers’ goods, so customers should ask what protection, if any, is offered.

Driver Licences Required

Yes, where the mover operates its own vehicles. Each driver must hold a valid Bahraini driving licence for the category of vehicle driven. It is an offence for a vehicle owner or operator to hand a vehicle to someone without a valid licence for it.

Licence Fees

Yes. MTT publishes its current fees in its land transport tariff. When checked on 13 October 2026, the tariff listed, for companies: Internal Transport of Goods licence issuance BHD 500 and renewal BHD 100; International Transport of Goods licence issuance BHD 1,000 and renewal BHD 100; and BHD 40 per vehicle to issue or renew an operating card. Other charges (for example Traffic registration and inspection fees) are separate. Fees can change: verify the current tariff at the time of payment.

Consumer Protection

Yes. Law No. 35 of 2012 with Respect to Consumer Protection, as amended by Law No. 28 of 2026, and its Executive Regulation apply to services supplied to consumers, including moving services. Among other things, a provider must give consumers accurate, non-misleading information about the service and its price, show its business name, address, phone numbers and CR number on its documents, issue a clear written invoice on request, and remedy a defective or deficient service (refund, compensation or re-performance). Contract terms that try to exempt a provider from these duties are void.

Consumer Complaint Resources (For Movers Not Vetted as ITMs)

Yes, free and accessible. Consumers can file a complaint with MOIC’s Consumer Protection Center by phone (contact centre 17007003), by email (consumer_protection@moic.gov.bh), online through the national complaints system Tawasul (www.bahrain.bh/tawasul), in person at the Consumer Protection Center, or through the Ministry’s social media channels. Filing is free. Keep copies of receipts, contracts and invoices to attach to the complaint. The law allows criminal penalties and administrative measures, including fines, temporary closure, and suspension or removal of the commercial registration, for violations. For larger commercial disputes, the Bahrain Chamber for Dispute Resolution (BCDR) offers arbitration and mediation where the parties agree to use it.

Industry Association

None dedicated. No dedicated Bahraini moving-industry trade association was identified in this research. Membership of an industry association is not a government licence and does not replace the CR, MTT licence or vehicle documents described on this page.

OverviewOverview & Scope

Bahrain licenses commercial road goods transport nationally. A mover’s Commercial Registration, obtained through MOIC’s Sijilat portal, must include the activities the business actually performs. For road carriage, MTT’s Land Transport Affairs licenses two separate activities, Internal Transport of Goods and International Transport of Goods, and issues those licences through the same Sijilat portal. Each vehicle used for the licensed activity then needs an MTT operating card, in addition to its Traffic registration, compulsory civil liability insurance and, where required, a current technical inspection. Drivers must hold a licence for the category of vehicle they drive.

These transport obligations attach to whichever company operates the vehicles. Where a mover subcontracts road transport, the carrier’s own licence, operating cards, registration, insurance and driver documents cover the transport it performs, and the mover should use carriers that hold them.

On the consumer side, Bahrain’s Consumer Protection Law gives customers a free complaint route through MOIC’s Consumer Protection Center, with arbitration and mediation through BCDR available for larger commercial disputes where both parties agree.

RegistrationRegistration & Compliance Essentials

Company licensing

1. Hold an active Commercial Registration through Sijilat with licensed activities that match the services performed, including, where the mover carries goods by road itself, Internal Transport of Goods (4923-1) and, for cross-border carriage, International Transport of Goods (4923-2).
2. Where the mover operates its own vehicles, hold a valid MTT licence for the applicable goods-transport activity (internal, international or both), paying the fees shown in MTT’s current land transport tariff and renewing the licence before expiry.

Vehicles and drivers (where the mover operates its own vehicles)

3. Obtain an MTT operating card for each vehicle before using it for the licensed transport activity.
4. Register every vehicle with the General Directorate of Traffic and renew the registration annually.
5. Keep each vehicle’s technical inspection current, including inspection before registration renewal where the Traffic service requires it.
6. Maintain compulsory civil liability (third-party) motor insurance covering each vehicle for the full registration period.
7. Make sure every driver holds a valid driving licence for the vehicle category being driven.

Subcontracted transport

8. Where transport is subcontracted, use carriers that hold the licences required for the transport they perform.

Customer practices

9. Comply with Law No. 35 of 2012, as amended, and its Executive Regulation in dealings with consumers, including accurate service and price information, identification and CR number on documents, written invoices on request, and remedying a defective or deficient service.

ChecklistCompliance checklist

Company licensing

• Commercial Registration held via Sijilat, with licensed activities matching the services performed (including Internal Transport of Goods 4923-1 and, for cross-border carriage, International Transport of Goods 4923-2 where the mover carries goods by road itself)Verified by DocumentRequired
• Valid MTT licence for the applicable goods-transport activity (internal, international or both)Where applicable (mover operates its own vehicles)Verified by DocumentRequired

Subcontracted transport

• Where transport is subcontracted, the mover uses carriers that hold the licences required for the transport they performWhere applicableVerified by AffirmationRequired

Vehicles and drivers (where the mover operates its own vehicles)

• MTT operating card held for each vehicle used for the licensed activityWhere applicable (mover operates its own vehicles)Verified by DocumentRequired
• Each vehicle registered with the General Directorate of Traffic, renewed annuallyWhere applicable (mover operates its own vehicles)Verified by DocumentRequired
• Technical inspection current for each vehicle, including before registration renewal where the Traffic service requires itWhere applicable (mover operates its own vehicles)Verified by DocumentRequired
• Civil liability (third-party) motor insurance in force for each vehicle for the registration periodWhere applicable (mover operates its own vehicles)Verified by DocumentRequired
• Each driver holds a valid Bahraini driving licence for the vehicle categoryWhere applicable (mover operates its own vehicles)Verified by DocumentRequired

Customer practices

• Dealings with consumers comply with Law No. 35 of 2012, as amended, and its Executive Regulation (accurate service and price information, business name, address, phone numbers and CR number on documents, written invoice on request, remedy for defective or deficient service)Verified by AffirmationRequired