Hiab & Boom Truck Rental Dubai — Rates by Lifting Capacity (2026)
Hiab hire in Dubai runs from about AED 800 per day for a 3-tonne truck to AED 2,500+ per day for 20 tonnes and above, driver included. Because the truck carries the load as well as lifting it, a hiab often replaces a crane and a lorry on the same job. Here is what truck-mounted crane hire actually costs in 2026, and when it is the wrong tool.
What a hiab actually is
“Hiab” is a brand name that became the generic term, the same way people say Bobcat for a skid steer. What you are hiring is a knuckle-boom crane mounted behind the cab of a flatbed truck — Hiab, Palfinger, Fassi and Effer are the common makes on UAE roads. The truck drives itself to site, drops its outriggers, lifts the load onto its own bed, and drives it away.
That combination is the whole point. A mobile crane lifts but cannot carry; a lorry carries but cannot lift. For pipes, generators, containers, steel sections, precast panels, transformers, portacabins and machinery moves under roughly 18 tonnes, one hiab does the job of both, with one mobilisation charge instead of two.
Hiab rental rates by lifting capacity
Trucks are priced by the crane's rated capacity and the bed length behind it. Rates below are indicative Dubai and Northern Emirates market ranges, driver included, machine only — fuel to site, permits and waiting time are usually extra.
| Crane capacity | Per day (AED) | Per week (AED) | Per month (AED) | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 - 7 t | 800 - 1,200 | 4,500 - 7,000 | 12,000 - 18,000 | AC units, pallets, small gensets |
| 7 - 12 t | 1,200 - 1,700 | 7,000 - 9,500 | 16,000 - 21,000 | Pipes, steel, portacabins |
| 12 - 18 t | 1,500 - 2,200 | 8,500 - 12,000 | 19,000 - 26,000 | Containers, transformers, plant |
| 20 t+ | 2,500 - 4,000 | 14,000 - 20,000 | 30,000 - 45,000 | Heavy machinery moves |
Half-day and per-lift pricing exists for short jobs inside Dubai — typically 55–70% of the day rate for a single lift with a short wait. Anything beyond a couple of hours on site and the day rate is usually the cheaper basis.
What drives the price up
- Reach, not weight. Extra boom sections and a fly-jib cost more than raw capacity. A long-reach 12 t truck can price above a short 18 t one.
- Waiting time. Most suppliers include a set number of hours; beyond that, waiting is charged hourly. Site access delays are the usual cause of an overrun invoice.
- Distance and emirate. Rates quoted here are Dubai-based. Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and the east coast typically carry a mobilisation premium.
- Night and Friday work. Out-of-hours lifts attract a surcharge, and road-side work often has to be done at night anyway.
- Permits and traffic management. Lifting over a public road or boundary means an RTA permit, cones, and sometimes a flagman.
Hiab or mobile crane?
Use a hiab when the load is under roughly 18 tonnes, the lift radius is short, and the load has to travel. Use a mobile crane when the load is heavy, the radius is long, or the lift is over an obstruction. The crossover is usually reach rather than weight: once you need to lift over a building or across a compound, a hiab runs out of chart long before it runs out of tonnes.
| Hiab / boom truck | Mobile crane | |
|---|---|---|
| Carries the load | Yes | No — needs a lorry |
| Mobilisation | Same/next day | Booked ahead |
| Practical capacity | Up to ~18 t close in | 25 t to 300 t+ |
| Typical day rate | 800 - 2,500 | 1,500 - 15,000 |
| Best for | Delivery + lift in one | Heavy or long-radius lifts |
Permits, sites and free zones
Inside a private site or yard, a hiab lift normally needs nothing beyond the contractor's own permit-to-work. Lifting over a public road, footpath or plot boundary requires an RTA permit and traffic management, applied for in advance. Free-zone sites — JAFZA, DAFZA, DIC and the ports — each run their own gate-pass and work-permit process, and the driver will need a valid pass for that zone. Ask the supplier whether their drivers already hold passes for your zone; it is often the difference between a truck arriving and a truck being turned away at the gate.
Every truck should carry a valid third-party inspection certificate for the crane, and the driver a heavy-vehicle licence. Ask for both before the truck is booked, not when it is at your gate.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to rent a hiab in Dubai?
Roughly AED 800–1,200 per day for a 3–7 tonne hiab and AED 1,400–2,200 per day for a 10–18 tonne truck, driver included. Monthly hire for a mid-size truck typically lands between AED 17,000 and AED 24,000.
Is a driver included with hiab rental?
Yes. Hiab and boom trucks are hired wet in the UAE — the truck comes with its driver, who also operates the crane. There is no bare-hire market for these vehicles, because the driver needs both a heavy licence and crane competency.
What is the difference between a hiab and a mobile crane?
A hiab is a knuckle-boom crane mounted on a flatbed truck, so it both lifts and carries the load. A mobile crane only lifts and needs separate transport. Below about 18 tonnes and at short lift radius, a hiab is usually cheaper and faster to mobilise.
How is hiab lifting capacity measured?
By tonne-metres, not by tonnes alone. A crane rated 18 t/m lifts 18 tonnes at one metre, but only about 3 tonnes at six metres. Always quote the supplier the load weight and the distance from the truck.
Do I need a permit for a hiab lift in Dubai?
For work inside a site or yard, normally no. Lifting over a public road, footpath or boundary line usually needs an RTA permit and traffic management, and free-zone sites such as JAFZA and DAFZA require their own gate pass and work permit.
How long does a hiab take to mobilise?
Usually same day or next day within Dubai, because the truck drives itself to site and sets up on outriggers in minutes. That fast mobilisation is the main reason hiabs win short jobs over mobile cranes.
Sources
Pricing compiled from UAE supplier published rates and live marketplace listings as of August 2026, plus direct supplier inputs across the MachineryRentalMarket marketplace. Ranges reflect typical Dubai and Northern Emirates pricing; Abu Dhabi, remote-site and out-of-hours work can run higher.
Last updated: August 2026.