Dubai: Letting traffic fines pile up in Dubai can lead to your car being impounded, if your total fines add up to over AED 6,000.As per Article 2(4) of Decree No. 30 of 2023, Amending Decree No. (29) of 2015, ‘Concerning Impoundment of Vehicles in the Emirate of Dubai’, a vehicle may be impounded if it records traffic fines in excess of AED 6,000.Earlier, Dubai Police had advised motorists to not let traffic fines accumulate and advised motorists to avail of the fine instalment service, which allows motorists to spread out the payment into interest-free instalments of three, six, nine or 12 months.Other violations that can lead to immediate impoundmentThe immediate impoundment of vehicles can be the result of not just the accumulation of fines over AED 6,000.participating in a road race without first obtaining a permit from the policeriding a recreational motorcycle on a paved roadmaking substantial modifications to a vehicle to increase its speed or noise leveldriving recklessly or in a manner that endangers lives or property, or compromises road safety in the emiratefleeing from police personneldriving through a red lightdriving on roads without a number plategathering to watch races, participating in associated acts of disorder or performing vehicle stunts on roadsexceeding the permitted window-tinting limit or tinting the windscreen without a permitdriving with a counterfeit, forged, fake or obscured number plate, or using a number plate in a manner that contravenes legislation in force in the emirateintentionally colliding with or damaging a police vehicledriving a vehicle while under the age of 18The impoundment period varies depending on the nature of the violation and can reach 90 days in some cases.For some of these violations, the decree imposes substantial fees to release the impounded vehicle, which can reach AED 100,000 for vehicles involved in unauthorised road racing, or AED 50,000 for other serious violations.These measures are intended to deter behavior that threatens the safety of road users and strengthen traffic security.
