Dubai traffic fines start at AED 300 and go up to AED 3,000 on the official list. Serious offences also bring black points and days without your car. Get 24 black points in one year and you lose your licence for at least three months. Below are the 15 fines that catch drivers most often, with the fine, the black points and the impound days for each one. After the list, you will find how to check and pay a fine, and how black points add up to a suspension.
We took every figure from the official federal list of traffic offences that the UAE government publishes on u.ae, and from the laws themselves. We checked them on 7 October 2026. The UAE traffic law today is Federal Decree-Law No. 14 of 2024, in force since 29 March 2025. The fines list itself comes from Ministerial Resolution No. 178 of 2017, which the government still applies alongside the new law. Dubai adds its own rules on impounding cars, and we point them out where they apply.
This page covers Dubai traffic fines for driving only. For parking, Salik and Metro fines that visitors meet, read our guide to other fines in Dubai for tourists and newcomers.
The 15 fines at a glance
| # | Offence | Fine (AED) | Black points | Impound |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Speeding, up to 50 km/h over | 300 to 1,000 | 0 | None |
| 2 | Speeding, more than 50 km/h over | 1,500 to 3,000 | 6 to 23 | 15 to 60 days |
| 3 | Running a red light | 1,000 | 12 | 30 days |
| 4 | Phone use or distraction | 800 | 4 | None |
| 5 | Driver without a seatbelt | 400 | 4 | None |
| 6 | No child seat, or a child in the front seat | 400 | 0 | None |
| 7 | Tailgating | 400 | 4 | None |
| 8 | Sudden swerving | 1,000 | 4 | None |
| 9 | No indicator when turning or changing lanes | 400 | 0 | None |
| 10 | Overtaking on the hard shoulder | 1,000 | 6 | None |
| 11 | Not giving way to ambulances and police | 1,000 | 6 | None |
| 12 | Not giving way to pedestrians at a crossing | 500 | 6 | None |
| 13 | Parking in a disabled space or at a fire hydrant | 1,000 | 6 | None |
| 14 | Window tint above the limit | 1,500 | 0 | None (Dubai: yes) |
| 15 | Reckless driving | 2,000 | 23 | 60 days |
Impound days are for light vehicles such as cars. Each item below links the official list, with the item number, so you can check it yourself.
What does impound mean? The police keep your car in an impound area for the number of days shown. In Dubai, for impounds from the federal list that are not on Dubai's own list, the owner can pay AED 100 per remaining day for a car to get it back early, under Article 4 of Decree No. 30 of 2023. If you leave the car there after the impound ends, you pay AED 50 for every extra day.
1. Speeding up to 50 km/h over the limit
Small speeding fines carry no black points, but they add up fast. These are the four lower steps on the official list (items 37 to 40):
- Up to 20 km/h over: AED 300
- Up to 30 km/h over: AED 600
- Up to 40 km/h over: AED 700
- Up to 50 km/h over: AED 1,000
There are no black points and no impound at these levels.
2. Speeding more than 50 km/h over the limit
Above 50 km/h over the limit, black points and impound days start. These are the three top steps on the official list (items 34 to 36):
- Up to 60 km/h over: AED 1,500, 6 black points, 15 days impound
- More than 60 km/h over: AED 2,000, 12 black points, 30 days impound
- More than 80 km/h over: AED 3,000, 23 black points, 60 days impound
One fine at the top level leaves you one point short of a suspension.
Dubai speeding fines
The fine climbs slowly, then black points and impound arrive all at once
Kilometres per hour over the posted limit, with the official fine for each step. Impound days are for cars.
Up to 50 km/h over: money only
More than 50 km/h over: points and impound start
Source: UAE list of traffic offences (Ministerial Resolution No. 178 of 2017, items 34 to 40), published on u.ae. Checked 7 October 2026.
3. Running a red light
Running a red light costs AED 1,000, 12 black points and 30 days of impound under item 33 of the official list. Two red lights in one year means 24 points, which is a suspension.
Dubai adds more. Under Dubai Decree No. 30 of 2023, driving through a red light is one of the cases where Dubai Police must impound the car. To release it, the owner pays AED 50,000.
4. Using your phone or getting distracted
Holding your phone while driving costs AED 800 and 4 black points. The same fine covers being distracted by anything else while driving, under item 32 of the official list. Use a phone holder and set the map before you drive off.
5. Driving without a seatbelt
A driver without a seatbelt pays AED 400 and gets 4 black points. If passengers are not belted, the fine is also AED 400, with no extra points, under item 51 of the official list. The rule covers everyone in the car, including the back seat.
6. No child seat, or a child in the front seat
Two rules protect children, and each costs AED 400, according to items 49 and 50 of the official list:
- A child under 4 must sit in a child seat.
- A child under 10, or shorter than 145 cm, may not sit in the front seat.
There are no black points for either one. Families who rent or borrow a car are often caught by the front-seat rule.
7. Tailgating
Not keeping a safe distance from the car in front costs AED 400 and 4 black points under item 52 of the official list.
8. Sudden swerving
A sudden lane change costs AED 1,000 and 4 black points under item 29 of the official list. It often happens near an exit when a driver sees the turn too late. Missing the exit is cheaper. Take the next one.
9. Not using your indicator
Turning or changing lanes without an indicator costs AED 400 under item 83 of the official list. There are no black points, but it is one of the easiest fines to avoid.
10. Overtaking on the hard shoulder
Using the hard shoulder to pass other cars costs AED 1,000 and 6 black points under item 42 of the official list. The hard shoulder is for emergencies and breakdowns only, even in heavy traffic.
11. Not giving way to ambulances and police
Blocking an ambulance, a police car, a civil defence vehicle or an official convoy costs AED 1,000 and 6 black points under item 54 of the official list. When you hear a siren, move to the side as soon as it is safe.
12. Not giving way to pedestrians at a crossing
Driving through a zebra crossing while someone is crossing costs AED 500 and 6 black points under item 69 of the official list. The traffic law also tells drivers to slow down at a crossing and stop until people on it have crossed.
13. Parking in a disabled space or at a fire hydrant
Parking in a space for People of Determination, or in front of a fire hydrant, costs AED 1,000 and 6 black points under item 55 of the official list. Unlike most parking fines, this one carries black points.
14. Window tint above the limit
Tint above the allowed level costs AED 1,500 under item 68 of the official list. Ministerial Resolution No. 178 of 2017 (page in Arabic) allows tint of up to 50% on the side and rear windows only, never on the windscreen.
In Dubai, too much tint is also a case for mandatory impound under Decree No. 30 of 2023, with a release payment of AED 10,000. If you buy a used car, check the tint before you drive it.
15. Reckless driving
Driving in a way that puts your life, other people or property in danger costs AED 2,000, 23 black points and 60 days of impound under item 1 of the official list. In Dubai, reckless driving is also a mandatory impound case, and the release payment is AED 50,000 under Decree No. 30 of 2023.
Offences that go to court, not to a fine
Some offences are crimes under Federal Decree-Law No. 14 of 2024, so a judge decides the penalty:
- Driving after drinking alcohol: prison and a fine of AED 20,000 to AED 100,000, or one of the two. The court also suspends the licence for at least 3 months the first time (Article 35). Our guide to alcohol rules in Dubai explains the wider rules.
- Driving without a valid licence: up to 3 months in prison and a fine of AED 5,000 to AED 50,000, or one of the two (Article 37). If you hold a foreign licence, read how converting your driving licence in Dubai works.
- Leaving the scene of an accident with injuries, or escaping from the police: up to 2 years in prison and a fine of at least AED 50,000 (Article 38).
- Pedestrians crossing a road with a speed limit of 80 km/h or more outside a crossing: at least 3 months in prison or a fine of at least AED 10,000, or both (Article 39).
How black points lead to a licence suspension
Black points are counted over 12 months from your first offence. Ministerial Resolution No. 178 of 2017 sets the rules:
- 24 points the first time: your licence is held for 3 months.
- 24 points the second time: 6 months.
- 24 points the third time: 1 year.
New drivers have a stricter rule. If you reach 24 points on a new or probation licence, it is held for 6 months. If it happens twice during probation, the licence is cancelled.
There is also some good news. Points are deleted 12 months after you pay the fine. If you finish a training course at an approved driving school before you reach 24 points, 8 points are removed, once a year. After a first suspension, the same course can cancel the suspension period.
UAE black points
24 points in 12 months means a suspension. Some drivers get there in two fines.
Each bar is the 24-point limit. Points are counted for 12 months from the first offence.
Two red lights
24 points: licence held
Serious speeding and a red light
24 points: licence held
A year of small habits
Phone (4), seatbelt (4), tailgating (4), sudden swerving (4) and hard shoulder (6): five everyday fines, AED 3,600 in total, and 22 points.
22 points: one more 4-point fine and the licence is held
First time at 24
3 months
Second time
6 months
Third time
1 year
Sources: Ministerial Resolution No. 178 of 2017, Articles 1 to 3, and its list of traffic offences on u.ae. Checked 7 October 2026.
How to check and pay Dubai traffic fines
You can check and pay Dubai traffic fines online in a few minutes. The UAE government lists these channels on u.ae:
- The Dubai Police app or website
- The RTA website, the RTA apps, self-service machines and RTA customer centres, through the Pay Vehicle Fines service
- The Ministry of Interior website and the MOI UAE app
You can search by plate number, licence number, traffic file number or fine number. RTA adds a Knowledge and Innovation fee of AED 20 per fine. RTA accepts cash and credit cards.
Three things to know:
- You must pay before you renew. RTA says paying all fines is a basic requirement for renewing your driving licence or your car registration. Unpaid fines can also hold up a residence visa, as our article on how Dubai links visa renewal to fines explains.
- More than AED 6,000 in fines can cost you the car. Under Dubai's impound decree, a car with more than AED 6,000 in fines is impounded, and it is released when the fines are paid.
- If someone else was driving, the owner can name the driver in the RTA service so the black points go to the right licence.
What about discounts? Some emirates give a discount for paying early, and Dubai Police has run discount and instalment offers in the past. We could not confirm a current standing discount for Dubai on an official page on 7 October 2026, so check the amount in the app before you pay.
If you are moving to Dubai and planning a car, our comparison of buying a car in Dubai or importing one covers the other running costs.
