Amending Decree No. (29) of 2015
Concerning Impoundment of Vehicles in the Emirate of Dubai[1]
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We, Mohammed bin Rashid Al
Maktoum, Ruler of Dubai,
After perusal of:
Federal Law No. (21) of 1995 Concerning Road Traffic, its Implementing Bylaw, and their amendments;
Ministerial Resolution No. (178) of 2017 Concerning Road Traffic Control Rules and Procedures;
Law No. (32) of 2015 Concerning the Official Gazette of the Government of Dubai; and
Decree No. (29) of 2015 Concerning Impoundment of Vehicles in the Emirate of Dubai (the “Original Decree”),
Do hereby issue this Decree.
Articles (2), (3), (4), and (5) of the Original Decree are hereby superseded by the following:
Without prejudice to the penalties and measures prescribed by the Legislation in force in the Emirate, a Vehicle will be subject to administrative impoundment by the Police in the following cases:
1. participating in a Road race without first obtaining a permit from the Police;
2. riding the Recreational Motorcycle on a paved Road;
3. making substantial modifications to the Vehicle which result in increasing its speed limit or making loud sounds or noise when operating or driving it;
4. recording traffic fines in excess of six thousand dirhams (AED 6,000.00) in respect of the Vehicle;
5. driving the Vehicle recklessly or in a manner that endangers lives or property, or compromises road traffic safety in the Emirate;
6. escaping from the Police personnel;
7. driving the Vehicle through a red light;
8. driving the Vehicle on Roads without a number plate;
9. gathering by Vehicle drivers to watch races, participating in associated acts of disorder; or engaging in Vehicle stunts on Roads;
10. exceeding the permitted tinting percentage on the windows of a Vehicle, or tinting the windscreen of the Vehicle without a permit;
11. driving the Vehicle using a counterfeit, forged, fake, or obscured number plate, or using the number plate in a manner that contravenes the Legislation in force in the Emirate;
12. intentionally colliding with, or causing damage to, a Police Vehicle; and
13. driving a Vehicle by a person who is under the age of eighteen (18) years.
a. Without prejudice to the penalties and measures prescribed by the Legislation in force in the Emirate, a Vehicle may be subject to administrative impoundment by the Police in the cases prescribed by the Police for this purpose.
b. The cases of discretionary administrative impoundment of Vehicles, and the maximum period of impoundment for each case, will be prescribed pursuant to a resolution to be issued by the Commander-in-Chief in coordination with the concerned entities. This resolution must be published in the Official Gazette.
a. A Vehicle impounded in any of the cases referred to in Article (2) of this Decree will be released upon the payment by its Owner of the following amount:
1. one hundred thousand dirhams (AED 100,000.00), where the Vehicle is impounded in any of the cases stipulated in sub-paragraph (1) of Article (2) of this Decree;
2. fifty thousand dirhams (50,000.00), where the Vehicle is impounded in any of the cases stipulated in sub-paragraphs (2), (5), (7), (11), (12), and (13) of Article (2) of this Decree; and
3. ten thousand dirhams (10,000.00), where the Vehicle is impounded in any of the cases stipulated in sub-paragraphs (3), (6), (8), (9), and (10) of Article (2) of this Decree.
b. A Vehicle impounded in the case stipulated in sub-paragraph (4) of Article (2) of this Decree will be released upon the payment by its Owner of the traffic fines imposed on him.
c. A Vehicle impounded pursuant to the provisions of Article (3) of this Decree will be released subject to:
1. the lapse of the impoundment period; or payment by the Vehicle's Owner, subject to the approval of the Police, of the amounts stated in paragraph (d) of this Article to release the impounded Vehicle;
2. settlement of all fines payable in respect of the Vehicle as per the traffic file;
3. remedy or redress of the relevant violation; and
4. fulfilment of any other conditions determined pursuant to the relevant resolutions issued by the Commander-in-Chief.
d. A Vehicle impounded pursuant to the provisions of the above-mentioned Ministerial Resolution No. (178) of 2017 in any case other than those provided for in this Decree will be released upon the payment by the Vehicle Owner of one hundred dirhams (AED 100.00) if it is a light Vehicle, or two hundred dirhams (AED 200.00) if it is a heavy Vehicle, per each day of the impoundment period or of the remaining days thereof.
e. If the Owner of an impounded Vehicle fails to reclaim it after the lapse of the impoundment period, he must pay fifty dirhams (AED 50.00) per each day of stay of the Vehicle in the impoundment area after the lapse of that period.
a. In addition to the penalties and measures prescribed by the Legislation in force in the Emirate, where a non-UAE national driver of a heavy Vehicle drives through a red light, he will be administratively deported from the United Arab Emirates.
b. Where a Vehicle is re-impounded within one (1) year from the date of the incident in respect of which it was previously impounded, the impoundment period determined pursuant to the provisions of Article (3) of this Decree will be doubled. A doubled impoundment period must not exceed ninety (90) days.
c. Where a Vehicle is re-impounded within one (1) year from the date of the incident in respect of which it was previously impounded, the amount to be paid for releasing the impounded Vehicle prescribed by paragraph (a) of Article (4) of this Decree will be doubled. A doubled release payment must not exceed two hundred thousand dirhams (AED 200,000.00).
This Decree will be published in the Official Gazette and will come into force on the day on which it is published.
Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum
Ruler of Dubai
Issued in
Dubai on 14 June 2023
Corresponding
to 25 Thu al-Qidah 1444 A.H.
©2023 The Supreme Legislation Committee in the
Emirate of Dubai
[1]Every effort has been made to produce an
accurate and complete English version of this legislation. However, for the
purpose of its interpretation and application, reference must be made to the original
Arabic text. In case of conflict, the Arabic text will prevail.