Expired Mulkiya in Dubai: What Dubai Police Say About the Fine, Points and Impound
What Dubai Police have stated about the penalty for expired registration, what the RTA publishes on renewal, and which details are not confirmed.
What Dubai Police have stated about the penalty for expired registration, what the RTA publishes on renewal, and which details are not confirmed.
Dubai Police state that driving a vehicle with expired registration carries a fine of AED 500, four traffic points and seven days of vehicle impoundment under traffic regulations. That statement came from the Director of the General Department of Traffic in a Dubai Police release dated 1 November 2026, which also reported 48,950 fines for expired registration in the first 10 months of the year. Source: Dubai Police news release. What is not confirmed on an official page we could read is the exact legal instrument behind those figures today, whether a fine applies during the RTA's 30-day renewal grace period, the late-renewal fee, and the cost of releasing an impounded car. This guide separates what is confirmed from what is not.
Not legal advice
In its 1 November 2026 release, Dubai Police said the penalty for driving with expired registration is a fine of AED 500, four traffic points and seven days of vehicle impoundment. The release does not name the law or resolution. Source: Dubai Police.
An older official table lists the same amounts. The Ministry of Interior's Ministerial Resolution No. (178) of 2017 on rules and procedures of traffic control, as published on the UAE government portal, shows driving a vehicle with an expired registration at AED 500 and 4 black traffic points, with a seven-day vehicle retention period. In that table the retention line also carries a condition tied to registration that expired more than three months ago, and the table layout is hard to read, so check the original. The table dates from 2017. The UAE government portal's road safety page says the UAE applies Federal Decree-Law No. 14 of 2024 on Traffic Regulation, in effect since 29 March 2025, and lists Ministerial Resolution No. 178 of 2017 among the other instruments it applies. It does not say which instrument sets the expired-registration penalty today, so treat the 2017 table as supporting context and confirm the current schedule with Dubai Police or the Ministry of Interior. Source: Ministry of Interior, Ministerial Resolution 178/2017.
Dubai Police reported 48,950 violations for driving with expired registration in the first 10 months of 2026. The monthly counts it published were: January 6,977; February 6,768; March 6,573; April 2,601; May 984; June 4,965; July 6,404; August 4,859; September 4,763; October 4,056. Source: Dubai Police. The release does not explain the monthly pattern, so this guide does not either.
The RTA says that, as per the Federal Traffic Law, vehicle registration is valid for a maximum of 12 months, followed by a 30-day grace period for renewal. Source: RTA, Renew and Amend Vehicle Data Ownership, updated 14 October 2026.
The RTA describes the 30 days as a grace period for renewal. Neither the RTA page nor the Dubai Police release says whether the AED 500 fine, the points or the impoundment can be applied during those 30 days. Do not assume you are protected; renew before the expiry date and ask Dubai Police if you are in doubt.
If registration is not renewed within 2 months of expiry, the RTA states that your Traffic File will be blocked and you will be notified by SMS.
The RTA verifies that vehicle insurance and the technical inspection are valid when you renew, and says insurance must be valid for at least 6 months, including the grace period, to ensure coverage in case of accidents. Dubai Police also warned that motorists could face additional financial and legal consequences if their insurance has expired and they are involved in an accident. Sources: RTA and Dubai Police. The consequences are not itemised in either source, so this guide does not list them. Check your policy wording or ask your insurer how an expired registration affects a claim.
The renewal steps below are taken from the RTA page. You can renew up to 150 days before expiry, and if you renew before the expiry date the validity is calculated from the date you submit the application.
Late renewal carries late fees based on vehicle category and the length of the delay. The RTA page gives no amount, so a late fee figure is not officially published here. Source: RTA, RTA inspection page.
Dubai Police provide a fines inquiry and payment service. See Dubai Police, Fines Inquiry and Payment. Pay what is outstanding before renewal rather than letting fines accumulate, as the Dubai Police release advises.
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Disclaimer: This article is for general information only and is not legal, financial, tax or insurance advice. Prices, specifications and availability are indicative, vary by trim and GCC specification, and change without notice - confirm current figures with the selling dealer. Government fees, registration, import, customs and traffic regulations are subject to change; always verify current requirements directly with the relevant UAE authority (RTA, MOEI, Customs, your emirate's traffic department) or your insurer before acting. Carzle is a marketplace: vehicles are listed and sold by independent dealers, and Carzle is not a party to any sale.