Everyone makes mistakes sometimes, whether it’s getting back to your parking meter a little bit too late, or getting caught going over the speed limit. Just like every other city in the world, Abu Dhabi traffic fines are issued for traffic violations, ranging from parking tickets through to more serious issues such as dangerous driving. Traffic fines can turn into warrants if you don’t tend to them quickly, so to help you stay on the right side of the law, we’ve put together a quick guide to RTA fines in Abu Dhabi.
What can I get fined for?
In Abu Dhabi, you can get traffic fines for a variety of different offences. They start at the bottom with relatively mild reasons such as driving without glasses or contact lenses if you need corrective lenses to drive, through to dangerous driving. Abu Dhabi traffic fines are listed on a sliding severity scale, with the most dangerous offences carrying the heaviest fines, as well as ‘black points’, confiscation of your vehicle, or even a prison sentence. There are currently around 147 offences that carry a fine, black points, or both.
Who issues fines, and how much will they cost?
Fines are issued by the Integrated Transport Centre of the Department of Municipal Affairs and Transport, or the Police, depending on the type of fine issued. In 2017, the DMAT did reduce fines for violations in the capital, such as illegal parking in residential areas (which was dropped to AED 200 from AED 500), and extending the time cars can remain in a parking spot before being towed to 4 hours. Another violation – illegal parking in bus and taxi bays was also halved to AED 500. However, bear in mind that the newly added penalty for using a fake parking permit could land you with a hefty AED 10,000 fine, while non-payment of fines will cost you an additional AED 1,000.
Overall, most fines will range between AED 300-500, but more serious offences will carry much higher penalties, which are usually decided by a court, rather than via a fixed penalty notice.
Speeding fines are strictly enforced, so be aware that the police will fine you if you are caught going over the designated limit. Exceeding the speed limit by 30 km/h or under will result in an AED 600 fine. For exceeding the maximum speed limit by no more than 50km/h, you will receive an AED 800 fine, but if you are between 50-60 km/h over the limit the fine goes up to AED 900 with 6 black points. If you’re 100 km/h over the limit then the fine goes up to AED 1000 and 12 points. Anything above that and you’re looking at a court hearing and a possible charge of reckless or dangerous driving.
How do I know if I’ve been given a fine?
You can check online to make sure you don’t have any outstanding fines by going to the Department of Transport’s Payment of Parking Fines page, or by checking on the Ministry of Interior’s website and going to their Traffic Fines Inquiry page. If your traffic violation occurred in Dubai then you can go to the RTA’s Pay Dubai Traffic Fines page for a step-by-step process to check and pay any outstanding fines.
What happens if I get a parking fine while hiring a Hertz rental car?
At Hertz, we want you to enjoy your rental experience, so we do everything we can to ensure you have a stress-free time. However, if you do get a parking ticket or RTA fine, then you are personally responsible for paying the fine at your next billing cycle or when you return your car. You will also be charged an admin fee if you require Hertz to handle any of your fines during your rental period.
Hertz Car Rental cannot be held responsible for any traffic fines you incur while using a Hertz rental vehicle. We can advise you on parking regulations if you are unfamiliar with them during your visit to Abu Dhabi, and offer valuable local advice on a range of regulations such as speed limits and the use of mobile phones. Just ask the staff at your Hertz branch and they’ll be happy to help.