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Traffic laws are strictly enforced in the UAE to ensure the safety of motor vehicles and every driver on the road. The first step taken by the Road and Traffic Authority (RTA) was to impose fines and other punishments to prevent traffic violations. The impoundment of your vehicle or the number of your fines will be determined by the gravity of the traffic violation you committed. You may have to pay thousands of dirhams or have your car impounded.

Do you know? There are numerous reasons why your car can be impounded. One of them is the lack of car insurance in Dubai and the UAE. People should be aware of the necessity of insurance to prevent financial struggles during an accident or theft. Policyhouse.com offers infinite motor insurance in Dubai and other emirates to secure your financial stability. Get more benefits and rewards with a trusted partner! 

Whatever the cause, car owners would need to complete some crucial processes to get their vehicles back. Let’s find out the complete details on how to deal with impounded cars in the UAE. 

What is Vehicle Impoundment?

Your vehicle may be impounded if you violate the traffic laws in the UAE or if you fail to pay a traffic fee on time. Until the car owner pays the fines, these seized vehicles are kept in the impounded lot. Please note that any resident of the UAE may place a bid and buy the vehicle at auction if the vehicle owner does not comply with the order to pay the debt.

Traffic Violations That Lead To Car Impoundment

• Driving above the posted speed limit

• Driving without a valid car insurance

• Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs

• Stopping in places not designated

• Driving without a valid Mulkiya or registration card

• Driving recklessly, endangering both public and private property

• Not stopping at the red light

• Driving without a valid driving license

• Driving the car in the lane's opposing way

• Driving a vehicle that has no license or authorization

• Driving a vehicle with expired tires

• Irresponsible and dangerous driving

• Driving without a number plate

• Modification of the vehicle's chassis or engine without permission

• Breaking the rule of using commercial car plate numbers

• Three-wheeled or leisure bikes on the road

• Attempting to elude traffic police personnel

• Street race

• Utilizing private vehicles for public transit

• Unauthorized transportation of inflammable or hazardous materials

• Marching without permission

• Overload transporting

• Accident violations resulting in a serious accident or injury

• If it’s resulting in a fatality

• Attempting to leave the scene of the accident

What is the Action Against the Impounded Vehicle?

Vehicles are frequently held for 7 to 60 days. Remember that if you are caught driving without a valid number plate, your car will get 90 days of impoundment, per the applicable traffic rules, and the traffic police of the relevant state are not liable for any damage to the car. The owner of the vehicle must pay the impound yard fees in addition to the fines for the violations to get their car back. If the car is not released within the allotted period, further fees will be assessed. 

There are primarily two choices available to car owners when their cars get impounded:

• The cops have designated an impounded yard.

• In the residence or parking lot of the owner

To prevent crowding in the impound lot, a smart impound system has been used in Dubai, Sharjah, and Abu Dubai. Instead of having their vehicles impounded at the police-designated impounded yards, smart impounding enables car owners to have their vehicles impounded at their parking lot.

The Smart Impound System process

To keep your vehicle impounded at your location, follow the directions provided below:

• Go to the traffic authority's official website or mobile app ( Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Dubai, or depending on where you are).

• Pay the fees for the smart impound system and the traffic fines.

• Pick a day to go to the traffic department so that the Global Positioning System (GPS) can be installed in your car.

The police could trace the car's whereabouts with the aid of this technology. The traffic police command room will receive a notification each time the car moves.

How do Police Get Alerted?

A group of mechanics arrives at your car to install a device. After the installation is complete, a smart system will be activated to monitor the situation. Here, the smart impound system would approve the vehicle that is impounded.

If the vehicle moves, the light will turn red, and the police will also be alerted. Additionally, the owner of the vehicle will get a text message informing them of the infraction, the fine, and the traffic police impounding their vehicle.

You can get in touch with the traffic department to have the device removed once the fines are paid and the impounding period is over.

How do You Get Your Car out of the UAE Impound lot?

You can follow the instructions to get your vehicle out of impound, whether it's at your house or the police impound yard:

• Visit the official website of the traffic police.

• Pay the fine

• Pay the impound fee 

• Release the vehicle 

Important Documents to Get the Car Back

Please submit to the traffic police all the required documents to have your vehicle released from the impound lot:

• Owner's Emirates ID (copy)

• Mulkiya, or car registration card (copy)

• Vehicle data from traffic services

• Driving license (copy)

• Car insurance document (copy)

• Release fee from the impound lot, late fee, etc.

Please note that each emirate has its demand for different sets of documents.

AED 100 is required for vehicle release certifications for seized vehicles. The owner will be required to pay AED 50 in storage fees if they don't get their car back within the impounding period (provided it does not exceed AED 3,000).

Smart Impound Service Charge

The service fees for Smart Impound are as follows:

• AED 500 for the first month

• AED 100 for each additional month

Starting on the eighth day after the conclusion of the impoundment term, there will be a penalty of AED 50.  

Any Chance to Get a Waiver?

You can use a set amount of the impoundment waiver to remove your vehicle from the impound lot while it is still being impounded. Please take note that the sum will be decided by the police authority of each emirate. In Abu Dhabi, a car owner should pay AED 50,000 in addition to extra fees to get their car back after it has been seized.