+971 58 642 7299
+971 58 642 7299
A red light in Dubai means an AED 1,200 fine, 12 black points and a 30-day impound, and the owner pays AED 50,000 to release the car. In a Brook Drive rental, the renter is responsible for the fine and the release payment.
What a red light costs in Dubai
For a light vehicle, a red light brings four things at once: an AED 1,200 fine, 12 black points, 30 days of impoundment and an AED 60,000 release payment. That makes AED 61,200 for a first offence, before any storage charge. The fine, the points and the impound period come from the Dubai Police black points table. The AED 60,000 is a separate payment set by Dubai Decree No. 30 of 2023, issued in June 2023.
| Penalty | Amount or duration | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Traffic fine | AED 1,000 | Dubai Police black points table |
| Black points | 12 points | Dubai Police black points table |
| Impoundment | 30 days | Dubai Police black points table |
| Release payment | AED 50,000, paid by the vehicle’s owner | Decree No. 30 of 2023, Article 4 |
| Storage if the car is not collected | AED 50 per day after the impound period | Decree No. 30 of 2023, Article 4 |
Helpful tipThe AED 61,200 is two separate charges: an AED 1,200 fine and an AED 50,000 release payment. Settling one does not settle the other.
Alex Shvarov, Automotive expert with over 15 years of experience
The AED 60,000 Release Payment Under Decree 30
Decree No. 30 of 2023 lists the cases where Dubai Police must impound a vehicle, and driving through a red light is one of them. The vehicle is released once its owner pays a fixed amount, and the amount depends on the offence.
| Release payment | Offences |
|---|---|
| AED 120,000 | Taking part in a road race without a police permit |
| AED 60,000 | Driving through a red light; reckless driving that endangers lives or property; fake, forged or obscured number plates; deliberately hitting a police vehicle; driving under 18; riding a recreational motorcycle on a paved road |
| AED 12,000 | Modifications that raise speed or noise; escaping from police; driving without number plates; gatherings to watch races and road stunts; window tint above the permitted level |
Storage, repeat impounds and auction
If the owner does not collect the car when the impound period ends, AED 50 is added for every day it stays in the impound area. If the same vehicle is impounded again within a year, the release payment doubles, up to AED 240,000. A car that nobody claims can be sold at public auction under Dubai Law No. 23 of 2015.
Can the car be released early?
Dubai Police runs a Pay Against Impound service, where a daily fee waives the impound period when no legal restrictions apply. The daily-fee release in Decree No. 30 covers impounds outside its mandatory list, so do not count on it for a red light. Ask Dubai Police on 901 before you plan around it.
Heavy vehicles and serious crashes
A heavy vehicle running a red light is fined AED 3,000 and its driver’s licence is frozen for one year. Under the decree, a non-UAE driver of a heavy vehicle is also deported administratively.
If a red-light crash kills someone, criminal law applies. Federal Decree-Law No. 14 of 2024, in force since March 2025, sets imprisonment and/or a fine of at least AED 50,000 for causing a death on the road. Press reports on the law put running a red light among the aggravating causes, where the minimum rises to one year in jail and/or AED 120,000.
Helpful tipIf the light turns amber as you reach the stop line, brake. Stopping costs a few seconds, and running the red costs AED 61,200 for a first offence.
Alex Shvarov, Automotive expert with over 15 years of experience
Red Light in a Rental Car: Who Pays
Renting a car does not move the offence to someone else. Violations are registered against the car’s plate, and Dubai Police has a Black Points Transfer service that moves black points from a vehicle’s record to a driver’s record so the fine can be settled.
The registered owner of a rental car is the rental company, and Decree No. 30 puts the AED 60,000 release payment on the owner. What the renter owes the company is set by the rental agreement. At Brook Drive there is no deposit: fines are forwarded to the renter and paid after the rental. If the car is impounded because of a violation during the rental, the release fee and related costs are the renter’s responsibility under the rental terms.
These terms do not depend on the class of car. They apply to every car in the fleet, from economy cars to luxury cars, sport cars and SUV’s.
What to do after a red light in a rental car
- Tell Brook Drive about the fine as soon as you know of it. The rental terms ask the customer to report any fine, ticket or warning received during the rental.
- Check what was recorded against the plate on an official service (see the next section).
- If the recorded details look wrong, ask for a Violation Review before any payment, because a paid fine counts as accepted.
- If the car is impounded, contact Brook Drive at once on +971 58 642 7299.
Helpful tipCheck the plate on an official service before you hand the car back, and again after the rental ends. A violation can appear with a delay, so a clear screen on day one does not guarantee a clear record.
Alex Shvarov, Automotive expert with over 15 years of experience
How Dubai’s Red Light Cameras Work
Dubai Police said in March 2025 that most of its traffic cameras use artificial intelligence to spot offences, and red-light jumping is on the list of offences they can record. A visible flash is not a reliable sign either way, so do not read its absence as a pass.
What the cameras flag at a junction
- Crossing the stop line once the signal is red.
- Turning left or making a U-turn against a red signal.
- Using a phone or driving without a seatbelt at the junction. These are separate offences from the red light itself.
How to Check a Red Light Fine Online
Red-light fines are issued by Dubai Police, so start there. The Fines Inquiry and Payment service finds fines registered against a vehicle plate, a driving licence or a traffic code. The digital channels run 24/7, and the call centre is on 901.
Official places to look
- Dubai Police: Fines Inquiry and Payment on the website, or the Dubai Police app for iPhone and Android.
- RTA: the public fines search is a second place to look, and the RTA Dubai app is on iPhone and Android.
- DubaiNow: the Dubai government services app can also show fines, but its sign-in is built around UAE Pass, so it suits residents better than tourists.
There is no official timeframe for a fine to appear. Search by plate number, and keep the car’s licence number and traffic code handy if you have them.
How to Pay a Red Light Fine
Dubai Police takes payment in the app, on the website, through the call centre, and at service centres and Smart Police Stations. Cash or a debit card works at the physical locations; online, Apple Pay and debit or credit cards are accepted. Each violation carries two extra fees of AED 10, a knowledge fee and an innovation fee.
Tourists, note: Dubai Police accepts online payments only from within the UAE and GCC countries, and cards issued outside the UAE and GCC are not accepted online. A visitor with a foreign card usually cannot settle a fine on the website. At Brook Drive you do not normally pay Dubai Police yourself, because fines are forwarded to the renter and paid after the rental.
Instalments
Dubai Police offers fines in monthly instalments by direct debit or credit card, subject to its terms. Gulf News (August 2026) reports a minimum total of AED 3,600 in fines, an Emirates ID that belongs to the registered vehicle owner, bank approval and plans of 3, 6 or 12 months. A rental car’s registered owner is the rental company, so a renter should not plan around instalments. Nothing published says the plan covers the AED 60,000 release payment.
Helpful tipPay only through the Dubai Police app, the Dubai Police website or a Smart Police Station, and check the plate and the amount on the screen before you confirm.
Alex Shvarov, Automotive expert with over 15 years of experience
How to Dispute a Red Light Fine
If the recorded details look wrong, such as the wrong plate, time or signal, use Dubai Police’s Violation Review service. It is a formal request to review the accuracy of the recorded details. The same page has a Violation Evidence Images service, which lets you view the radar images behind a fine before you decide to contest it.
Where and how to file
- Online: Violation Review in the Dubai Police app or on the website. Collect whatever shows what happened, such as dashcam footage or photos of the junction.
- In person: Dubai Police lists the General Traffic Department (Deira-Bur Dubai), Monday to Thursday 07:30 to 15:30 and Friday 07:30 to 12:00. Check the hours on the service page before you go.
- Public Prosecution: Dubai Public Prosecution takes online objections to unpaid fines. According to Gulf News (May 2025), the explanation must be written in Arabic and the application asks for an Emirates ID, so this route suits residents more than visitors.
Helpful tipFile the dispute before paying. Once a fine is paid, it counts as accepted, and the online objection route is open only for unpaid fines.
Alex Shvarov, Automotive expert with over 15 years of experience
- Dubai Police: black points table and Fines Inquiry and Payment service page, checked October 2026
- Dubai Decree No. 30 of 2023, official text
- Dubai Law No. 23 of 2015 on the disposition of impounded vehicles, official text
- Federal Decree-Law No. 14 of 2024 on traffic, Article 40, as reported by Gulf News; the official text was not checked
- Gulf News: red light penalties in the UAE and in Abu Dhabi, instalments (August 2026), disputes (May 2025); The National on AI traffic cameras (March 2025)
Automotive expert with over 15 years of experience in the premium and sports car industry. I specialize in luxury vehicle selection, performance analysis, and creating exceptional driving experiences for discerning clients.
FAQ
Is there a discount on red light fines in Dubai?
No. Decree No. 30 of 2023 sets the AED 60,000 release payment as a fixed amount with no discount, and the Dubai Police black points table lists none for red-light violations.
How long does a red light fine take to show up?
There is no official timeframe. A fine can appear with a delay, so check the plate on the Dubai Police or RTA service before you return a rental car and again after the rental ends.
Can a tourist pay a red light fine with a foreign card?
Not online. Dubai Police does not accept cards issued outside the UAE and GCC for online payments, though service centres and Smart Police Stations take cash or a debit card. With Brook Drive, fines are forwarded to the renter and paid after the rental.
Who pays if a rental car is impounded for a red light?
If the car is impounded because of a violation during the rental, the release fee and related costs are the renter’s responsibility under the rental agreement. Decree No. 30 puts the AED 60,000 payment on the registered owner, which for a rental car is the rental company.
What is the red light penalty in Abu Dhabi?
The AED 1,200 fine and 12 black points are federal, so they apply in Abu Dhabi too. Abu Dhabi’s Law No. 5 of 2020 sets AED 60,000 to release the car, which can stay impounded for up to three months or until the fine is paid, and an unclaimed car may be auctioned, according to Gulf News.
