GazetteRecord
UAE sets five-vehicle registration limit per resident from January 2027
Cabinet Decision 174 of 2026 introduces additional fees for vehicles beyond the first two, with total cap at five per individual.
Individual residents in the UAE will be limited to five registered vehicles each from January 1, 2027, under Cabinet Decision No. 174 of 2026, the executive regulation implementing Federal Decree-Law No. 14 of 2024 concerning traffic regulation. The decision was issued on October 6, 2026, and establishes additional fees for vehicles registered or renewed beyond the first two.
Registration threshold and additional fees#
Article 89 of the regulation permits individual residents to own up to two vehicles under the standard provision. Residents seeking to register or renew a third, fourth or fifth vehicle must pay an additional fee for each vehicle beyond the second. The instrument does not state the fee amount or clarify how the cap applies to residents currently holding more than five registered vehicles. The five-vehicle provision applies specifically to individual residents and does not establish a comparable numerical restriction for companies in the same article.
Application and licensing requirements#
Vehicle owners, or their legally authorised representatives, must submit licensing applications through the electronic channels or applications announced by the relevant licensing authority and comply with the prescribed procedures and instructions. Right-hand-drive vehicles cannot be licensed under the regulation, though they may be used for display purposes. Vehicles failing to meet prescribed road safety requirements are ineligible for licensing.
Effective date and replaced instruments#
The Executive Regulation comes into force on January 1, 2027, and replaces the previous executive regulation issued under Ministerial Decision No. 130 of 1997, together with the implementing decisions covered by its repeal provisions. The instrument does not state whether additional fees will be uniform nationally or clarify the treatment of existing vehicle registrations when the rules take effect.
Expired registration enforcement#
Dubai Police recorded 48,950 violations involving motorists driving with expired vehicle registration in the first ten months of 2026. Under UAE traffic regulations, driving a vehicle with expired registration attracts a Dh500 fine, four black points and seven days of vehicle impoundment. Brigadier Juma Salem bin Suwaidan, Director of the General Department of Traffic at Dubai Police, stated that regular vehicle inspections were essential to ensuring that cars remained safe and roadworthy.
Sources2 sources across 2 domains
- gulfnews.comGulf NewsCabinet Decision 174 of 2026, Article 89 provisions, five-vehicle limit, additional fees for vehicles beyond the first two, effective date January 1, 2027
- khaleejtimes.comKhaleej Times48,950 expired registration violations in first ten months of 2026, Dh500 fine and four black points penalty, statement from Brigadier Juma Salem bin Suwaidan
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