New regulations, fees for vehicle confiscation in Dubai

dubai — Car owners in Dubai will now have to pay a Dh300 transportation fee if their vehicles are confiscated by the police for traffic violations or criminal cases. However, the transportation fee and confiscation charges will vary according to the size and nature of the vehicle.

The new regulations come into effect after the Dubai Police General Department of Traffic has announced privatisation of the management of vehicle confiscation area. The management has been handed over to Emirates Parking Company at an estimated budget of Dh20 million per year.

This was part of a partnership agreement signed by the Dubai Police and Emirates Parking Company regarding organising transportation, confiscation, management and guarding of light and heavy vehicles to be confiscated in the emirate.

As per the agreement, the department will coordinate with all relevant authorities to issue permits to enable the Emirates Parking Company to carry out its duties regarding the confiscation, management and guarding of vehicles, while providing electronic connections related to the parking lot management system. The traffic police will also provide the list of vehicles wanted for traffic or criminal cases to the company.

Major-General Mohammed Saif Al Zafin, assistant commander-inchief of Dubai Police for operations, said that efforts are currently under way to upgrade the system of work in coordination with the competent bodies.

Major-General Al Zafin explained that Emirates Parking Company provides about 700 parking spaces for vehicles which are confiscated for violations or criminal cases. The company will be responsible for providing adequate parking spaces for confiscated vehicles, and providing electronic devices, software and smart systems to manage the parking lots.

He said that the partnership agreement, which will last for five years, includes the commitment of the company to secure the vehicles from fire in the confiscation areas. It will also provide fast transportation of vehicles that are required to be booked within 24 hours to the confiscation areas within a maximum period of 60 minutes, in order to avoid traffic congestion.

With regard to improvisations, the company will inform the Dubai Police about any vehicle improvisations, as well as of any suspected vehicle-related offences.

Transportation costs

The cost of vehicle transportation will be calculated according to the size of the vehicle. The cost of transporting the light vehicles — up to three tonnes — will be calculated at Dh300 per vehicle and the cost of transporting heavy vehicles — between three and seven tonnes — will be Dh2,200 per vehicle. The transportation fee for heavy vehicles that weigh more than seven tonnes will be calculated on a caseby-case basis.

Heavy vehicles confiscated for traffic violations will be charged Dh75 per day for the period they are kept at the confiscation ground. For light vehicles, the fee will be Dh40 per day and for the vehicles owned by individuals, which are confiscated for traffic violations will be charged Dh20 per day. The day is counted as a full day from 12pm and ends at 12pm, on the next day.

If the vehicle is sold as per the order of the Dubai Motor Vehicle Disposal Commission, the fees of keeping the vehicle will be collected from the sale revenues. In the event that

the owner of the seized vehicle, or the persons with legal rights wanted to recover it prior to sales, all fees and expenses including that for the legal declaration, inspection, evaluation, storage and transportation will be collected by the company.

The agreement was signed by Major-General Mohammed Saif Al Zafin and Abdullah Al Mannai from Emirates Parking Company.