Summary > UAE Black Points in short
In short. There are four ways to lose black points in the UAE: let them expire, join the free Accident-Free Day pledge for 4 points, book a traffic awareness course for up to 8 points, or transfer or appeal a violation that was not yours. This year’s Accident-Free Day ran on 31 August 2026 — ten days before this guide was published — with points due to post automatically around 25 September 2026. If you missed it, the next chance is next year’s edition. Reach 24 points and your licence can be suspended; how long depends on which emirate issued it.
This guide answers: how many black points can I have in the UAE; how do I remove or reduce black points in the UAE; when is the next Accident-Free Day; what happens if I reach 24 black points; do black points actually work; how does the UAE’s system compare with other countries.
"The success of ‘Accident-Free Day’ is not confined to a single day, but rather lies in transforming the positive behaviours promoted by the campaign into a daily culture and practice that helps protect lives and makes the roads safer for all."
Brigadier Juma Salem bin Suwaidan, Director of the General Department of Traffic, Dubai Police, and head of the Accident-Free Day initiative, as reported 16 August 2026
How many black points can I have in the UAE?
Twenty-four. Black points are added to your driving licence, not your car, for serious traffic violations, alongside a fine and sometimes an impoundment. They exist under the UAE’s Federal Traffic Law and its executive regulation, enforced by each emirate’s own police force. A handful of violations carry most of the risk:
Note: this is a sample, not the full schedule. For every fine and point value, see our Dubai traffic fines and black points guide. This page is about getting points off your licence.
How do I remove or reduce black points in the UAE?
Four routes exist, and only one costs money for most drivers. Two remove a fixed number of points on request; one clears them with time; one applies only if the violation was not actually yours.
Ways to remove or reduce UAE black points
Note: on the training-course fee, sources conflict. Gulf News reported Dubai Police’s course as free of charge (2022, and unchanged in Dubai Police’s own app flow). Other UAE guides quote AED 200–250 without linking a fee schedule. Confirm the current fee in the Dubai Police app before booking.
1. Accident-Free Day: 4 points, free, once a year. The Ministry of Interior runs this on the first day of the new school year, when drivers pledge online to commit to safe driving — safe following distance, seatbelts, speed limits, no phone use, and giving way to pedestrians — for that one day. Stay violation-free and 4 black points are deducted automatically; no service centre visit needed (Khaleej Times, 16 August 2026; Dubai Eye 103.8, 16 August 2026).
2. Traffic awareness course: up to 8 points. In Dubai, book through the Dubai Police app under Traffic Services, choose “Reduce Traffic Black Points,” submit your Emirates ID and traffic code number, and pick a time and language. The classes are free (Gulf News, 25 May 2022). In Abu Dhabi, drivers under 24 points can reduce up to 8 through the police’s reduction programme, run periodically through dedicated counters and campaign events; drivers who have already hit 24 points and had their licence withdrawn use the same course route to apply for reinstatement (Abu Dhabi Police, 19 June 2021; Gulf News, 19 October 2025).
3. Natural expiry: conditional, not automatic for everyone. Points attached to a licence stay on the record for one year and are then removed, provided the cumulative total has stayed under 24 in that time (Khaleej Times, 28 October 2025, citing Lt Col Saeed Khalfan Al Kaabi, Abu Dhabi Police). Several UAE guides simplify this to “points clear after a year of clean driving,” which is broadly right but skips the 24-point condition — worth knowing if you are close to the ceiling. One nuance real cases surface: expiry is not the same as clearing a suspension. Once you have hit 24 and the licence is suspended, paying off the underlying fines does not undo that on its own — drivers who have been through it describe still having to surrender the licence in person and sit out the suspension period (Reddit, r/DubaiPetrolHeads, read 10 September 2026).
4. Transfer or appeal. If someone else was driving your car when the violation happened, you can register the points against their licence instead of yours. The route differs by emirate (Gulf News, 30 November 2022):
- Dubai. No app option. Visit a Dubai Police traffic department (Deira or Al Barsha) in person with your Emirates ID and the vehicle owner’s traffic code number.
- Abu Dhabi. Tamm app, signed in with UAE Pass, under Abu Dhabi Police services, “claim black points on behalf of others,” using the owner’s traffic code number.
- Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah. MOI UAE app, signed in with UAE Pass, Traffic Services, “Register Black Points,” search by the owner’s traffic code or plate, confirm by OTP.
If you believe a violation is simply wrong, you can dispute it through Public Prosecution or your emirate’s police service; keep any evidence (dashcam footage, logbooks, company letters) ready.
When is the next Accident-Free Day?
This year’s already happened. Accident-Free Day 2026 fell on 31 August, timed to the first day of the new school year, when school-run traffic peaks. Registration opened on 17 August via the Ministry of Interior’s online pledge, signed in with UAE Pass. Drivers who kept the pledge on the day have their 4 points deducted automatically, with the Ministry targeting around 25 September 2026 for that update — no branch visit required (The National, 16 August 2026).
Note: most UAE guides on this topic still quote the 2025 date, 25 August, as if it were current. It was last year’s. This year’s was 31 August 2026.
The campaign runs every year around the same point on the calendar, so if you missed the 2026 window, put next year’s first day of school in your diary and watch the Ministry of Interior’s channels from mid-August. More than 300,000 drivers took part in the 2024 edition (The National, 16 August 2026).
What happens if I reach 24 black points?
Your licence can be suspended, and the length depends on which emirate issued it — a distinction most guides gloss over.
Note: sourced for Abu Dhabi (Khaleej Times, 28 October 2025) and Ras Al Khaimah (Gulf News, 23 July 2024). Dubai Police’s own black points page did not return a dated suspension-length figure when checked (10 September 2026); the 3-month figure in the Dubai row is what drivers who have actually been through it report doing (Reddit, r/DubaiPetrolHeads, read 10 September 2026) — consistent with the Abu Dhabi and RAK pattern, but not an official schedule, so confirm the current figure with Dubai Police’s traffic department before relying on it.
What goes wrong most often
Note: rows 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 are drawn from the sources cited above. Rows 7, 8, 9 and 10 are our own reading: the practical consequence of rules that are sourced, not separately reported facts.
Do black points actually work?
Nationally, road deaths have fallen sharply since the system tightened, though that is not proof of black points alone. The Ministry of Interior reported UAE road traffic deaths down 34.2%, from 712 in 2014 to 468 in 2018, a decline it attributed to a package of measures rather than to black points in isolation (Gulf News, 25 August 2019, citing WAM and the Ministry of Interior).
At the individual level, the deterrent is visible in how large a single bad day can get. In September 2018, a driver performing two-wheel stunts in Al Marmoom picked up 120 black points across 14 fines for seven violations in one stop, plus a licence suspension. “No one is above the law, and respecting the law is part of a person’s respect for himself and the other road users,” said Colonel Saif Muhair Al Mazroui, Director of Dubai Traffic Police (Gulf News, 15 September 2018). It is the largest single-incident total we found on record. A year later, a driver already carrying 32 points for the year added 35 more in one arrest for reckless driving and an illegal engine modification, taking the total to 67, with the licence revoked and the vehicle impounded for four and a half months (Gulf News, 18 July 2019).
How does the UAE’s system compare with other countries?
The 24-point ceiling sits in the middle internationally, and every country runs its own clock — a comparison none of the UAE guides we checked make.
Sources: UK, GOV.UK, Penalty points (endorsements). Singapore, Singapore Police Force, 31 July 2026, which lowered its own threshold after 2025 road deaths hit a decade high (149, up from 142) — a reminder that these thresholds are not fixed for good in any country, the UAE’s included.
Other countries have training routes too, but they work differently. The UAE’s 8-point course removes points already on your licence. The UK’s equivalent, the speed awareness course, works the other way round: taken before points are ever added, it substitutes for both the fine and the points on a first minor speeding offence, roughly £80–120, once every three years (RAC, What is a speed awareness course?). Singapore’s DIPS retraining course does neither — it shortens a suspension already triggered (a first suspension can drop to 4 weeks, or 1 week if the offences were not accident-related) but does not erase the demerit points themselves, which there, as in the UAE, expire after 12 months of a clean record (Singapore Police Force, Driver Improvement Point Systems). Three countries, three different jobs for a training course — worth knowing before you assume a course anywhere works like the one you are used to.
Driving on a foreign or rental licence? Fines and black points clearly apply to traffic violations in the UAE regardless of who is driving; what is less clearly published is whether points attach formally to a licence the UAE did not issue. “Traffic violations are penalised with fines, imposition of black points, confiscation of vehicles, suspension of driving license or cancellation of the same,” says Ashish Mehta, Founder and Managing Partner of Ashish Mehta & Associates — but on a rental car, the fine typically lands on the rental company first, and the documented route to attach it to the actual driver is the same transfer process described above (Khaleej Times, 9 June 2024). If you are on a foreign licence and this applies to you, confirm your position with the rental company and the relevant police force before you drive.
What do UAE drivers actually say about black points?
We read through current driver discussions on Reddit (r/UAE, r/DubaiPetrolHeads, r/dubai and r/Sharjah, read 10 September 2026) to see what real cases raise that official guidance does not. Three themes stood out.
The transfer option gets debated, not just used. Drivers asked to take a friend’s points onto a clean licence weigh it up rather than doing it automatically — the practical answers match what we sourced above (a year on your record, the TCN-and-OTP process), but the harder question is what happens if you were not actually driving. One thread carried a cautionary account of two drivers who swapped seats after a crash to dodge a young/new driver’s points and insurance surcharge, were caught on CCTV, and were deported for lying to police. We cannot verify that specific account, but it lines up with the official position: falsifying who was driving is a police matter, not a points matter.
A suspension does not always show up where you are looking. More than one driver reported that a suspension was not visible on the Dubai Police or RTA apps even after their licence had been physically surrendered — worth a call to confirm status rather than trusting the app alone.
Extreme totals get compared like trophies. Beyond the 120-point and 67-point cases we sourced above, drivers online cite unresolved suspensions running since 2019 with 80-plus points outstanding, still needing to be surrendered before a licence can be renewed — a reminder that an unresolved suspension does not quietly go away.
Does removing black points affect my car insurance?
Not directly, as far as any published rule states. No UAE regulator or insurer publishes a table linking a specific black-point count to a premium change. What GIG Gulf does say on its own car insurance page is that “a driver’s record, both in terms of driving behaviour and claim history, can increase or decrease premiums,” and that safe drivers can get up to 40% off by maintaining a clean driving record. Fewer violations means fewer black points and, over time, a cleaner record to show at renewal.
Where black points do bite is indirectly: a suspended licence is not a valid licence, and driving without one, or with unpaid fines outstanding, can complicate a claim. Clear your points and your fines before renewal, the same way you would clear an outstanding mulkiya fine.
Explore Car Insurance Plans
Frequently asked questions
How many black points can I get before my UAE licence is at risk?
24. Above that, your licence can be suspended, with the length depending on the emirate that issued it and whether it is a first or repeat occurrence.
Do black points expire automatically after a year?
Only if your total has stayed under 24 during that year. Abu Dhabi Police describes points as staying on record for one year and then being removed under that condition, not as a blanket wipe regardless of count.
Is the Dubai traffic awareness course free?
Gulf News reported it as free of charge in Dubai, booked through the Dubai Police app. Some other guides quote a fee of AED 200–250 without a source. Confirm the current fee in-app before booking.
I missed Accident-Free Day 2026. When is the next one?
2026’s ran on 31 August. The campaign is timed to the first day of the school year each year, so expect the next edition around the same point on next year’s calendar, with registration opening roughly two weeks before.
Can I transfer black points to the person who was actually driving?
Yes, if you have their Emirates ID and traffic code number. Dubai requires an in-person visit to a Dubai Police traffic department; Abu Dhabi uses the Tamm app; the other five emirates use the MOI UAE app.
Do black points affect my car insurance premium?
No published rule ties a specific point count to premium. GIG Gulf states that driving behaviour and claim history can influence premiums generally, and that safe drivers can qualify for a discount.
What if I already have 24 or more points?
Your licence may already be suspended or withdrawn. In Abu Dhabi and Ras Al Khaimah, the traffic awareness or rehabilitation course is also the route to apply for reinstatement. Dubai licence-holders should confirm the current process with Dubai Police directly.
Does a probationary licence lose points differently?
In Abu Dhabi, yes. Under-21 or probationary drivers face a longer first suspension (6 months rather than 3) and permanent revocation on a repeat occurrence within the year, versus a 6-month suspension for standard licence-holders.
How do I check my current black points?
Through your emirate’s police app (Dubai Police, Tamm for Abu Dhabi, Sharjah Police) or the MOI UAE app, signed in with UAE Pass. See our guide to checking black points in the UAE.
Does the black points system actually reduce accidents?
UAE road deaths fell 34.2% between 2014 and 2018, a decline the Ministry of Interior credits to a package of measures, black points among them, not to points alone.
How does the UAE’s black points system compare to other countries?
The UAE suspends at 24 points; the UK disqualifies at 12 points within a rolling 3 years; Singapore is lowering its threshold from 24 to 18 points within 24 months from 1 January 2027. All three offer a training route, but each does a different job: the UAE’s removes points already on the licence, the UK’s avoids them being added in the first place, and Singapore’s shortens a suspension without touching the points.
Our commitment and sources
We aim to keep this guide factual and current. Rules, dates and fees change and vary by emirate, so we cite the regulator and reputable UAE media, and update this guide as they revise them. Confirm current figures with your emirate’s police service before acting on them.
Sources
- Khaleej Times, UAE drivers can get black points reduced by driving safely on first school day, 16 August 2026 (Accident-Free Day 2026 date, registration window, Brigadier bin Suwaidan quote)
- Dubai Eye 103.8, UAE gives motorists chance to reduce black points on Accident-Free Day, 16 August 2026
- The National, UAE drivers can wipe four black points by staying accident-free for one day, 16 August 2026 (points-posting date, 2024 participation figure)
- Gulf News, How to reduce traffic black points: sign up for free Dubai Police traffic training course, 25 May 2022
- Abu Dhabi Police, Counter to introduce traffic black points reduction programme at Abu Dhabi Licensing Department, 19 June 2021
- Gulf News, Abu Dhabi Police programme helps reduce up to 8 traffic black points, reinstate licences, 19 October 2025
- Khaleej Times, Abu Dhabi: 24 traffic points to lose probationary driving licence under age 21, 28 October 2025 (24-point expiry condition, suspension escalation, Lt Col Al Kaabi)
- Gulf News, What happens if you get maximum black points on your licence? Ras Al Khaimah Police explains, 23 July 2024
- Gulf News, Fined driving someone’s car? Here’s how you can transfer black points on to your licence, 30 November 2022
- Gulf News, Dubai Police hit reckless drivers with Dh2,000 fine, 23 black points and 60-day seizure, 12 June 2026
- Gulf News, Dubai Police issue 4,504 fines for dangerous hard-shoulder overtaking, 5 June 2026
- Gulf News, Dh1,000 fine for stopping on roads after crash injures three, 7 April 2026
- Gulf News, UAE traffic deaths down 34 per cent in five years, 25 August 2019 (Ministry of Interior / WAM)
- Gulf News, Man incurs 120 black points for reckless stunt, 15 September 2018
- Gulf News, Viral video gets UAE driver arrested, 67 black points, 18 July 2019
- GOV.UK, Penalty points (endorsements)
- RAC, What is a speed awareness course?
- Singapore Police Force, Tightening of the Driver Improvement Points System, 31 July 2026
- Singapore Police Force, Driver Improvement Point Systems
- Khaleej Times, Dubai: Can traffic fines from rental cars impact driver’s licence?, 9 June 2024
- GIG Gulf, Car Insurance product page (driving-behaviour and safe-driver-discount statements)
Related blogs
