Don't get fined for a dirty car! This is the law in UAE!
- Publish date: Sunday، 14 April 2019 | Last update: Thursday، 25 February 2021
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If your car is dirty from all the rain or because you never had the time to wash it, then be aware you are breaking the law and you can be fined.
Do you know what are those laws? And what are the penalties?
How often to wash your car?
There is no set time schedule you should be following, as long as you do not let your car get too dirty, which is an offence in many parts of the UAE and could lead to it being impounded. Emirates including Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah have very strict rules in place about dirty cars.
What are the rules?
In Abu Dhabi, drivers must not let their cars get covered in dust or dirt for too long, or the vehicle can be impounded.
The municipality warned residents of the consequences of not doing so two weeks ago as part of a campaign intended to identify abandoned cars which "distort the city’s image". Inspectors stick a warning on the windscreens of particularly dirty cars before they return to tow them away three days later if they have still not been cleaned or moved.
The Fines:
Drivers must pay Dh1,500 to get their car back, or Dh3,000 if they wait more than 30 days. In 2017, 500 fines of Dh3,000 were handed out for distorting the city’s public image.
Dubai issues fines of Dh500 a time to people who fail to keep their car clean.
So where can you wash your car?
There are many options. From car washers in car parks if you live in an apartment building, or cleaners stationed inside shopping malls, there are plenty of legal ways to keep your car clean in the UAE. You can also go to the car washes at petrol stations and in other stand-alone locations such as malls.