UAE black points system explained: Fines, how to reduce points, and transfer rules
Learn how to check your black points, avoid penalties, and reduce or transfer them legally across the UAE.
Thinking of driving your car with an expired driver’s licence? Think again – you could rack up black points, which, once accumulated, could lead to licence suspension or even vehicle impoundment.
Here’s everything you need to know about black points in the UAE, and how to avoid them.
What are black points?
In the UAE, black points serve as a federal demerit system, aimed at curbing dangerous driving behaviours. Certain traffic violations can grant you not just steep fines, but also black points added to your driving licence.
The authorities have grouped black points into two categories: for minor infractions, such as using a hand-held mobile phone while driving (four black points), as well as major infractions, such as driving in a way that harms public or private properties (23 black points). See the full list of violations that incur black points, below.
You can accumulate up to 23 black points in a year. However, once you reach 24, your licence will be suspended by the authorities, and you may face other penalties, such as fines, vehicle impoundment, or mandatory retesting. Moreover, having black points on your record can increase your insurance renewal premiums, with some insurers even refusing policy renewals for drivers with severe offences.
Do black points expire?
Black points remain valid for 12 months from the date of violation. If you avoid new violations during this duration, and do not reach the 24-point limit, then your points will automatically expire after one year. Black points do not roll over from one year to another.
If you have accumulated the maximum number of points and your licence is suspended, your black points will still reset after a year, but repeated suspensions will lead to longer penalty durations.
For how long does a driver’s licence get suspended?
In Dubai, the length of licence suspension depends on how many offences resulted in the accumulation of the points. The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) generally uses the following framework, if a driver has accumulated 24 black points within a 12-month period:
- First offence: Three-month licence suspension
- Second offence: Six-month licence suspension
- Third offense: One-year licence suspension, as well as mandatory driving re-test
Once your licence is suspended, you must wait for the suspension period to end, before you clear all outstanding traffic fines and have your licence reinstated. If it is your third offence, you must retake driving lessons and pass a new test before your licence is reinstated.
How do I check if I have black points?
When you commit a traffic violation, you will receive an SMS notification within 48 hours, by the respective emirate’s police authorities. The message will inform you of the type of violation, the fine you would need to pay, and any related black points.
If you would like to check your black point balance, you will just need your UAE PASS login details, your driving licence number and vehicle plate number, and in some cases, your Emirates ID.
You can inquire about black points on various platforms:
Online, via police websites or apps:
Dubai: You can visit Dubai Police’s website (dubaipolice.gov.ae) or the Dubai Police app, and follow these steps:
- Go to the ‘Services’ section and select ‘Traffic Services’.
- Click on ‘Inquire about traffic violations’.
- Enter your driving licence number, plate number (optional), or Emirates ID.
- Submit the details to view your black points and associated fines.
Alternatively, you can visit RTA’s website (rta.ae) or download RTA Dubai app, and follow a similar process:
- Log in with UAE PASS.
- Click on ‘Driver and Car Owner Services’.
- Select ‘Inquire About Fines and Black Points’.
- Enter your driving licence, and vehicle plate number.
- View your black points and any outstanding fines.
Abu Dhabi: Visit Abu Dhabi Police’s website (adpolice.gov.ae) or app, and follow a similar process. You can also log into Abu Dhabi’s government portal, TAMM (tamm.abudhabi) or its app, for a comprehensive view of your traffic violations. Here are the steps to follow if you are using the TAMM app:
- Log in using your UAE PASS.
- Select the ‘My TAMM’ option from the menu on the bottom of the screen.
- Head to ‘My Vehicles’ widget, and then to the ‘Black Points’ widget. You can see your accumulated black points here.
Other emirates: For other emirates, visit their respective police stations’ websites, and follow similar steps, as above:
- Sharjah Police: shjpolice.gov.ae
- Ajman Police: ajmanpolice.gov.ae
- Fujairah Police: fujairahpolice.gov.ae
- Ras Al Khaimah Police: rakpolice.gov.ae
- Umm Al Quwain Police: uaqpolice.gov.ae
Alternatively, you can view black points in any of the above emirates via the Ministry of Interior website (moi.gov.ae), or its app (MOI UAE). Follow these steps to do so, via the MOI UAE app:
- Log in using your UAE PASS details
- On the home screen, click on the widget that summarises your traffic file. It will show you the total number of black points you have accumulated for the year.
In-person:
If you would prefer checking your black points offline, visit your respective emirate’s police station or traffic department service centre. In order to check your black points in-person, you will require your Emirates ID and driving licence.
In Dubai, you can also visit RTA’s Customer Happiness Centres, or access RTA Smart Kiosks at various shopping malls. The self-service kiosks allow you to inquire about black points and pay your fines. Here are the steps to check at a self-service kiosk:
- Select ‘Traffic Inquiry’.
- Enter your driving licence and Emirates ID details.
- View fines and black points instantly.
Once you have verified your black points, you can pay your fines. Visit our traffic fines guide to see step-by-step instructions on how to pay fines, across the UAE.
Can I reduce or remove my black points?
There are a few ways to remove or reduce black points:
Wait for expiry: It might be stating the obvious, but since black points expire after 12 months, simply waiting, and ensuring you don’t accumulate more points, can see you through the period.
Transfer points: If someone else drove your vehicle when they incurred black points, they can transfer the black points to their licence, via official websites. See steps on how to do so, below.
Special discounts: The UAE offers point reduction during special occasions, like Eid and Ramadan.
Sign a pledge: On August 28 every year, the MOI marks Accident-Free Day. On this day, if you sign a pledge promising to drive safe, you can earn point reductions. You can visit moi.gov.ae to sign the pledge, closer to the date.
Take a defensive driving course: In Dubai, you can remove up to eight black points by completing a certified safety or awareness course offered by the RTA and Dubai Police. In other emirates, similar services are offered via approved driving institutes. The sessions focus on defensive driving, traffic laws, and road safety education.
To register via Dubai Police:
- Go to the Dubai Police app and head to ‘Services’, and then ‘Traffic Services’.
- Click on ‘Traffic Training Course’, and enter your personal details, including your Emirates ID and traffic code number.
- You will receive information on the next steps.
Can I transfer my black points to someone else?
If you incurred a traffic fine and black points while driving someone else’s car in the UAE, you could always pay them the cost of the fine. But what about the black points?
Black points are not registered on the vehicle, rather on the driving licence under which, the car was registered. So, if you were driving a relative’s car, the black points would appear on their driving licence, rather than yours.
There is a solution for this issue. Traffic authorities in the UAE permit you to transfer the black points onto your own driving licence, in such situations. You can transfer black points online or by visiting the traffic departments at police stations.
Information required: To transfer black points, you will need your Emirates ID, driving licence, the car owner’s traffic code number, as well as your own.
A traffic code number, also known as a traffic file number, is an eight-digit number that is linked to your driving licence, as well as all the cars registered in your name. So, even if you have three cars, the traffic code number for all of them will remain the same.
You can find your traffic code number on your UAE driver’s licence or vehicle registration card (Mulkiya).
Steps to transfer black points
Dubai: If the traffic violation occurred in Dubai, you can use the Dubai Police app to transfer black points. Here are the steps to follow:
- Log into Dubai Police app using UAE PASS.
- Go to ‘Services’ and choose ‘Fines Inquiry and Payment’.
- Here, you can enter the plate source, number and code, or alternatively, just enter the traffic code number that the black points have been registered under.
- Next, provide your own traffic code number to transfer the black points and complete the service.
Abu Dhabi: Use Abu Dhabi’s official TAMM app to transfer black points.
- Download the TAMM app and log in using your UAE PASS.
- Tap on ‘Services’ and then on ‘Entities’. Select ‘Abu Dhabi Police’.
- Type ‘Transfer black points’ into the search bar and select ‘Request to transfer black points to the driving licence’. Then tap on ‘Start service’.
- Select the option ‘I wish to claim black points on behalf of others’.
- Now, enter the traffic code number where you are claiming black points, and click the ‘Search’ button. Once you confirm submission, the black points will appear under your traffic code number.
All other emirates: The MOI website and MOI UAE app offer quick and easy processes for black points transfer, if the violation occurred in Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah or Fujairah.
- Log in to the MOI UAE app with your UAE PASS details.
- Head to the ‘Services’ menu, and select ‘Traffic Services’.
- Tap on ‘Register black points’.
- You can now search for black points by going through option 2 or 3 in the listed menu:
- My Fines section
- Enter owner’s traffic code number
- Enter owner’s plate number – including the owner’s traffic code number, plate source, code, and type.
- Once you have entered the relevant details, click on the ‘Search’ button. The app will then display the black points under the traffic code number or plate number.
- Choose the fine for violation.
- You will now receive a one-time password (OTP) in your registered mobile number. Enter the OTP.
- Then, enter your traffic code number and tap on ‘Register black points’. The black points will then be transferred to your licence.
Traffic violations that carry black points
Here is a complete list of traffic offences that incur black points.
Two black points:
- Using broken rear lights or not functioning rear lights.
- Using broken indicators or not functioning indicators.
Four black points:
- Using a heavy vehicle to enter non-designated places.
- Driving in the opposite direction of traffic.
- Failure to comply with loading and unloading requirements in authorised zones.
- Driving an unregistered vehicle.
- Not having a proper licence/your licence is expired.
- Not possessing valid insurance.
- Entering a road without first ensuring that it is clear.
- Not using a seatbelt.
- Failure to obey a traffic officer's directions.
- Driving inattentively or distractedly.
- Using a phone or any other distracting device while driving.
- Taking turns that aren't allowed or aren't safe.
- Abruptly swerving on the road without any indicator.
- Not maintaining the speed as per the speed set for a road.
- Disturbing the people by honking or blasting the sound system.
- Driving in foggy conditions in defiance of the directions of authorities.
- Not using headlights in foggy situations.
- Risky loading of a small vehicle.
- Not using headlights at night while driving.
- Turning in the wrong way.
- A trailer with broken back or sidelights.
- Driving with worn out tires of the vehicle.
- Riding a two-wheeler without a helmet.
- Carrying more than recommended passengers in a vehicle.
- Using the vehicle beyond its designated purpose.
Six black points:
- Failing to load heavy vehicles properly and being the cause of danger.
- Loading vehicles that cause harm to private and public properties.
- Riding a vehicle that does not fulfil the recommended safety and security requirement.
- A driving vehicle that doesn't meet the environmental standard to keep pollution in check.
- School bus drivers not using the ‘Stop’ sign or following traffic laws.
- Driving up to 60 km/h above the speed limit.
- Overtaking via the hard shoulder.
- Not ensuring safety standards while entering a road.
- Parking in places reserved.
- Stopping on the highway for invalid reasons.
- Failing to give way to pedestrians at a pedestrian crossing.
- Littering from the vehicle window while driving.
Eight black points:
- Taking routes in a prohibited place.
- Running away from minor accidents caused.
10 black points:
- Not stopping your vehicle even after a school bus has its ‘Stop’ sign on.
12 black points:
- Driving with the incorrect licence.
- Using the wrong lane to drive heavy vehicles.
- Leaking or falling out of a heavy truck load.
- Jumping a red light while riding a motorcycle or other light motor vehicles.
- Driving at more than 60 km/h than the speed limit.
- Without previous consent or authorisation, modifying the engine or chassis.
- Evading a police officer (light vehicle).
16 black points:
- Evading a police officer (heavy vehicle).
- Failure to stop in the event of a heavy vehicle accident.
23 black points:
- Violating the speed limit by more than 80km/h.
- Causing major accidents or injuries.
- Being the reason for death.
- Driving with no licence plate.
- Drunk while driving.
- Causing harm to public or private property while driving.
24 black points:
- Without previous clearance or authorisation, transporting flammable or dangerous items.
- Illegally transporting passengers.
- Driving under the influence of psychotropics, narcotics or similar drugs.