UAE Postpones Five-Vehicle Registration Cap for Residents After Public Feedback

The limit, contained in Article 89 of the implementing regulations of the Federal Traffic Law, will not be applied until the ministry completes a study and approves suitable rules, it said in a statement on Monday that was also posted on its official Instagram account. The ministry did not give a date for finishing the review.

Under the original provision, an individual resident could register a maximum of five vehicles, with additional fees on each vehicle registered or renewed beyond the first two, according to Gulf News. The rules were introduced through Cabinet Decision No. 174 of 2026, which sets out new requirements for vehicle registration and licensing across the country.

The ministry said the review would take into account owners' rights, the needs of families and investors, and the way vehicles are used, specifically naming classic, rare and luxury cars. Such vehicles may be held for collection or investment rather than daily driving, which a flat numerical cap would not have distinguished. The ministry said community feedback and suggestions are a cornerstone of developing legislation and improving quality of life, and that the outcome should protect rights while balancing different interests.

The postponement applies only to the vehicle cap. The rest of the new traffic regulations remain scheduled for January 1, 2027, including tighter rules on e-scooters and other personal mobility devices. Those set a minimum permit age of 15, three-year renewable permits, mandatory lights, brakes and audible warning devices, and confine riders to routes designated by traffic authorities, Gulf News reported. Ministry of Interior figures cited in that report show major e-scooter accidents rose 97%, from 61 in 2024 to 120 in 2025.

The ministry has not said whether a revised cap, a different fee structure or exemptions for particular categories of vehicle will replace the original provision.