How Many Black Points Can You Get Before You Lose Your License in the UAE?

Did you know that you could lose your UAE driver’s license after a few suspensions? The Emirates has a specific set of rules for black points on different traffic violations, which every UAE driver must be aware of. Understanding the UAE black point regulations is crucial for staying compliant and escaping license suspensions & losses. This article explores the UAE black point limits, working principle, sharing some insightful tips for avoiding such inconveniences. Let’s dive in.

Black Points Limit & Penalties

So, how many black points can you get before you lose your license in UAE? It’s 23 black points. The authorities suspend your UAE driver’s license as soon as you accumulate 24 black points. The black point assignments and associated fines are preset for each specific violation. For instance, running a red light incurs 12 black points and an AED 1,000 fine. The penalties remain the same for every iteration.

However, the penalties for total accumulated black points (24 black points) will escalate with each iteration. Here are the general penalty outlines for repeated offenses:

• First 24 Black Points: 3-month suspension.

• Second 24 Black Points: 6-month suspension.

• Third 24 Black Points: 1-year suspension. A mandatory driving course and test after the third violation.

Following is the table of black points on different traffic violations:

Important Note: Traffic laws and penalties can be subject to change. Always refer to official UAE government and RTA sources for the most current information.

How Black Points Work

Can you permanently lose your UAE driver’s license? Yes, you can. However, it’s not through the accumulation of 24 black points. This is highly probable in cases of severe traffic violations, such as causing a fatal accident, driving under the influence (DUI), or reckless driving, which may lead to court-ordered license cancellation, as per UAE Federal Traffic Law No. 21 of 1995.

Also, if you commit multiple serious violations or accumulate 24 black points repeatedly, the authorities will increase the penalty severity, with a possibility of license revocation at their discretion.

UAE’s black points accumulate on the violator’s driver’s license, depending on the pre-assigned black point rules. These black points remain active for 12 months from the date of violation. Every violation adds more points to your license. If the black point count reaches 24, the license gets suspended, per the above rule.

The black points reset to 0 once they reach 24, or all the points expire (meaning, no violations for a year after the last black point). 

Reducing Black Points

Having understood the Dubai black point penalties and their working mechanism, let’s take a look at how you can reduce black points. Yes, it is possible to reduce your existing black points in the UAE. These are some ways to do so:

• Traffic Awareness and Defensive Driving Courses: Different Emirate authorities, like Dubai RTA, Dubai Police, and Abu Dhabi Police offer approved traffic awareness and defensive driving courses. If you complete these courses, you will reduce up to 8 black points.

• Eligibility: must have fewer than 24 black points.

• Fees: AED 810

• Note: This option is usually available once per year.

• Automatic Expiration: If you don’t accumulate extra points within 12 months of the first violation, resulting in black points, the initial black points expire, resetting overall points to zero (0).

• Special Initiatives and Campaigns: Pledging to safe driving practices or participating in community-driven road safety efforts on national holidays or special campaigns by traffic authorities, you can reduce black points up to 4 points.

• Contesting Unfairly Issued Points: If you feel like the authorities have issued black points unfairly or erroneously, you can contest against them with the authorities (e.g., Dubai Police or RTA). If your appeal is successful, the black points can be removed from your record.

• Transfer Points: You can shift points to another driver (if they were driving) via TAMM portal(for Abu Dhabi) or the Ministry of Interior (MOI) app (for other Emirates, where applicable), typically once yearly.

Tips to Avoid Black Points

Now, let’s explore some insightful tips to avoid black points in the Emirates, including:

• Follow speed limits and traffic signals. Always adhere to posted speed limits and obey all traffic lights.

• Avoid mobile phone use while driving. Refrain from using your handheld mobile phone for any purpose while operating a vehicle.

• Wear seat belts and ensure vehicle compliance. Ensure all occupants wear seat belts and that your vehicle is always well-maintained and legally compliant.

• Maintain a safe distance and practice lane discipline. Avoid tailgating and always use indicators for safe lane changes, refraining from sudden swerving.

• Give way to pedestrians at crossings and school buses with stop signs. Always stop at designated pedestrian crossings when necessary and stop at least five meters away when a school bus displays its 'stop' sign.

• Stay informed about traffic laws and regularly check your black points. Keep yourself updated on traffic regulations and routinely monitor your driving record through official channels.

Key Takeaway

Black points are an imminent consequence of most traffic violations in the Emirates. While these points might not seem much at the beginning, consecutive accumulation leads to suspensions, ranging from 3 months to 1 year, and sometimes even permanent revocation, for serious and fatal offenses. Make sure you understand the UAE black points regulations and limits, and follow traffic rules precisely to stay clear of all of them, ensuring a seamless driving experience in the country. Leverage the learnings from this article and stay compliant at all times.