Quick answer
Traffic fines linked to a car must be paid before it can be transferred or its registration cancelled in the UAE. You can check the total on your emirate's police or traffic app. When you sell to us, outstanding fines can be settled from the sale price, and the balance is paid to you by cash or bank transfer.
We buy any car with outstanding fines
Speed cameras, parking tickets, Salik violations and an expired registration can build a surprisingly large total on a car's file, particularly if it's been parked and forgotten or the owner has been away. The fines don't disappear when the car stops being used, and they'll need to be paid before any transfer or cancellation goes through.
- Speeding and red-light camera fines
- Parking fines from municipalities and car park operators
- Salik toll violations in Dubai and Darb toll fines in Abu Dhabi
- Late registration renewal fines
- Fines issued in other emirates, which appear on the same traffic file
How to check your car's fines
Every emirate has an official way to check fines by plate number or traffic file number. The most common are:
| Where the car is registered | Where to check |
|---|---|
| Dubai | RTA Dubai app or website, and the Dubai Police app |
| Abu Dhabi and Al Ain | TAMM (Abu Dhabi government services) |
| Sharjah, Ajman, RAK, Fujairah, UAQ | The emirate's police website or app, or the MOI UAE app |
Check the official source rather than a third-party site, and look out for periodic fine discount schemes, which some emirates announce from time to time.
How fines are handled when you sell to us
- Tell us roughly what's outstanding, or send a screenshot of the fines summary.
- Our offer shows the car's value and how the fines are dealt with, so you know your net amount.
- Fines are paid as part of the transfer or cancellation, typically from the sale price.
- You receive the balance by cash or bank transfer.
Leaving the UAE? Outstanding fines stay on your file and can complicate a future return. Read selling a car with fines before leaving the UAE and how to clear fines and Salik before selling.
When someone else ran up the fines
Fines on the vehicle file stay with the car's record, whoever was driving. That's a common surprise for owners who lent the car to a friend, a family member or an employee. The fines still need settling before the car can be sold or cancelled. Settle them as part of the sale, then recover the money privately from the driver if appropriate. If you believe a fine was issued in error, use the authority's official objection process first.