Dubai Police have escalated their campaign against vehicles fitted with illegal exhausts and modified engines, seizing 1,630 cars and issuing 7,735 fines in the first nine months of 2026. The latest enforcement statistics, released on 21 October, show 2,045 violations for excessive noise and 5,690 for unauthorised engine or chassis alterations. Under the Federal Traffic Law, loud exhausts carry a Dh 2,000 fine and 12 black points, while illegal engine mods come with Dh 1,000, 12 black points and a 30-day impound. Additional fees apply under Dubai Decree 30 of 2023 if the vehicle is towed to the emirate’s impound yards. Why does this matter to global mobility managers? Many expatriates purchase or lease high-performance cars soon after arrival; ignorance of modification rules is no defence. A single impound can strand an assignee without transport for a month and saddle the employer with recovery fees if the vehicle is on a corporate lease. Relocation handbooks should therefore spell out local regulations and discourage aftermarket exhaust swaps popular in other markets. Police say they will deploy more acoustic-camera technology on arterial roads and in residential zones after residents complained of revving engines late at night. Mobility advisors should brief employees who live near Sheikh Zayed Road or Shindagha Tunnel—both hot-spots for loud-car violations—to expect more roadside checks. The campaign also aligns with Dubai’s wider ‘Smart Mobility’ agenda, which prioritises quieter, cleaner vehicles and aims to convert 30 per cent of all trips to emissions-free modes by 2030. Car-sharing providers say stricter enforcement will help professionalise the market and reduce maintenance costs linked to illegal mods.
Source: Gulf News
