Young Abdullah bin Naseer, unaware of the rules and consequences, placed his favourite sticker on the rear window of his car. But when police stopped him near Sharjah City Centre, he discovered that the sticker, which cost his Dh10, violated vehicle regulations, leading to a hefty fine.
Like Abdullah (name changed on request), many drivers in the UAE may not realise that something as simple as a rear window sticker could result in fines amounting to hundreds of dirhams.
Abdullah isn’t the only one to be fined for placing a sticker on their cars. Several motorists in the Emirates have encountered similar penalties, often unaware that car stickers require prior authorisation. One Asian resident took to social media to share his experience of being penalised for placing a sticker on his vehicle’s fuel tank cover.
Police frequently conduct awareness campaigns to inform motorists about the rules regarding car stickers.
Mahmood Shakir Al Mashhadani, a senior associate at Galadari Advocates and Legal Consultants, explained that according to Federal Traffic Law No 21 of 1995, unauthorised stickers on vehicles are illegal and result in a Dh500 fine.
“The fine will be for all the stickers on the car per day, which means the fine will be placed again on the second day if the driver or the vehicle owner refuses to remove it after the fine,” said Al Mashhadani.
Al Mashhadani further clarified that this applies to all types of stickers, whether photo or transparent, on any part of the car, including those that can hide the car number plate number, face of the driver, or any other details that can obstruct the traffic police work.
“The only stickers allowed by the authorities are company advertisements for promoting products and services after obtaining the approval from the authorities. The federal law applies across all the emirates. Violations can lead to fines, black points on your driving license, and even imprisonment for severe offences,” he added.
Under Ministerial Resolution No. 178 of 2017 on Rules and Procedures of Traffic Control, there is a Dh500 penalty for writing phrases and placing stickers on vehicles without permission. However, for heavy vehicles, reflective stickers are mandatory on the back, and failing to display these can also result in a Dh500 fine.
