UAE postpones five-vehicle licensing cap pending review

The UAE Ministry of Interior has put on hold a planned limit on how many vehicles a resident can license, according to Khaleej Times. The pause comes ahead of the new federal traffic rules that were due to apply from 1 January 2027.

What was planned

Under the Executive Regulation of the federal traffic law, issued on 6 October 2026 through Cabinet Decision No. 174 of 2026, an individual resident could license up to five vehicles. Gulf News reported that fees would apply for each vehicle registered or renewed beyond the first two. Neither outlet gave the amount of the extra fee.

What has changed

The Ministry said it will delay enforcing the cap on the number of licensed vehicles per resident while a review is completed, Khaleej Times reported. It cited Article 89 of the new Implementing Regulations of the Traffic Law.

The Ministry said the decision followed public feedback and a look at the needs of different groups in society. The review will weigh the rights of vehicle owners, the needs of families and investors, and how vehicles are used, including classic, rare and luxury vehicles.

No new start date and no timeline for the review were reported.

What it means for residents

For now, residents who own or plan to register several vehicles should not expect the five-vehicle ceiling or the extra per-vehicle fees to be applied from January. The reports do not say what happens to the wider set of traffic rules, which were set to take effect on the same date, and the postponement as reported refers only to the vehicle limit.

Because the outcome of the review is open, the cap could return in a modified form, with different thresholds, fees or exemptions. Gulf News noted that the original rules did not state how residents who already hold more than five registrations would be treated, and that question also remains unanswered in the coverage seen so far.

What to watch

Residents and businesses that manage vehicle fleets in their own names should follow announcements from the Ministry of Interior and the licensing authorities, which are the bodies that will confirm any revised rule.