UAE: Stuck with a 'non-payable' traffic fine? Here's how to fix it

Dubai: Have you received a traffic fine and tried to settle it online, only to find it marked as ‘non-payable’ or ‘locked’? If you are wondering how to resolve this, the issue likely stems from black points and fines associated with your vehicle’s number plate rather than your driving licence.

To unlock the fine, you need to transfer both the traffic fine and the black points to your driving licence. Once this is done, you can pay off the fine and have the black points removed.

Black points are typically recorded on a driver’s licence, with the maximum limit set at 24 points. If a driver exceeds this, the case is escalated to the UAE courts, potentially leading to licence suspension or confiscation.

This is why your fine appears ‘unpayable’—it is linked to your vehicle’s number plate, not your licence. Fortunately, you can resolve this issue online. Here is how:

Abu Dhabi

For Abu Dhabi residents, you can easily settle this issue through the TAMM app, which is the official government services portal for Abu Dhabi. The app is available for Apple, Android and Huawei devices.

1. Open the TAMM app and log in with your UAE Pass. Your traffic fines will be displayed on the homepage.
2. Tap on the payment widget, then select the fine marked with an orange dot, which indicates that it is currently unpayable.
3. You will see a notification explaining that the fine is unpayable because it needs to be transferred to your driving licence. Tap ‘Transfer Black Points’.
4. You will be given two options: transfer the black points to your licence or another traffic profile (TC Number). Choose ‘Transfer to my licence’.
5. Select the fine or fines that include black points, then tap ‘Next’.
6. Enter the One-Time Password (OTP) sent to you via SMS, then tap ‘Verify and Submit’.

After a few minutes, the black points will be transferred to your licence, unlocking the fine. If you choose to transfer the black points from another traffic profile, you will transfer both the points and the fine to the person who was driving your vehicle at the time of the violation.

Once the black points have been officially registered on your licence, you can easily pay the fine and have the points removed. Click here to find out how to pay traffic fines in Abu Dhabi.

Ministry of Interior (MOI)

If you live in Sharjah, Ajman, Fujairah, Umm Al Quwain, or Ras Al Khaimah and face a similar issue, you can use the MOI app (available for Apple, Android and Huawei devices) to resolve it. Here's how:

1. Open the app and log in with your UAE Pass.
2. Navigate to the ‘Services’ section and scroll down to select ‘Register black points’.
3. You will then have three search options for black points:
• My fines
• Enter the owner’s TC number (Traffic Code number)
• Enter the owner’s plate number (you will need to provide the owner’s TC number, plate source, code, type, and plate number)

Select the option to transfer the black points, tap ‘Search’, and choose the relevant traffic violation to transfer to your licence.

Dubai

For vehicles registered in Dubai, or if you have a non-payable fine issued in the emirate, black points cannot be transferred online through an app. Instead, follow these steps:

• Check which authority issued the fine — Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) or Dubai Police.
• Depending on the issuing authority, you will need to visit either an RTA Customer Happiness Centre or a Dubai Police Traffic Department.
• Be sure to bring your Emirates ID and driving licence to complete the process.

The Dubai Police Traffic Departments are located at:
• Al Qusais Police Station
• Al Barsha
• Port Rashid

For RTA fines, visit one of the following RTA Customer Happiness Centres:
• Al Barsha
• Al Kifaf
• Al Manarah
• Al Twar
• Deira
• Umm Ramool

If you prefer not to visit a service centre or police department, you can also use the MOI app. However, for driving licences issued in Dubai, you will need to enter your RTA Number (an eight-digit RTA TC Number or traffic file number) to register the black points on your licence. Click here to find out how to locate this number.