UAE launches strict new rules for delivery riders in Dubai and Sharjah

Dubai: Starting tomorrow, November 1, 2025, Dubai and Sharjah will enforce a series of new and stricter regulations governing the movement of delivery motorcycles, heavy vehicles, and buses on main and arterial roads, a response to the growing number of road accidents involving delivery riders in recent years.

The measures aim to improve traffic safety and curb reckless behavior among delivery drivers, whose numbers have surged amid the rapid rise in e-commerce and food delivery activity across the UAE.

In Dubai, the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), in coordination with the Dubai Police, will prohibit delivery riders from using high-speed lanes on major roads. Riders will face fines of up to Dh700 for repeated violations, and their delivery permits may be suspended. 

The restrictions prevent delivery bikes from using the two fastest lanes on roads with five or more lanes, or the fast lane on roads with three or four lanes, while still allowing them access to smaller roads with two lanes or fewer.

In preparation for the rollout, the RTA has installed new signage across Dubai indicating where commercial motorcycles are banned, alongside existing restrictions for trucks and heavy vehicles. 

The authority will work closely with the Dubai Police, the Department of Economy and Tourism, and delivery companies to monitor compliance through field inspections and digital surveillance.

The new restrictions are part of the emirate’s five-year traffic safety strategy, which focuses on enforcement, road engineering, awareness campaigns, and traffic management systems. The ultimate goal, RTA said, is to achieve the highest standards of road safety and reduce fatalities associated with delivery operations.

Violations will be met with escalating penalties: Dh500 for a first offense, Dh700 for a second, and suspension of the riding permit upon a third violation. Riders caught exceeding speed limits by over 100 km/h will face fines starting at Dh200, rising to Dh400 for repeat offenses.

Meanwhile, in Sharjah, authorities will implement a new lane management system that designates specific lanes for motorcycles, delivery bikes, heavy vehicles, and buses on key roads. 

Under the new system, heavy vehicles and buses must use the far-right lane, while motorcycles are restricted to the third and fourth lanes from the right on four-lane roads, and to the middle or right lane on three-lane roads. On two-lane roads, they may only use the right lane.

The new measures will be enforced through smart radars, high-definition cameras, and 24-hour monitoring by traffic patrols. Noncompliance will be penalized under the federal traffic law, with fines reaching Dh1,500 and 12 black points for heavy vehicles failing to stay in their designated lanes, and Dh500 for ignoring road signs or traffic instructions.