Car owners face criminal liability for lending vehicles to unlicensed drivers

A person who drives on a UAE road without a driving licence, or with a licence that does not cover the type of vehicle he is driving, commits a criminal offence rather than a routine traffic violation. On a first offence, the court may impose imprisonment of up to three months and a fine of between AED 5,000 and AED 50,000. On a repeat offence, imprisonment is for not less than three months and the fine rises to between AED 20,000 and AED 100,000. These penalties are set out in Article 37 of Federal Decree-Law No. (14) of 2024 on the Regulation of Traffic. Car owners face criminal liability under Article 8 of the Traffic Law, which prohibits any person responsible for a vehicle from allowing it to be driven by someone who does not hold a licence for that type of vehicle. A person who knowingly provides the means or assistance used to commit an offence may be treated as an accomplice. An accomplice is liable to the same penalty as the person who committed the offence. Knowledge is the decisive element — an owner who lent the car without knowing the driver was unlicensed stands in a different position from one who knew there was no licence. Where an unlicensed driver causes an accident, the insurer compensates the injured third party under the policy, but may then pursue both the insured owner and the driver to recover what it paid.