Dubai has rolled out a significant replace to how misplaced and deserted objects are managed, following the announcement of Legislation No. 17 of 2025 by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. The brand new legislation is designed to create a clearer, extra clear, and extra community-friendly course of for reporting and returning misplaced property.
The laws units out stronger safeguards for house owners, rewards for trustworthy residents, and penalties of as much as Dh200,000 for violations.
A clearer system for “misplaced and located”
Underneath the brand new legislation, Dubai Police will take the lead in receiving, documenting, safeguarding, and investigating misplaced objects. This consists of recording key particulars such because the merchandise description, location, date discovered, and details about the one that reported it.
Dubai Police may also construct an digital system to log all misplaced and deserted property, handle public bulletins, and resolve storage charges when relevant.
Violations might lead to written warnings, adopted by fines starting from Dh500 to Dh100,000. Repeat offences inside a yr can see penalties doubled, reaching as much as Dh200,000.
What counts as misplaced or deserted?
The legislation attracts a transparent distinction between the 2:
- Misplaced property: Cash or movable objects of authorized worth that the proprietor unintentionally loses, with out intending to offer them up. Stray animals are usually not included.
- Deserted property: Cash or movable objects that an proprietor intentionally or implicitly provides up. Stray animals are additionally excluded right here.
Obligations of anybody who finds misplaced property
Anybody who finds an merchandise in Dubai is now required to:
- Register it in Dubai Police’s digital system inside 24 hours.
- Hand it over to Dubai Police inside 48 hours.
- Keep away from utilizing it, preserving it, or claiming it as their very own.
Failing to observe these guidelines might lead to prison penalties. If the rightful proprietor can’t be recognized after one yr, the finder might request to maintain the merchandise, topic to Dubai Police approval. Nevertheless, if the proprietor finally comes ahead, the merchandise should be returned.
Rights of property house owners
Homeowners are protected all through the method. They’re allowed to reclaim their objects earlier than they’re bought or disposed of, and if the property has already been bought, they might declare its worth inside three years.
If a number of folks declare the identical merchandise, possession shall be decided primarily based on a ultimate court docket ruling. After three years from the date the merchandise was publicly introduced as discovered, no additional claims shall be accepted. Homeowners should cowl any storage or announcement prices when reclaiming their property or compensation.
Rewards for honesty
To encourage residents at hand in misplaced objects, the brand new legislation permits Dubai Police to concern certificates of appreciation or monetary rewards. Rewards might attain as much as 10 % of the merchandise’s worth, capped at Dh50,000.
Changing the 2015 framework
Legislation No. 17 of 2025 replaces Legislation No. 5 of 2015. Current rules underneath the earlier legislation will proceed briefly, so long as they don’t battle with the brand new provisions, till up to date rules are issued.
The brand new legislation is efficient instantly following its publication within the Official Gazette and marks a step towards a extra environment friendly, honest, and community-driven method to dealing with misplaced and deserted property in Dubai.