Traffic Fines Must Be Paid Before Leaving the Country

Qatar's General Directorate of Traffic at the Ministry of Interior has implemented a new regulation which requires motorists to pay all their traffic fines before leaving the country from Sep. 1.

These motorists will not be allowed to leave the country by air, land, or sea until they have paid all their traffic fines.

The traffic directorate has also announced that a 50 percent discount will be implemented for the traffic fines of mechanical vehicles from Jun. 1 to Aug. 31.

The discount on traffic fines will be implemented for violations recorded within three years. 

The traffic fines can be paid through the following portals:

• Metrash2 application 
• Ministry of Interior website 
• Traffic sections 
• Unified service centers

Exit Permits for Mechanical Vehicles

A certain set of regulations must be followed by owners of mechanical vehicles, which became effective on May 22:

• A permit must be obtained from the traffic directorate for the mechanical vehicle to exit the country. 
• For the mechanical vehicle to exit the country, it should not have any outstanding traffic violations. 
• The final destination for the mechanical vehicle must be specified in the application of the permit. 
• The applicant for the permit must be the vehicle's owner. 

Vehicles that are bound for GCC countries, given that they have no traffic violations on record, do not require an exit permit. 

The driver of the vehicle should be its owner. If the individual is not the vehicle owner, he or she must have permission from the owner to transport the vehicle. 

The owner of the vehicle with a Qatari number plate, who is outside of the country, should return the vehicle within 90 days of the announcement, unless he or she obtains a permit for the vehicle to remain outside of the country for a specified period. 

Motorists are advised to return the vehicle to the country before the exit permit expires. 

If the above-mentioned regulations are violated, legal actions will be taken, including the administrative impoundment of the vehicle for up to 90 days.

Registration of a Vehicle

The new regulations also dictate that mechanical vehicles will not be allowed to renew their registration unless the vehicle has undergone a technical inspection in Qatar. 

If the registration for the vehicle is not renewed within 30 days from the expiration date, the owner of the vehicle must return its number plates to the traffic directorate. 

If this is not done, the individual will be referred to the Public Prosecution and will be subjected to Article (95) of the Traffic Law.

This article stipulates the following penalties:

• Imprisonment for not less than one week and not more than one year 
• A fine of not less than QR 3,000 and not more than QR 10,000
• Either of these penalties can be implemented. 

Other Traffic Regulations

Buses with more than 25 passengers, taxis, and limousines are prohibited from using the left lane on road networks with three or more lanes in each direction.

Delivery motorcycle riders must use the right lane on all roads and lane changes are only allowed at least 300 meters before intersections.

Motorists in Qatar are advised to adhere to these regulations consistently and to pay their traffic fines on time.