Qatar Bans Exit From Country Without Paying Traffic Fines
Qatar will ban people from exiting the country if they have outstanding traffic fines.
The ban will come into effect on September 1 and is one of a number of traffic rules introduced by the Ministry of Interior.
Qatar’s Ministry of Interior, represented by the General Directorate of Traffic, announced the rules and procedures for vehicle exit permits to leave the country, and the payment of traffic fines before leaving the country.
Qatar travel ban
Director of Public Relations Department at the Ministry of Interior Brigadier Abdullah Khalifa Al Muftah said that effective from September 1, 2024, traffic law violators will not be allowed to leave the country through any state borders (land, air, and sea) without paying the fines and dues through the (Metrash2) application, Ministry of Interior website, traffic sections, or unified service centres.
He announced that a 50 per cent discount on the value of traffic violations for all motor vehicles will be applied from June 1, 2024 until August 31, 2024.
The discount includes violations recorded within no more than three years.
He also said that, effective from May 22, 2024, a permit must be obtained from the General Directorate of Traffic for motor vehicles to exit the country, as per the prescribed form and the following conditions:
- The vehicle must not have any outstanding traffic violations
- The final destination (point of arrival) for the motor vehicle must be specified
- The applicant for the permit must be the owner of the vehicle, or present proof of
He pointed out that the following vehicles are exempted from the requirement for a vehicle exit permit: Vehicles bound for the GCC countries (point of arrival) provided they have no traffic violations, and the driver is either the owner or has the owner’s consent; and Goods transporting vehicles.
Director of Public Relations Department at Qatar’s Ministry of Interior also unveiled rules for the return of vehicles with Qatari plates.
The rules stipulate “Return the vehicles that are outside the country before applying these rules and procedures, within 90 days from the date of this announcement, unless the owner obtains a permit from the licensing authority for the vehicle to remain abroad for a specified period or periods.”
They also stipulate “Return the vehicle permitted to leave the country before the permit expires, with the possibility to renew the permit for a further period or periods.”
In case of violating the aforementioned rules and procedures, legal actions will be taken, including the administrative impoundment of the vehicle for up to 90 days, said Brigadier Al Muftah.
He noted that motor vehicles outside Qatar will not be allowed to renew their registration unless the vehicle undergoes a technical inspection inside the country, adding if the registration is not renewed within the legal period (30 days from the expiration date), the vehicle owner must return the license plates to the General Directorate of Traffic.
Effective from1 September 2024, individuals with traffic violations will not be permitted to travel outside Qatar through any borders until all fines and due amounts are paid. #MOIQatar #TrafficQatar pic.twitter.com/Ag0ovFgLok
— Ministry of Interior – Qatar (@MOI_QatarEn) May 22, 2024
He said that failure to return the plates will result in referring the violator to the Public Prosecution for its procedures, according to the Traffic Law, which stipulates imprisonment for not less than one week and not more than one year, and a fine of not less than QR3,000 ($823) and not more than QR10,000 ($2,744), or either of these penalties.
Brigadier Al Muftah said that effective from May 22, 2024, as per the provisions of the Traffic Law, 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.
He stressed that delivery motorcycle riders must use the right lane on all roads, with lane changes allowed at least 300 meters before intersections.
In case of non-compliance with the above, legal action will be taken against the violator, who will be subject to referral to the Public Prosecution for its procedures according to Article 95 of Qatar’s Traffic Law, he said.
