Dubai's New Lost Property Law Sets Fines Up to AED 200,000

Dubai has introduced a new law regulating how lost and abandoned property must be handled across the emirate. Issued by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Law No. 17 of 2025 designates Dubai Police as the authority responsible for collecting, recording and managing found items.
Under the law, anyone who finds lost property — defined as movable items or money of legal value unintentionally lost — must register the discovery in an electronic system within 24 hours and hand the item over to Dubai Police within 48 hours. Public employees who discover lost items while on duty are exempt from this requirement. Keeping, using or claiming the property is prohibited.
The legislation also outlines how owners can reclaim lost items. Owners may recover their belongings before disposal or claim their value within three years if items are sold. In cases of multiple claims, property may only be transferred after a final court ruling.
The law includes incentives for those who return lost items. Dubai Police may issue a certificate of appreciation or pay a reward equal to 10 per cent of the item’s value, capped at AED 50000. If no one claims the property within one year, the finder may request to keep it, subject to the law’s conditions.
Fines for non-compliance start at AED 500 and can reach AED 100,000, doubling for repeat offences within the same year and capped at AED 200,000. The new statute replaces earlier regulations governing lost and abandoned property in Dubai and aims to create a more organised and transparent process for managing found items.