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Dubai changed the speed limit on five roads on 1 November 2026, and the changes run both ways. Al Asayel Street, Al Mustaqbal Street and Latifa bint Hamdan Street got faster. Al Rebat Street and Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah Street got slower. The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) says the new limits apply in both directions on the listed sections only.
The biggest move is on Al Asayel Street, which jumps 20 km/h in one go. The one most likely to catch drivers out is Al Rebat Street, a fast road where the limit has dropped by 10 km/h.
Which Dubai speed limits changed?
| Road | Section | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| Al Asayel Street | Oud Maitha Street to Al Meydan Street | 60 up to 80 km/h |
| Al Mustaqbal Street | Sheikh Rashid Street to Al Meydan Street | 60 up to 70 km/h |
| Latifa bint Hamdan Street | Sheikh Zayed Road to Al Khail Road | 60 up to 70 km/h |
| Al Rebat Street | Marrakech Street to Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road | 100 down to 90 km/h |
| Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah Street | 2nd December Street to Khalid bin Al Waleed Street | 80 down to 70 km/h |
Why did the RTA change them?
According to the RTA, the changes follow an engineering and technical study carried out with an international consultant, and they reflect the 2026 update of the Dubai Speed Management Manual. The work was done with Dubai Police under the Dubai Traffic Safety Strategy.
The stated aims are better traffic flow, better safety and limits that suit the road. The RTA says it sets limits by looking at traffic volumes, design speed, how built-up the area is, pedestrian activity and the speed drivers actually do, measured at the 85th percentile. It did not publish road-by-road reasons or the study's figures in the coverage we read, so any explanation for a specific road is a guess.
What does it mean when you drive them?
- Trust the sign, not the memory. The RTA said signs on these sections would be replaced. Your map app may take longer to catch up, so a number on a phone is not a defence.
- The two reductions matter most. A driver who keeps to the old limit on Al Rebat Street or Sheikh Sabah Street is now 10 km/h over it.
- The changes stop at the section ends. Each limit applies between the two points in the table. Past them, the road goes back to whatever its signs say, and in Dubai that can change more than once on one road.
- A higher limit is a ceiling. Al Asayel Street at 80 km/h still has junction traffic and lane changes around it. Drive to the conditions first.
Is there still a 20 km/h radar margin in Dubai?
This is the question everyone asks, and the honest answer has two parts. Gulf News, citing Dubai Police, reported on 30 October 2026 that the posted limit and the radar threshold are separate things, and that on many major roads the threshold is typically 20 km/h above the sign. Its example: an 80 km/h road may trigger the camera at 101 km/h.
The same report is clear that this is not permission to go over the posted limit. The RTA says the cameras on these five sections are being reprogrammed for the new limits, but neither its announcement nor the reports we read give a radar setting for any of them. So nobody outside the authorities can tell you the trigger speed on these roads, and we won't guess. Rumours that the margin has gone have circulated before. We found no RTA or Dubai Police announcement confirming that. Abu Dhabi is a different case: The National reported that it removed its margin in 2018, so the habit does not travel between emirates.
How much is a speeding fine in Dubai?
These are the amounts Gulf News and Dubai Standard listed in October 2026 alongside the new limits.
| Over the limit | Fine | Also |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 20 km/h | Dh300 | None |
| 20 to 30 km/h | Dh600 | None |
| 30 to 40 km/h | Dh700 | None |
| 40 to 50 km/h | Dh1,000 | None |
| 50 to 60 km/h | Dh1,500 | 6 black points, 15-day impound |
| 60 to 80 km/h | Dh2,000 | 12 black points, 30-day impound |
| Over 80 km/h | Dh3,000 | 23 black points, 60-day impound |
Driving these roads in a rental car
A camera records the plate, so on a rental the fine arrives after the car has gone back, and we explain how that works in our guide to Salik and traffic fines on a rental. If you would rather leave the signs to someone else, our chauffeur service covers the same roads, and anything that isn't clear before you book is one WhatsApp message away.
Sources
- Khaleej Times, 21 October 2026
- Gulf News, 21 October 2026
- Gulf News: radar threshold and fines, 30 October 2026
- Dubai Standard, 22 October 2026
- The National, 21 October 2026
- The National: Abu Dhabi removes its speed buffer, 2018
Photo: speed limit markings on a Dubai highway, RTA image published by The National.
