Dubai has introduced a new law to handle lost and abandoned property in a simpler, fairer, and more rewarding way. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, announced Law No (17) of 2025 on Tuesday, November 25.
The move aims to make the process of ‘lost & found items’ more transparent and promote honesty across the city, with penalties of up to Dh200,000 for violators. Individuals can also earn rewards for handing lost items to the police, while owners are guaranteed rights to reclaim their items.
Under the new law, the Dubai Police plays a key role in receiving, safeguarding, and investigating any lost items, including noting down the descriptions, dates, locations, and the details of the finder. The authority is required to establish an electronic system to record all lost and abandoned property. Dubai Police must also determine storage costs, manage public announcements, and oversee the property.
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Dubai Police may issue a written warning to anyone who violates this Law or its decisions, requiring them to correct the violation within a set deadline. Fines range from Dh500 to Dh100,000, doubling for repeated violations within a year, up to Dh200,000.
The law defines ‘lost property’ as money or movable items that have legal value and ownership, but which the owner unintentionally loses, with no intention of giving them up. The law doesn’t include stray animals. ‘Abandoned property’ refers to money or movable items of legal value that the owner or lawful possessor has deliberately or implicitly relinquished. Stray animals are also excluded from this category.
Individuals who find lost property in Dubai now have clear responsibilities under the law. People must register the found item in the Dubai Police’s electronic system within 24 hours. Individuals must hand it to the Dubai Police within 48 hours. They are not allowed to use, keep, or claim the property as their own, and failing to comply may result in criminal penalties.
A finder may request to keep the property if the owner does not come forward within one year of it being found, subject to rules and safeguards set by Dubai Police. If the owner later claims the property, the finder must return it.
Under the law, rights of the property owners are protected, allowing them to reclaim their lost item before it is disposed of. Owners can also claim the value of their property within three years if it has been sold by authorities.
If multiple people claim ownership, the property or its value is given to the person confirmed by a final court ruling. No claim may be made without a valid reason after three years from the date the property is announced as found. The owner must cover storage and announcement costs to reclaim the property or its value.
The law aims to regulate the procedures applied on lost and/or abandoned property and to encourage the public to submit such property to the police.
Eligible individuals may receive either a certificate of appreciation or a financial reward of up to 10 per cent of the property’s value, with a maximum limit of Dh50,000.
The law is designed to make the process of reporting, recording, and returning lost property more efficient, transparent, and fair, benefiting both finders and owners.
This Law replaces Law No. (5) of 2015 on the Disposal of Lost and Abandoned Property; and annuls any conflicting provisions in other legislation. Regulations and decisions issued under Law No. (5) of 2015 will remain in effect, provided they do not contradict the provisions of Law No. (17) of 2025, until new regulations and decisions are introduced to replace them. The Law is effective from the day of its publication in the Official Gazette.
