Where Abu Dhabi Police Keeps Your Vehicle Accident Record
Abu Dhabi Police maintains an official record of every reported vehicle accident in the emirate. This record is held by the Traffic and Patrols Directorate, which is part of Abu Dhabi Police's General Headquarters. When you need to see what accidents are recorded against your vehicle, you request this information directly from Abu Dhabi Police through their official channels — not through a private company or third-party service.
The record includes accidents you reported yourself, accidents reported by other drivers or witnesses, and accidents documented by police officers who attended the scene. It does not include minor incidents you handled privately without police involvement, since those are not in the official system.
Your vehicle accident history matters because insurers use it to assess risk when you renew your policy, and it can affect your insurance premium. It also becomes relevant if you are involved in a dispute over who caused an accident, since the police record is an official document that courts and insurers reference.
Key Takeaways
- Abu Dhabi Police holds the official vehicle accident record through its Traffic and Patrols Directorate, and you can request your record in person or online through their portal.
- The record includes only accidents reported to police or documented by officers at the scene, not private settlements or incidents handled without police involvement.
- You will need your vehicle registration number and Emirates ID to request your record, and the process usually takes one to three business days.
- Your accident history affects your insurance premium and is used by courts and insurers as an official reference in disputes over liability.
- If you believe the record contains an error or an accident you were not responsible for, you can file a formal objection with Abu Dhabi Police.
How to Request Your Accident History Online
Abu Dhabi Police operates an online portal where you can request your vehicle accident history without visiting a police station. Go to the Abu Dhabi Police website and look for the traffic services section. You will need your Emirates ID number and your vehicle registration number (the plate number) to log in and submit the request.
Once you submit the request online, the system will generate a reference number. Keep this number — you will need it to track your request or collect your record. The record is usually ready within one to three business days. Some requests are processed faster if the system can generate the report when ready; others may take longer if the record requires manual review by a staff member.
When your record is ready, you can read it directly from the portal as a PDF document, or you can choose to collect a printed copy from the police station you selected during the request. The online copy is usually sufficient for insurance purposes and legal matters, since it carries the official Abu Dhabi Police seal and reference number.
Requesting Your Record in Person at a Police Station
If you prefer to request your accident history in person, visit any Abu Dhabi Police station's traffic department. Bring your original Emirates ID and your vehicle registration document (the registration card that came with your vehicle). Tell the staff member at the counter that you want to request your vehicle accident history report.
The staff member will take your information and issue you a receipt with a reference number and a collection date. In most cases, you can collect the report the same day or within one to two business days. Some stations offer same-day service if the record is straightforward; others may ask you to return later if the file requires review.
Requesting in person is useful if you do not have reliable internet access, if you need the record urgently and want to ask staff about the timeline, or if you want to ask questions about specific accidents listed on your record while you are there.
What Information Appears on Your Accident Report
Your Abu Dhabi Police accident history report lists each reported accident with the date it occurred, the location, the type of accident (collision, hit-and-run, single-vehicle, etc.), and whether you were the at-fault driver, the other driver, or a witness. It also shows whether the accident resulted in injury or property damage only.
The report does not include the names of other drivers involved, their insurance details, or the outcome of any insurance claim. Those details are kept in separate files by the insurance companies. The police report is a factual record of what happened and who was assigned fault by the investigating officer, based on the evidence at the scene.
If an accident is still under investigation or if there is a dispute over fault, the report may show that status instead of a final information. In those cases, you may need to request an updated report later once the investigation is closed.
How Insurers Use Your Accident History
When you renew your car insurance policy in Abu Dhabi, your insurer will request your accident history from Abu Dhabi Police or will ask you to provide it. Insurers use this record to calculate your premium — drivers with multiple accidents or at-fault accidents typically pay higher premiums than drivers with clean records. Some insurers may refuse to renew your policy if your accident history shows a pattern of high-risk driving.
The insurer is interested in at-fault accidents specifically, since those suggest you are more likely to cause another accident in the future. An accident where you were not at fault may still appear on your record, but it usually has less impact on your premium. If you were a passenger or a witness, the accident should not affect your insurance at all.
Your accident history is one of several factors insurers consider — your age, driving experience, vehicle type, and coverage level also matter. But a clean record is one of the most direct ways to keep your insurance costs down.
Disputing an Accident on Your Record
If your accident history contains an accident you believe was not your fault, or if you think the record contains an error, you can file a formal objection with Abu Dhabi Police. You will need to submit a written request explaining why you dispute the record, along with supporting documents — photographs, witness statements, repair estimates, or correspondence with the other driver's insurance company.
Submit your objection to the Traffic and Patrols Directorate at Abu Dhabi Police General Headquarters. Include your vehicle registration number, the date of the accident in question, and your reference number from the original accident report if you have it. The police will review your objection and the original case file to determine whether the record should be corrected.
This process can take several weeks. While your objection is being reviewed, the accident will still appear on your record. If the police agree with your objection, they will issue a corrected report. If they do not, you can escalate the matter through Abu Dhabi Police's formal complaint process or seek legal information about challenging the information in court.
What to Do If You Cannot Find Your Record Online
If you request your accident history online and the system shows no record, it may mean that no accidents have been reported against your vehicle, or it may mean the record has not yet been entered into the system. If an accident happened very recently — within the last few days — it may not yet appear in the searchable database, even though it was reported to police.
If you know an accident was reported but it does not appear online, visit a police station in person and ask staff to search the manual files. Bring your vehicle registration number and the approximate date of the accident. Staff can often find records that have not yet been digitized or that are still being processed.
If you believe an accident should be on your record but is not, and you need proof that it was reported, ask the police station for a written confirmation that they have no record of it. This document can be useful for insurance purposes if you are trying to show that an accident was handled privately or was never officially reported.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to get my accident history from Abu Dhabi Police?
Requesting your vehicle accident history from Abu Dhabi Police is free. There is no charge for the online request or for collecting the report in person at a police station. Some private services offer to retrieve the record for you for a fee, but you do not need to use them — you can get the official record directly from Abu Dhabi Police at no cost.
Will my accident history show accidents from before I owned the vehicle?
Yes. The record is tied to the vehicle registration number, not to the owner. So if you buy a used car, the accident history will include all accidents reported against that vehicle under its previous owners. This is why checking the accident history is important before you purchase a used vehicle — it tells you whether the car has been in accidents and how many.
Can I request someone else's accident history?
No. Abu Dhabi Police will only release a vehicle's accident history to the registered owner or to someone with written authorization from the owner. If you are buying a used car, you can ask the seller to provide you with their accident history report, or you can ask them to authorize the police to release it to you. Insurance companies and legal representatives can also request records in certain circumstances with proper documentation.
How long does an accident stay on my record?
Abu Dhabi Police keeps accident records indefinitely in their system. However, most insurers only look back three to five years when calculating your premium. So while an old accident will still appear on your official record, it may not affect your insurance quote if it is more than five years old. Check with your specific insurer about their policy on older accidents.
What if I was in an accident but the other driver left the scene?
If the other driver left the scene without providing their details, report it to Abu Dhabi Police as a hit-and-run. The police will document it as such on your record. This type of accident is usually not considered your fault, and it should not significantly affect your insurance premium. Report it as soon as possible after it happens, and provide the police with any details you remember about the other vehicle or driver.