A traffic violation check on Absher takes less than a minute, but the deadlines that start when a fine is registered matter more: 30 days to dispute it, 15 days to pay or ask for more time, and after that the fine can block your iqama renewal or exit re-entry visa and be collected from your bank balance. This guide is for residents, visitors, HR teams and company fleet managers in Saudi Arabia. It covers checking violations on Absher, by iqama number, by plate and as a visitor; paying through SADAD, bank apps and Efaa; deadlines, extensions and the 25% reduction; disputing a violation on Absher and writing an objection that holds up; and the services that stay blocked until fines are cleared. It is based on what the Ministry of Interior, Absher, the National Platform and the Traffic Law published up to October 2026.
Traffic violations in Saudi Arabia in brief
- Check: on Absher under My Services > Traffic > Query Traffic Violations. It is free, and it also shows your family members’ violations. Visitors use the visitors’ query with a passport or border number.
- Pay: through SADAD in your bank app, or on Efaa, the national violations platform. Unpaid traffic fines appear there automatically.
- Dispute: on Absher within 30 days of the date the violation was registered. It is free, you can only have one open dispute at a time, and the service closes for you after five rejected disputes in a Hijri year.
- Deadline: after the 30-day objection period you have 15 days to pay. Within those 15 days you can ask on Absher for up to 90 more days.
- Discount: violations committed since 18 April 2024 qualify for a 25% reduction when paid within the legal timeframe. The 50% discount on older fines ended on 18 April 2025.
- Blocked services: unpaid fines stop iqama renewal, exit re-entry and final exit visas, driving licence and istimara renewal, and vehicle ownership transfer.
How to do a traffic violation check in Saudi Arabia
On Absher (citizens and residents)
- Log in to Absher Individuals on the website or the app.
- Open My Services, then Traffic.
- Choose Query Traffic Violations (the Ministry of Interior calls it the comprehensive traffic violations query).
- Review the list and note each violation’s registration date, because the 30-day objection period runs from it.
The same service shows violations for your family members, and its general inquiry option lets you check another person if you have their national ID or iqama number. Absher notes that your vehicle and family records must be up to date for every violation to appear, so if you have just bought a car or added a dependent, check again after the records update.
Traffic violation check by iqama number without Absher
If you cannot log in to Absher, open the SADAD or government payments section of your Saudi bank app, choose the traffic violations biller and enter your iqama number. The General Department of Traffic confirms that traffic fines appear there automatically. They also appear on Efaa (efaa.sa), the official national violations platform, which lists every government violation registered against you, including smoking fines and other penalties, after you log in with the National Single Sign-On.
Traffic violation check by plate number
Neither Absher nor the Ministry of Interior’s service guide lists a public search by plate number. The vehicle’s owner sees the violations linked to their vehicles in their own Absher account. Third-party sites offering a plate search are not government services, and the traffic department warns against links, calls and websites that claim to collect fines. Buying a used car? Ask the seller to show the violations in their Absher account; the Absher sale cannot go ahead while the vehicle or the buyer has unpaid violations.
Traffic violation check for visitors
Visitors use Query Traffic Violations for Visitors on the Absher website. Go to Instant Absher Services, then Visitors, choose the document type, enter the number and the verification code, and select View. A list of unpaid violations registered in the Kingdom appears. The service accepts a border number, passport number, national ID, iqama number, GCC national ID or Bahraini ID card, and it is free. Visitors pay on Efaa by mada or credit card, or through SADAD.
| Channel | Who it suits | What you need | What you can do |
|---|---|---|---|
| Absher: Query Traffic Violations | Citizens and residents | Active Absher account | See your own and family members’ violations; dispute and extend from the same Traffic menu |
| Absher: Query Traffic Violations for Visitors | Visitors and GCC nationals | Border, passport or GCC ID number | See unpaid violations registered in the Kingdom |
| Bank app (SADAD) | Anyone with a Saudi bank account | Iqama or national ID number | See and pay outstanding traffic fines |
| Efaa (efaa.sa) | Individuals and establishments | National Single Sign-On, or CR/establishment number for companies | See and pay all government violations by SADAD, mada or credit card |
How to pay traffic violations: SADAD, bank apps and Efaa
Absher is where you check, dispute and extend. The payment itself goes through SADAD or Efaa.
- Bank app: open SADAD payments or government payments, choose the traffic violations biller, enter your iqama or ID number, select the violations and pay.
- Efaa: go to efaa.sa, choose Individuals, log in with the National Single Sign-On, select the violations and pay by SADAD, mada or credit card.
- Confirm: run the Absher query again and check that the violation has left the unpaid list before you apply for a visa or renewal.
You do not have to pay everything at once. The traffic department confirms that you can pay each violation separately, and the Traffic Law also allows the payment of a single fine to be split, under rules set by the Ministers of Interior and Finance. If you plan to dispute a violation, file the objection first rather than paying and then disputing.
Payment deadlines, extensions and the 25% reduction
Article 75 of the Traffic Law, as amended by Royal Decree M/86 in 1443 AH (2022), sets the timeline below. Absher counts the 30-day objection period from the date the violation is registered.
| Stage | Timing | What you can do |
|---|---|---|
| Objection period | Days 1 to 30 after registration | Dispute on Absher, or pay |
| Payment window | 15 days after the objection period ends (or after a dispute is rejected) | Pay, or request an extension on Absher |
| Extension | Up to 90 days, requested within the 15-day window | Pay before the extension ends |
| After the deadlines | Once the payment window or extension has passed | The law allows direct enforcement on the violator’s bank balances |
How to extend the payment deadline on Absher
- Wait until the violation has passed its 30-day objection period. The request is not accepted before that.
- Within the next 15 days, log in to Absher and open Services > Traffic > Extending Deadline for Paying Traffic Violations.
- Select the violation, read and accept the terms, and choose Submit Request.
The service is open to citizens and residents with a digital ID on Absher, and the law caps the extension at 90 days.
Is there a traffic violation discount in 2026?
Yes, but not the one many websites still advertise. Article 75 allows a fine to be reduced by up to 25% of its minimum amount, and when the 50% initiative took effect on 18 April 2024, the General Department of Traffic confirmed that violations committed from that date get a 25% reduction under Article 75 within the legally set period. To be safe, pay within the first 45 days (the objection period plus the 15-day payment window). The amount shown in SADAD or on Efaa is the amount due.
Two outdated claims still circulate. The 50% discount covered only fines committed before 18 April 2024, and its final extension ended on 18 April 2025, after which those fines returned to their full value. The rule that public services are suspended once unpaid fines reach SAR 20,000 or six months comes from an older version of Article 75. In 2022 it was replaced by the 15-day/90-day deadlines and direct enforcement on bank balances described above. Individual services still check for unpaid fines, as shown further down.
How to dispute a traffic violation on Absher
The Dispute Traffic Violations service (also labelled Traffic Violation Objection) covers violations registered by the General Department of Traffic or any other authority authorised to apply the Traffic Law. According to Absher and the National Platform, the conditions are:
- The violation is no more than 30 days old, counted from its registration date.
- It is registered in the name of the person objecting, and that person has an active Absher account.
- It has not already been disputed through Absher with a decision from the competent committee. You only get one attempt per violation.
- You have no other dispute still being processed. Wait for the first decision before filing the next one.
- You can file any number of disputes, unless five of your disputes have been rejected in the current Hijri year.
- The service is free.
- Log in to Absher and open My Services > Traffic > Dispute Traffic Violations.
- Select the violation and fill in the objection details the form asks for, including your explanation.
- Review and submit, then follow the status in the same service. The service card does not give a time for the committee’s decision.
- If the dispute is rejected, the fine becomes payable: Article 75 gives 15 days to pay, and you can ask for up to 90 more days within that window.
Not every fine is a traffic violation in this sense. Fines issued by municipalities, or by the Transport General Authority on commercial transport activity, are disputed through those authorities’ own services. Check who issued the fine before you choose where to object.
Writing a strong objection: reasons and evidence
Because each violation can be disputed only once and five rejections close the service for the year, the objection has to be right the first time. Base it on a fact that official records or dated documents can confirm.
| Situation | Evidence to prepare |
|---|---|
| The car had been sold before the violation date | The date of the ownership transfer on Absher and the sale record |
| The plates were lost or stolen, or the image shows a different vehicle | The date of the plate loss or theft report, the vehicle’s make and colour as registered, and the violation image |
| You were outside Saudi Arabia on the violation date | Passport entry and exit stamps or travel records, with dates |
| The car was in a workshop or impounded | The workshop’s dated invoice or job card, or the impound record |
| The same violation was recorded twice | Both violation numbers, times and locations |
- Be specific: state the violation number, date, time and location, then the single main reason in one or two sentences.
- Stick to facts: “the vehicle was transferred to a new owner on [date]” carries weight; “I am a careful driver” does not.
- Keep it consistent: dates and plate numbers must match the documents exactly.
- Attach or cite the evidence: attach it if the form allows, otherwise refer to it clearly and keep copies in case the traffic department asks.
- Don’t dispute just to buy time: a weak dispute costs you one of your five rejections. Use the payment extension instead.
Common reasons an objection fails
- Filing after the 30 days, often because the violation was noticed only when a visa or renewal was refused.
- Trying to dispute a violation registered to someone else, for example to the company that owns the car. Only the person or entity it is registered to can object.
- Filing a second dispute while the first is still open.
- Re-disputing a violation the committee has already decided.
- Giving vague or emotional reasons with no dates or records behind them.
- Reaching five rejected disputes in the Hijri year.
When unpaid traffic fines block other services
Unpaid violations are a condition in several Absher services, and the system stops the request until they are paid. Run a traffic violation check before you start any of these:
| Service | Official condition |
|---|---|
| Exit re-entry or final exit visa | All traffic violations settled for the individual, the worker and the sponsor |
| Iqama renewal | No unpaid traffic violations registered to the person being renewed |
| Driving licence renewal | Traffic violations paid, if any |
| Vehicle registration (istimara) renewal | Traffic violations paid, with valid insurance and inspection |
| Vehicle ownership transfer | Neither the buyer nor the vehicle may have traffic violations |
In practice this is where most people find out about old fines: a family’s exit re-entry visa refused the week before travel, or a final exit visa held up at the end of a contract. The same applies when renewing a Saudi driving licence or renewing the istimara after the periodic vehicle inspection. Beyond blocked services, Article 75 allows direct enforcement on the violator’s bank balances once the payment window and any extension have passed, except for violations the Ministry of Interior excludes.
Company vehicles: violations on employees’ cars
- Where they show: violations registered against an establishment, including traffic violations, can be viewed and paid on Efaa with the commercial registration (CR) or establishment number.
- Who can dispute: a violation must be disputed by the account it is registered to. An employee cannot object on Absher to a fine registered against the company.
- Employees’ own fines: a worker’s personal unpaid violations block that worker’s iqama renewal and visas. HR should ask staff to clear them before renewal dates or travel.
- Transport violations: trucks and vehicles used for commercial transport can also receive Transport General Authority violations. These are checked and disputed through the authority’s own services, not Absher.
- Internal policy: keep a log of which employee had which car and when, so a fine can be matched to the driver within the 30-day objection period. Agree in writing how fines incurred by drivers are handled.
How Moaqeb can help with traffic violations
We go through your violation list with you, separate the fines worth disputing from the ones better paid or extended, and track the 30-day and 15-day deadlines. For a dispute, we prepare clear objection wording and organise the evidence: sale dates, travel dates, workshop invoices, plate reports. We then guide you step by step on Absher while you submit it yourself. Before a visa, iqama or istimara renewal, we check that no fines will block the request. You always log in, submit and pay yourself, and we never ask for passwords or verification codes. We do not represent anyone before a court or committee. See how we help with Saudi government e-services and online transaction follow-up, or how we quote a service.
Official sources
We reviewed this guide in October 2026. Deadlines and conditions can change, so check the current terms in Absher before you act:
- National Platform: Dispute Traffic Violations (conditions and limits)
- National Platform: Query Traffic Violations for Visitors
- National Platform: paying violations registered against individuals on Efaa
- National Platform: paying violations registered against establishments on Efaa
- National Platform: issuing an exit re-entry or final exit visa (traffic violations condition)
- National Platform: Renewal of Iqama (residence permit)
- Bureau of Experts: Traffic Law and the amended Article 75 (Arabic)
- Saudi Press Agency: Ministry of Interior on the Article 75 amendment, 15-day and 90-day deadlines (Arabic)
- Saudi Press Agency: the 25% reduction under Article 75 and payment through SADAD and Efaa (Arabic)
- Saudi Press Agency: the 50% reduction on accumulated fines ended on 18 April 2025
- Absher: traffic services guide (query, dispute and payment extension)
- Efaa: the National Violations Platform
Frequently asked questions
How do I check my traffic violations in Saudi Arabia?
Log in to Absher and open My Services, then Traffic, then Query Traffic Violations. The check is free and also shows your family members’ violations. Without Absher, you can see unpaid fines in SADAD in your bank app by iqama number, or on Efaa.
Can visitors check traffic violations?
Yes. On the Absher website, go to Instant Absher Services, then Visitors, then Query Traffic Violations for Visitors, and enter a border number, passport number or GCC ID. The service is free and lists unpaid violations.
How many days do I have to object to a traffic violation?
30 days from the date the violation was registered. You can dispute each violation only once, only one dispute can be open at a time, and the service stops after five rejected disputes in a Hijri year.
How long do I have to pay a traffic fine?
15 days after the 30-day objection period ends, or after a dispute is rejected. Within those 15 days you can request an extension of up to 90 days on Absher. After that, the law allows enforcement on your bank balances.
Is there a discount on traffic violations in 2026?
Violations committed since 18 April 2024 get a 25% reduction under Article 75 when paid within the legal timeframe. The 50% discount on fines committed before that date ended on 18 April 2025.
Can I issue an exit re-entry visa with unpaid traffic fines?
No. Absher requires all traffic violations to be settled for the individual, the worker and the sponsor before an exit re-entry or final exit visa is issued. Iqama renewal also requires unpaid violations to be cleared.
Can I check traffic violations by plate number?
There is no official public plate-number search. The owner sees violations linked to their vehicles in their own Absher account. Avoid websites or messages offering plate searches or payment links.
Who pays traffic fines on a company car?
Violations registered against the establishment are viewed and paid on Efaa with the CR or establishment number, and a dispute has to come from the establishment, not the employee. How fines are recovered from drivers is a matter for the company’s written policy.
