Time limits to report and claim after an accident in the UAE

The clock starts at different moments for different steps. Write down the dates as they happen.

Which deadlines apply after an accident?

Sources for Table 1

The traffic law,¹ Cabinet Resolution 33 of 2022,² the UAE Government,³ Rafid,⁴ the Ministry of Interior,⁵ the Civil Transactions Law,⁶ the unified third party policy,⁷ the labour law⁸ and the Domestic Workers Law.⁹

Use the claim time limit calculator to turn these into dates.

What happens if you miss the 3-hour report?

The traffic law requires every driver to report an accident to the police, or to the body the traffic authority approves, within 3 hours. The traffic authority decides whether an excuse for a late report is acceptable.¹ A garage cannot repair accident damage without the repair permit that follows the report.¹ Rafid in Sharjah asks for same-day reporting and treats its reports as valid for 30 calendar days, after which they need a paid renewal.⁴

If you could not report in time because you were in hospital, tell the police why when you report, and keep the hospital records that show the dates.

What deadlines does your employer have after a work injury?

Your employer must report the injury to the medical authority, to the police station for the area straight away if it was an accident, and to MOHRE within 48 hours of the injury or of learning of a suspected occupational disease.² The UAE Government says the employer must then pay the compensation within 10 days of receiving the medical report that confirms the injury or disability.³

Ask your employer for a copy of the MOHRE report, and note the date you receive the final medical report.

When does the three-year limit for an injury claim start?

On the day you became aware of the harm and of the person responsible for it. Whatever happens, no claim is heard more than 15 years after the harmful act.⁶

If the accident is also a crime, such as a road accident with injuries, and the criminal case can still be brought after the three years, the three years only start when the criminal case ends.⁶

Start your claim well before the three years, and keep proof of when you learned who was responsible.

When does the insurance claim limit start?

Three years from the event that gives rise to the claim. The law moves the start date in three cases: if the insured hid or misstated facts about the risk, it runs from when the insurer found out; for the insured event, from when the people concerned learned of it; and where a third party claims against the insured, from when that third party sues or is paid.⁶

The unified motor policy has its own three-year bar on lawsuits, from the accident or from when the injured party learned of the damage and the person liable.⁷

How long do you have for a work injury claim?

A claim for any right under the labour law cannot be heard more than two years after your employment ends.⁸ For domestic workers the limit is three months after the work ends.⁹ See injured at work and domestic worker injuries.

Are there deadlines for complaining to Sanadak?

You must complain to the insurer first and wait for its answer. Sanadak’s eligibility page and the UAE Government give 15 calendar days for the insurer to respond before you go to Sanadak.^10,11 Another answer in Sanadak’s FAQ says 30 calendar days.¹² The Central Bank’s regulation gives 30 complete business days, or another period the Central Bank sets.¹³ Check the live eligibility questions on Sanadak’s site before you file. See where to complain.

The small print

The Civil Transactions Law is Federal Decree-Law 25 of 2025, in force since 1 June 2026. It replaced Federal Law 5 of 1985.^6,14 The labour law’s two-year limit is in the English text as amended on the UAE Legislation portal.⁸ The English texts are translations; the Arabic prevails.