AutoSmart GuidebooksWhat this guidebook covers
In the UAE, after-sales is where consumer fines start. The Consumer Protection Law and its 2023 penalty schedule list 46 violations fined from AED 100,000 to AED 1,000,000, doubled for a repeat, and many of the highest are about warranty documents, maintenance, repeat defects and replacements.
This guidebook covers the 5 consumer standards most relevant to UAE dealers, with 15 checkpoints: the warranty document, scheduled maintenance, replacement or refund for repeat defects, clear prices and Arabic invoices, and recalls.
The 5 consumer protection standards
Open a standard to see the law behind it, what is checked, what it can cost and the evidence. Ideal fix times are counted from audit submission.
CP-01Warranty document given7 days
- The law
- Federal Law No. 15 of 2020 on Consumer Protection · Cabinet Decision No. 66 of 2023 (Executive Regulation, penalty schedule) · Consumer Protection Law warranty obligations · penalty schedule item: failure to provide the warranty document
- What we check
- Every buyer gets a written warranty document in Arabic (and English where used) stating what is covered, for how long, and how to claim.
- What it can cost
- AED 100,000 for a missing warranty document, doubled to AED 200,000 if it happens again.
- Evidence
- Deal files + template
CP-02Scheduled maintenance delivered72 hours
- The law
- Federal Law No. 15 of 2020 on Consumer Protection · Cabinet Decision No. 66 of 2023 (Executive Regulation, penalty schedule) · Penalty schedule item: failure to provide periodic maintenance on warranted goods
- What we check
- Free or included service plans are honoured on time, service bookings are available within a reasonable period, and warranty work is never refused without a documented reason.
- What it can cost
- Failing to provide the maintenance is AED 300,000 per violation, AED 600,000 on repeat.
- Evidence
- DMS reports
CP-03Replacement or refund for repeat defects72 hours
- The law
- Federal Law No. 15 of 2020 on Consumer Protection · Cabinet Decision No. 66 of 2023 (Executive Regulation, penalty schedule) · Penalty schedule items: failure to replace a defective product; failure to replace or refund when defects recur during warranty
- What we check
- If the same defect keeps coming back during warranty, or the supplier is responsible for the defect, the customer is offered a replacement or refund as the law requires. Replacement cars are provided where the warranty says so.
- What it can cost
- AED 500,000 per case, and AED 1,000,000 if repeated.
- Evidence
- DMS repeat report
CP-04Clear prices and Arabic invoices24 hours
- The law
- Federal Law No. 15 of 2020 on Consumer Protection · Cabinet Decision No. 66 of 2023 (Executive Regulation, penalty schedule) · Consumer Protection Law: price display, invoices and information in Arabic
- What we check
- Prices for cars, parts and labour are clearly displayed, and every invoice is in Arabic (other languages allowed alongside) with the date, item details, price and VAT.
- What it can cost
- Price and invoice failures are fined under the consumer schedule, from AED 100,000 per violation.
- Evidence
- Photos + invoices
CP-05Recalls actionedImmediate
- The law
- Federal Law No. 15 of 2020 on Consumer Protection · Cabinet Decision No. 66 of 2023 (Executive Regulation, penalty schedule) · Consumer Protection Law recall obligations · MoET product recall announcements
- What we check
- When the Ministry or manufacturer announces a recall, affected customers are contacted, vehicles in stock are fixed before sale, and completion is tracked.
- What it can cost
- Selling a recalled car unrepaired risks a replacement or refund order and the highest consumer fines.
- Evidence
- Recall tracker
How to run a UAE consumer protection and warranty audit, step by step
- Confirm what applies. Confirm which emirates the sites trade in: emirate economic departments may apply local procedures on top of the federal schedule.
- Walk the site, standard by standard. Score each of the 15 checkpoints Pass, Fail or N/A. N/A only where the standard rules it out, with the reason recorded. Sample 10 deal files, check the warranty template, and ask a salesperson what is handed over.
- Capture the evidence. A pass counts only with proof captured at the time of the audit: deal files with signed warranty copies, service plan records, price labels, invoices and recall completion lists.
- Give every fail an owner and a fix time. Record what you saw and who owns the fix. Each standard carries an ideal fix time, from immediate to 7 days, counted from audit submission (see the table above).
- Fix it, then prove it. The site fixes the cause and uploads proof of closure; the auditor checks the proof before closing the finding.
- Re-check at the next audit. Confirm closed findings stay closed, and look for the same fail at your other sites so one gap doesn't repeat across the network.
Who this guidebook is for
- Dealer principals and GMs: the fines per violation, doubled on repeat
- Sales and after-sales managers: what every customer must receive
- Auditors: deal files, service plans and recalls to check
A reference document, not legal advice. Fines and rules change: check the current text with the regulator or your legal adviser before acting.
