Car Modification rules to be implemented soon.

Big news for people who modify their cars and the garages who work on such vehicles: on Monday, the Emirates Authority for Standardization & Metrology (ESMA) and the Automobile And Touring Club of the UAE (ATCUAE) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to regulate car modifications and customisation.

What this means is that effect, any and all modifications to your vehicle will have to be authorised by your local
licensing authority RTA, otherwise your car will be considered unroadworthy and liable for penalties and potentially, seizure.

I’ve prepared a quick FAQ based on what we know so far:

I have a modified car . Should I be worried? Will my car be impounded now?
If your car currently passes RTA inspection, no. These rules are for now, a draft regulation that will be submitted to the Government in February, and eventually, passed into law. For the moment, there are no plans to apply these regulations to existing vehicles, though it will eventually come into effect.

I own a garage that modifies cars. How will this affect me?
Once the law comes into effect, garages that apply modifications will have to be ‘certified’ in terms of qualifications to ensure the work they are doing is of certain standard. Certification will not be cheap and the RTA wants low-quality garages to be weeded out by these regulations.

Are there modifications which will not be affected by the law?
Here’s a preliminary list of items for which you will not need approval: bumpers, car seats, entertainment systems, exterior lighting (headlamps, tails and fogs), air filters, roof racks and side skirts.

What do I need approval for?
Here’s the bad news. All modifications to the following require RTA approval: engines, exhaust, suspension, forced induction of any kind, hoods, transmissions, bull bars, brakes. Again, not a comprehensive list, and it’s sure to grow.

What is the approval process?
It’s not 100% clear, but essentially your garage will need to seek approval before fitting a part – and be an approved modifier for the part in question – and like a colour change, once it’s approved you can go ahead and do it.

How will I know if a car is modified?
Modified cars will have a special registration card, indicating it bears changes.

What about classic cars? Offroaders? Restomods?
You all fall under the upcoming regulation.

Does my loud exhaust automatically make my car illegal?
Not necessarily, but it might. Your exhaust needs to comply with current emissions laws – so decatting is a big no-no – and fall under a maximum of 95dB for a sound limit.
Hang on, the new Ferrari 458 Speciale is way louder than 95dB!
As long as the car came that way from the factory, it’s fine with the RTA. Adding sound via louder exhausts that breach the limit is not acceptable.

How long before all of this becomes law?
February is the date for the first draft to be submitted to cabinet. After that, figure on a year before everything becomes solidified.
Will all the modified cars be impounded then?
When you go for registration with your modified car, you will receive a list of changes that have to made to certify the car within the following year. If they are not made within 12 months, the car will not be accepted for re-registration.

Source http://www.motoringme.com/modified-cars-garages-regulated-2015/