Abu Dhabi residents are being reminded to keep their balconies and windows tidy — or risk a fine. The Department of Municipalities and Transport (DMT) has recently issued a reminder about existing regulations that ban hanging laundry, carpets, or any type of covering on windows or balconies that face public roads.
DMT posted on X (formerly Twitter) that this applies to placing drying racks outside windows or on balconies (Clause 12), as well as cleaning or displaying carpets and coverings in those same areas (Clause 15). These actions go against efforts to keep the city clean and well-organised.
The fines haven’t changed, but here’s what to expect if you don’t follow the rules: AED 500 for a first violation, AED 1,000 if it happens again, and AED 2,000 for repeated offences. While it might be convenient to hang things outside, the better option is to invest in an indoor drying rack — cheaper than a fine and easy to find online.
This reminder follows a similar one from just over a month ago, when fines were also announced for leaving dirty or abandoned cars on public streets in the capital.
