Foreign Nationals Barred From Registering Vehicles in Maldives as Parliament Weighs Stricter Transport Bill

The government has suspended vehicle registration services for foreign nationals, a step that Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation Mohamed Ameen said reflects efforts to overhaul the nation’s land transport laws. Minister Ameen said the temporary measure is intended to ease mounting congestion in Malé while lawmakers deliberate on a legislative framework that would impose stricter penalties and redefine licensing protocols.

The draft legislation introduces substantial fines for regulatory violations and clarifies licensing procedures for non-citizens. Foreign nationals holding valid licences from countries that are party to international traffic conventions would be permitted to operate vehicles locally. The bill also codifies negligent or dangerous driving as a criminal offence. Fatal accidents would carry a mandatory twenty-year prison sentence, while accidents causing physical injuries would result in prison terms ranging from five to fifteen years.

Any prison sentence for traffic offences would automatically cancel the offender’s driver’s licence, which could be reinstated only after completion of a specialised rehabilitation programme administered by the Transport Ministry. Authorities have also been instructed to finalise supplementary regulations within six months of the law’s ratification.