RTA bans car rental companies from keeping customers' data

Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has banned car rental firms operating in the emirate from retaining sensitive data belonging to its customers, under revised conditions issued by the licensing agency.

Under new stipulations outlined issuing permits for car rental business in Dubai, the RTA said companies are not allowed to retain passport or identity card details belonging to its customers.

"No private documents relating to the renter shall be retained such as the passport or identity card," said Nasir Al-Haj, Director of Commercial Transport Activities, RTA’s Licensing Agency.

"The new conditions aim to improve the business practices of this sector, curb offences and risks, and define the roles and responsibilities of parties associated with this sector."

The revised conditions also stipulate that each office and branch must have a minimum number of vehicles.

“The [car rental] office is obliged to provide at least ten vehicles during the initial year in the head office and three vehicles in each branch," Al-Haj said, adding that in case an entity owns vehicles exceeding AED 600,000 in value, the head office shall have at least five vehicles.

Each car rental office has to has to be approved by the Department of Economic Development.