Emergency Numbers in Dubai: 999, 998, 997 and the Tourist Police

Five ways to get help in Dubai

#1

Anywhere in the UAE Crime, danger, traffic accidents and any emergency

999: Police

u.ae says to call 999 to report crimes and emergencies from anywhere in the UAE. It also gives 999 for road accidents: say that an accident happened, give your location and wait for instructions. If you are unsure which service you need, 999 is a good first call: say what has happened and where you are.

#2

Anywhere in the UAE; the app is for Dubai Illness or injury that needs medical help now

998: Ambulance and the DCAS SOS app

u.ae gives 998 for an ambulance and says an air ambulance may be sent if the patient needs one. In Dubai it also names the DCAS SOS app of the Dubai Corporation for Ambulance Services, which has an SOS button that finds the patient's exact location. Our guide to doctors and hospitals covers what happens next.

#3

Anywhere in the UAE Fire, smoke or a building emergency

997: Fire and Civil Defence

u.ae gives 997 for the Fire Department, called Civil Defence. Its advice for a fire is to leave the building at once, walk calmly to the exit, not stop to collect belongings, close doors behind you if you can, never use a lift, and not return until police or civil defence say it is safe.

#4

On your phone, by phone and in person Non-emergency reports and lost items

Dubai Police app, 901 and Smart Police Stations

Gulf News describes 901 as the Dubai Police non-emergency line, used for information on how to file a report. Lost items and documents are reported in the Dubai Police app under Services and Lost Certificate, or in person at a Smart Police Station. Visitors enter a passport number, date of birth, nationality and email.

#5

Dubai Questions and problems that involve a visitor

Tourism Police

On its page of tourist helplines, u.ae gives +971 50 453 8107 as the number for the Tourism Police in Dubai, and separate numbers for Abu Dhabi. In a real emergency, call 999 first. For other tourist problems, such as a dispute or a lost item, the tourism police line or the app is the next step.

Emergency numbers in Dubai: the short answer

Save three numbers: 999, 998 and 997. According to u.ae, the UAE government portal, they are the police, the ambulance and the fire department (Civil Defence), and you can call them while anywhere in the UAE. The table adds the other numbers a visitor may need, with the source for each. Numbers and fees can change, so confirm the ones you rely on in the Dubai Police app or on u.ae before you travel.

Check these numbers before you rely on them. For a marine emergency in Dubai, u.ae lists a separate Dubai Coast Guard number on its Handling emergencies page.

If you are not sure which service you need, call 999 and say what has happened. For a medical problem that is not an emergency, see pharmacies and doctors in Dubai for tourists.

What to do when you call

In the first seconds, say where you are, what happened and whether anyone is hurt. A hotel name, a street, a mall or a Metro station is enough to start with. If you are in the desert or on a beach with no address, send your phone location to the person helping you.

u.ae gives specific advice for two common situations. After a road accident, call 999, report the accident, give your location and wait for instructions. If it is a minor accident and nobody is hurt, you can move your car to the shoulder to avoid blocking traffic, and wait at least 15 metres away from it. If anybody is injured, leave all vehicles where they are and wait for an ambulance. If you rent a car, our guide to renting a car in Dubai as a tourist covers the licence, tolls and rules.

For a fire, call 997 and leave the building. u.ae says to walk calmly to the exit, not to stay behind to collect belongings, to close doors as you leave if you can, to avoid lifts, and not to go back inside until the police or civil defence declare it safe. Only try to put out a fire with an extinguisher if you can do it without risking your life.

The tourist police and the Dubai Police app

Dubai Police has several ways to reach it besides 999. Gulf News describes 901 as the non-emergency line, and says it is used to get information on filing a report. For harassment or safety concerns, u.ae lists the Al Ameen service on 800 4444 from within the UAE, or +971 800 4444 from outside it.

For visitors, u.ae gives a separate number for the Tourism Police in Dubai, +971 50 453 8107, and a different one for Abu Dhabi. We cannot tell you the opening hours of that line, so treat it as the place to ask when the problem involves a visitor but is not an emergency, and use 999 for anything urgent.

The Dubai Police app, available for iOS and Android, is the quickest way for most visitors to report a lost item. Gulf News describes how: open Services, scroll to Lost Certificate, and fill in the form. Emirates ID holders enter their ID number; visitors enter a passport number, date of birth, nationality and email. Keep a photo of your passport on your phone, because the form asks for its details. If you need a phone plan for the app, read SIM cards at Dubai airport.

Reporting a theft or a lost item, step by step

The steps for a lost or stolen item are short. Retrace your steps first, because Gulf News advises that you may find the item yourself. If not:

• In danger or the thief is still near: call 999.
• Otherwise: open the Dubai Police app, tap Services, then Lost Certificate, and choose the type of item. Add the date, time and place of the loss and a short description. A photo is optional.
• Pay by card and save the transaction number. The certificate and the payment receipt are sent to your email, according to Gulf News.
• No phone? Go to a Smart Police Station, or call 901 to ask how to file.
• Keep the certificate. Your travel insurer will ask for it, and for a passport your embassy will too.

Gulf News lists the fees in its guide, last updated in January 2026, as AED 50 for the service plus AED 20 in knowledge and innovation fees, with another AED 100 if you file at a Smart Police Station. Fees change, so check them in the app. The same guide cites cases where lost items were returned within half an hour, though it says there is no set timeline. For a lost passport, see lost passport in Dubai: what to do. For items left in an RTA taxi or on the Metro, start with the RTA call centre on 800 90 90; the RTA contact page we read does not list a lost-and-found desk, so ask the agent where to report it. Our taxi guide covers RTA taxis and the ride-hailing apps.

Other helplines a visitor may need

u.ae also lists specialist lines. These are the ones most relevant to visitors, with the exact number as published:

Drone rules for visitors are in our drone guide.

If you plan to fly a drone, read can you fly a drone in Dubai first. For a scam or an unfair charge, see common tourist scams in Dubai.

On a tour, at sea or in the desert

If something goes wrong while you are with a guide, a driver or a crew, tell them first. They are on the spot and can give the exact place to the emergency service. Then message us on WhatsApp so we can help with the paperwork afterwards. On the shared 1-hour yacht tour, from $32 per person, and the full-day desert safari, from $45, you are never alone, but it still helps to know the numbers.

At sea, u.ae says Dubai has its own Coast Guard contact for marine accidents, and lists seven maritime rescue points: Al Hamriya, Coast Guards, Dubai Creek, Floating Bridge, Jumeirah 1, Jumeirah 2 and Jumeirah 3. Our beach rules and safety guide explains flags and swimming limits, and is Dubai safe for tourists covers the wider picture.

Save this before you fly

A two-minute set-up saves time if something goes wrong:

• Save 999, 998 and 997 as contacts with their names, so you or a companion can find them fast.
• Install the Dubai Police app and the DCAS SOS app before you arrive, and check that they open.
• Keep a photo of your passport and your insurance policy on your phone.
• Write your hotel name and phone number on a card in your wallet.
• Save your embassy's number and your insurer's 24-hour line.

FAQ

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