Shafaq News- Baghdad
Iraq's parliament is moving forward with amendments to theTraffic Law, despite lacking the authority to cancel existing traffic fines orapply the changes retroactively, a lawmaker told Shafaq News on Tuesday.
Mohammed Al-Khafaji said that parliament had completed thefirst reading of the proposed amendments and is expected to begin the secondreading after the legislative recess. The draft includes proposals to reducetraffic fines, extend the period for paying half the fine, abolish the systemof doubling penalties, and revise regulations governing driving licenses andvehicle sales and transfers. He noted that Iraq now has more than eight millionvehicles, underscoring the need to update the legislation.
Under the draft amendment, paragraph (W) of Article 25 ofTraffic Law No. 8 of 2019 would be replaced with a provision penalizing theoperation of vehicles with tinted windows or curtains. Vehicles would beimpounded until the tinting or curtains are removed, unless they have beenapproved by the Ministry of Interior in accordance with regulations issued bythe interior minister and subject to applicable fees.
On May 25, Othman Al-Shaibani, a member of the State of LawCoalition (SLC), called for the cancellation of traffic fines, arguing thatthey have become an increasing financial burden on Iraqi households. Accordingto the Ministry of Interior, Baghdad recorded 3.88 million traffic violationsin 2025 and collected 161.9 billion Iraqi dinars (about $124.5 million) infines, including 1.1 million violations detected through surveillance cameras.
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