Kurdistan Region Announces Reciprocal Traffic Fine System with Iraqi Governorates

The Kurdistan Region's Ministry of Interior announced on Sunday the implementation of a new system that imposes traffic fines on vehicles bearing the Region's license plates when violations are recorded against them in other Iraqi governorates, and vice versa. Hemin Mirany, Director General of the Diwan of the Ministry of Interior in the Kurdistan Regional Government, explained during a press conference that the electronic registration of transactions has commenced at the heavy vehicle department within the Erbil Traffic Directorate. Mirany added that this service includes vehicle transfers and annual renewals for licenses and permits. He affirmed that the fees would remain unchanged, and the process would be very swift, pointing to a plan to generalize the experience to other departments and directorates. Mirany clarified that fine payments are currently manual, not electronic, with ongoing efforts to convert the fine payment process to an new electronic system. He also noted high coordination with Iraqi federal departments, which will enable citizens to complete part of their transactions electronically via the dedicated website. In response to a reporter, Mirany affirmed close coordination with federal traffic departments in Iraqi governorates and Baghdad, stating that any fine recorded in an Iraqi governorate outside the Region would be registered within the Region, and vice versa. He further added that any vehicle bearing the Region's license plates that incurs a violation in any Iraqi governorate would be fined, and the same applies in the opposite direction. Mirany emphasized that no vehicle would be permitted to operate on the Region's roads unless it met safety and security conditions.