Sharjah's proposed law on lost and abandoned property aims to regulate how found belongings, cash and unclaimed assets are received, safeguarded, returned or disposed of.
10 November, 2026
Sharjah Draft Law on Lost and Abandoned Property: How Will Found Money and Unclaimed Belongings Be Handled?
Finding a wallet, mobile phone, bag or cash in a public place may appear to be a simple situation. However, the legal handling of lost property involves important questions: Who is responsible for receiving it? How should it be recorded and safeguarded? How can the rightful owner recover it? And what happens if nobody claims it?
These questions are the subject of a proposed legislative development in the Emirate of Sharjah.
On 1 November 2026, the Sharjah Consultative Council approved, with amendments, a draft law concerning the disposal of lost and abandoned property in the emirate. The proposal aims to establish clearer procedures for receiving, safeguarding, managing and disposing of such property while protecting the rights of its rightful owners.
The development is particularly relevant to residents, visitors, businesses and government entities that may come into possession of lost or unclaimed belongings.
However, it is important to understand that the announcement concerns a draft law approved by the Sharjah Consultative Council, not confirmation that the legislation has already been promulgated or entered into force.
1. What Is the Proposed Sharjah Law About?
The proposed legislation concerns the handling and disposal of two categories of property:
Lost property: Belongings or money that have been found after being separated from their rightful owner.
Abandoned property: Money or belongings that have been left without being claimed or collected by their owner.
The distinction matters because property that has accidentally been lost and property that has deliberately been abandoned may require different legal treatment.
According to the Sharjah Consultative Council, the proposal seeks to regulate the procedures for handling these assets and establish clear responsibilities for the authorities involved.
The Government of Sharjah has also indicated that the proposed legislation will regulate work already carried out by Sharjah Police in cooperation with other relevant government entities.
2. Why Has Sharjah Proposed This Legislation?
The proposed law is intended to provide a clearer legal and administrative process for dealing with found and abandoned property.
Before property can be returned, stored or disposed of, several practical issues need to be addressed. These include documenting the item, identifying the relevant authority, preserving the property and making reasonable efforts to contact its owner.
The Sharjah Government has highlighted three important objectives:
A. Protecting ownership rights
The proposal aims to ensure that property belonging to individuals is safeguarded and that appropriate steps are taken to communicate with rightful owners, including individuals located outside the UAE.
B. Defining government responsibilities
The proposed law seeks to clarify the responsibilities and powers of the authorities involved in receiving, safeguarding, managing and disposing of lost and abandoned property.
C. Improving financial transparency
The proposal also addresses the handling of financial proceeds arising from the disposal of unclaimed property. According to the official announcement, these proceeds are to be deposited into the Sharjah Government's public treasury account in accordance with the proposed legal procedures.
3. What Procedures Does the Draft Law Address?
Although the complete text of the draft law has not been made available in the official announcement, information published by the Sharjah Government and Sharjah24 provides an overview of the matters addressed.
The draft reportedly contains 14 articles and includes provisions dealing with:
Receiving and registering property
The proposed legislation addresses procedures for handing over and registering found or abandoned property. Proper documentation is important because it creates a record of the property and supports the process of identifying its rightful owner.
Safekeeping and management
The proposal aims to establish procedures for protecting and managing property while it remains under the custody of the relevant authorities.
Notifying potential owners
The draft addresses public notification procedures and efforts to communicate with owners. This is particularly important where the owner cannot immediately be identified or is outside the UAE.
Sale and final disposal
The proposal also deals with procedures for selling or otherwise disposing of property that remains unclaimed, subject to the applicable legal requirements.
Handling financial proceeds
The proposed legislation provides for financial proceeds arising from the disposal of property to be deposited into the Sharjah Government's public treasury account.
These provisions are intended to establish a more organised process and reduce uncertainty regarding the treatment of property that remains unclaimed.
Note: The specific time limits, notification requirements, sale conditions, claim procedures and consequences of non-compliance should not be assumed from these summaries. They must be verified against the final published legislation.
4. What Role Will Sharjah Police Play?
Sharjah Police has an important operational role in the proposed system.
The Commander-in-Chief of Sharjah Police attended the Consultative Council's discussion alongside representatives of the Government of Sharjah's Legal Department.
The official announcement explained that the proposed law would regulate existing work undertaken by Sharjah Police in cooperation with other relevant authorities.
The relevant department within Sharjah Police is expected to play a central role in handling found property, safeguarding it, managing the associated procedures and facilitating communication with owners.
The proposed legislation also aims to clarify how the authorities coordinate their responsibilities.
This is important because found property may come into the possession of different government departments, public facilities or other organisations before it reaches the appropriate authority.
5. Does Dubai Have a Similar Law?
Yes. Dubai has already enacted specific legislation governing lost and abandoned property.
Dubai Law No. 17 of 2025 concerning the disposition of lost and abandoned property in the Emirate of Dubai establishes detailed procedures for handling such assets.
For example, Article 4 requires a finder to register the property in Dubai Police's electronic system within 24 hours and hand it over within 48 hours. Article 5 addresses the retention and disposal of lost property, while Article 6 deals with the owner's right to reclaim it or claim sale proceeds.
Article 11 also provides for administrative fines ranging from AED 500 to AED 100,000, with provisions for increased fines in cases of repeated violations.
However, these provisions are specific to Dubai.
Dubai Law No. 17 of 2025 should not be treated as the governing legislation for Sharjah. Sharjah's proposed law is a separate legislative development, and its requirements must be determined from the final legislation applicable in that emirate.
This distinction is important for individuals and businesses operating across different emirates.
6. What Should Residents and Businesses Keep in Mind?
Until the Sharjah proposal completes the applicable legislative process and the final law is officially published, individuals and businesses should avoid treating the announced provisions as new legal obligations already in force.
Nevertheless, certain practical precautions remain sensible:
Do not assume that finding an item gives you ownership of it.
Avoid using, selling, transferring or disposing of property that may belong to someone else.
Report found valuables to the appropriate authorities.
Where property is found at a workplace, shopping centre, hotel or other establishment, follow the organisation's established lost-and-found procedure.
Keep a record of the item and the circumstances in which it was found or handed over, where appropriate.
Follow the instructions of the relevant authorities when returning or surrendering property.
These are practical precautions, not a substitute for checking the applicable legal requirements.
Conclusion
Sharjah's proposed law on lost and abandoned property represents an important step towards establishing clearer procedures for protecting ownership rights and managing unclaimed assets.
By addressing the receipt, registration, safekeeping, notification, sale and disposal of property, the proposed legislation aims to improve coordination between government authorities and provide greater transparency in the handling of such assets.
The development also highlights the importance of emirate-specific legislation. While Dubai already has Law No. 17 of 2025 governing lost and abandoned property, Sharjah is progressing with its own proposed legislation.
The final legal position will depend on the text of the legislation as formally issued and published. Residents and businesses should therefore watch for the official publication before relying on specific deadlines, procedures or penalties.
MLC can assist individuals and businesses in understanding UAE legal developments, identifying applicable emirate-specific requirements and obtaining guidance on property-related legal matters.
