Kuwait Sets New Rules for Delivery Bike Riders

If you ride a delivery motorcycle in Kuwait, or you run a delivery business that depends on riders zipping around Salmiya, Hawally or Jahra, you need to know about this one. The General Traffic Department has just published a detailed list of rules specifically for delivery bikes, and breaking them doesn’t just mean a fine – it can mean your motorcycle sits in a police pound for up to two months.

This comes as part of a wider push this month to tighten how delivery riders operate on Kuwait’s roads. We’ve already covered the new traffic crackdown that started on 18 October, and these published rules fill in exactly what riders are expected to do – and avoid – day to day.

What exactly do the new rules say?

The Ministry of Interior, through the General Traffic Department, laid out a clear checklist for anyone riding a delivery motorcycle on Kuwait’s roads. Riders must:

1. Ride on the right side of the road.
2. Not overtake between vehicles.
3. Keep to the right when stopping at traffic signals, and not stop side by side with other riders or vehicles.
4. Wear the company’s reflective vest, following the specifications set by the General Traffic Department.
5. Fit lighting to the rear delivery box, with reflective strips placed behind it.
6. Wear a helmet at all times while riding.
7. Avoid stopping on sidewalks or in no-parking areas.
8. Not ride between a speed bump and the sidewalk.
9. Not ride on pedestrian bridges.

None of this is especially complicated, but it’s specific. It’s clearly aimed at the habits that have become common sights on Kuwait’s streets – riders weaving between cars, parking delivery bikes on footpaths, or riding without proper reflective gear at night.

So who does this affect?

This applies to every delivery motorcycle rider operating in Kuwait, whether they work for a big delivery platform or a smaller local company. It also puts responsibility on the companies themselves. If a rider repeatedly breaks these rules, the Ministry of Interior said the operating company will face administrative action, not just the individual rider.

That’s worth noting if you run or manage a delivery fleet here. It’s no longer just the rider’s problem if the rules are ignored – it becomes a company liability too, which could affect how firms train staff, issue gear, and monitor their riders going forward.

What happens if you break the rules?

The penalty is straightforward and steep: motorcycles belonging to riders who violate these rules can be impounded for up to 60 days. That’s a long stretch for anyone relying on the bike to earn a living, and it comes on top of whatever standard traffic violation might also apply.

If your motorcycle does end up impounded, the process to get it back follows the same general system used for other vehicles – something we’ve broken down before in our guide on getting an impounded vehicle released. Riders should expect fees and paperwork regardless of how quickly they act.

Why this is happening now

This isn’t an isolated announcement. As we reported on 5 October, Kuwait had already begun tightening rules on delivery riders with warnings about impoundment. Days later, a citizen’s video of a bike rider’s behaviour circulated and drew attention to the issue, which we also covered. The timing suggests authorities are responding to mounting public complaints about how some delivery riders move through traffic, park, and interact with pedestrians.

It also follows Kuwait’s broader effort this year to regulate the delivery sector more generally, including the 1 KD delivery fee cap introduced in July. Put together, it looks like the authorities are treating delivery services as an area that needs clearer, enforced standards – not just on pricing, but on road safety too.

What this means for people living in Kuwait

For residents who order food or groceries regularly, this is good news in theory – safer riding habits should mean fewer near-misses on the road and tidier parking outside your building or mall entrance. For riders themselves, it means adjusting habits that might have become routine, like squeezing between cars in traffic or parking on a sidewalk for a quick drop-off.

For delivery companies, it’s a signal to tighten training and supplies – reflective vests that meet the Traffic Department’s own specifications, proper lighting kits for delivery boxes, and clear internal reminders about where riders can and cannot stop. Given that companies themselves can now face administrative action, this isn’t something to leave entirely to individual riders.

You can keep up with more rule changes like this one on our Local news page, where we’re tracking how this crackdown develops over the coming weeks.

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