How to Report a Lost Item in Dubai in 2026
To report a lost item in Dubai, start with the operator or venue that controlled the place where it disappeared. Use Dubai Police’s Lost & Found service for a police lost-property report, and protect cards, phones and identity documents separately.
Choose the route by where the item was lost
The fastest first route is usually the location that can search its own records and property desk. Contact the mall, hotel, airport, building security or transport operator with a narrow time window. A police report is useful when the item is not recovered or when an official record is needed, but it does not replace an operator’s own lost-and-found process.
If the item was left in a Dubai taxi
RTA’s official taxi Lost & Found instructions ↗ direct passengers to open RTA’s menu, select Feedback, then Lost & Found. Submit an item description and the trip details, including pickup and drop-off locations, date and time, and the journey receipt if available. RTA says the status can then be tracked from the SMS received.
Use the trip receipt or ride-booking history before guessing a taxi company, plate or driver. RTA’s published customer line is 800 9090, available for inquiries and notifications.
If it was lost on the Metro or another public-transport journey
Report it promptly to the relevant station or operator desk and provide the route, direction, station, vehicle or carriage clues, and approximate time. RTA’s official Mahboub lost-and-found flow says a person who lost an item on the Dubai Metro should refer to the nearest police officer at a Metro station. Do not travel to an unknown location or pay someone privately because they claim to have found the item.
Use Dubai Police Lost & Found when appropriate
Dubai Police’s official Lost & Found service ↗ lets users report lost property or hand over found property for return after verification. Its Report Lost Item service ↗ covers belongings and personal items and provides a route for communication if the item is found.
Prepare the details before opening the service:
- The approximate date, time and last confirmed location.
- A clear description: category, colour, brand and one distinctive feature.
- A serial number, receipt or photograph if you have one—but do not publish full sensitive identifiers on social media.
- The venue, taxi or journey reference already contacted.
- A contact method you can monitor and any report or reference number issued.
Dubai Police lists 999 for emergencies only and 901 for other inquiries. A misplaced item without an immediate threat is not an emergency. If there is a crime in progress, danger or urgent safety risk, use the emergency route.
Protect a phone, bank card or identity document now
Lost-property reporting and account protection are separate jobs. Use the issuing bank’s official app or number to freeze a bank card. Use the device maker or mobile operator’s official controls to lock a phone or SIM. For an Emirates ID, passport, driving licence or another government document, follow the issuing authority’s replacement process as well as any lost-property reporting requirement that applies.
Do not share an OTP, PIN, UAE Pass approval or full card details with someone claiming to have the item. Ask for a safe verification detail that only a genuine finder is likely to know, and arrange any handover through the responsible operator, venue or police route.
If you found someone else’s item
Do not keep it or post full document images online. Dubai Police’s Report Found Item service ↗ says individuals and organisations in Dubai can hand found items to police stations or designated partners so ownership can be verified.
Related Dubai safety and identity guides
Replace a lost Emirates ID →
Report cybercrime in Dubai →
Recover UAE Pass safely →
Use and manage a Dubai nol card →
Sources and review note
Reviewed by the Dubai Daily Guide editorial team on 21 October 2026 against Dubai Police’s Lost & Found, Report Lost Item and Report Found Item pages, and RTA’s taxi lost-and-found instructions. Service channels and procedures can change; confirm the live authority page before relying on a route.