Decree law No. 155 of 2025 abolishes Traffic Court, streamlines misdemeanor procedures
Kuwait has officially repealed Law No. 22 of 1960, which regulated the Traffic Court, through the issuance of Decree Law No. 155 of 2025. The decree will take effect three months after its publication in the Official Gazette, meaning it will enter into force on February 2, 2026.
The explanatory memorandum accompanying the decree outlined four main reasons for abolishing the specialized traffic court:
Specialized circuits now suffice
Under Articles 7 and 8 of the Judicial Organization Law No. 23 of 1990, the Court of First Instance can form specialized circuits, and the Minister of Justice can establish criminal circuits for specific cases with the approval of the General Assembly of the Court.
This makes the creation of a separate Traffic Court redundant while still ensuring that traffic cases are handled by dedicated judicial circuits.
Unified regulation of penal orders
Articles 148 and 149 of the Criminal Procedures and Trials Law already govern the issuance of penal orders for misdemeanor cases, including traffic offenses.
This eliminates the need for separate penal order provisions under the old Traffic Court Law and ensures that traffic misdemeanors are treated consistently with other minor offenses.
Standardized procedural rules
Procedures under Articles 6, 7, and 8 of the former Traffic Court Law, including judgments and appeals, largely mirrored the Criminal Procedures and Trials Law.
Repealing these provisions allows all misdemeanor cases, including traffic offenses, to follow a unified legal framework, enhancing procedural justice.
Reconciliation already covered by traffic law
Article 9 of the Traffic Court Law allowed reconciliation in certain traffic offenses. This provision is now redundant due to Article 41 of Decree Law No. 67 of 1976 on traffic, which already permits accepting reconciliations from the accused in specific cases.
With this reform, Kuwait simplifies the judicial handling of traffic offenses, integrates them into the broader misdemeanor framework, and eliminates redundancies while maintaining specialized oversight through criminal circuits.
