Qatar posts its speed limits road by road, and 120 km/h is the figure set by the Public Works Authority on Dukhan Highway Central. Reports show other limits from 80 km/h on city expressways up to 140 km/h on one section of Salwa Road, so the sign decides. Roadside radars and mobile radars both operate, and the newer units also record phone use and seat belts.
| Road type | Cars |
|---|---|
| Dukhan Highway Central | 120 km/h, set in 2014 |
| Salwa Road, after the Industrial Area intersection | 140 km/h, reported in 2018 |
| February 22nd Street | 80 km/h from January 2015, on an experimental basis |
| Residential areas and near schools | As signed |
What are the speed limits in Qatar?
We found no published national table, so each limit below comes from a named report. Ashghal said in July 2014 that the speed on Dukhan Highway Central had been limited to 120 km/h to increase the safety of road users.
The Peninsula reported in February 2018 that the General Directorate of Traffic had set a maximum of 140 km/h on Salwa Road after the Industrial Area intersection. Gulf Times reported in January 2015 that February 22nd Street was cut from 100 km/h to 80 km/h on an experimental basis. These dated reports show how a limit can differ between roads and change over time, so treat them as examples rather than today’s sign.
In residential areas the message is to slow down. Gulf Times reported on 7 April 2026 that the Ministry of Interior called on motorists to reduce speed in residential neighbourhoods and near schools. The report gave no number, so follow the posted limit and the conditions around you.
What kinds of speed cameras does Qatar use?
Qatar uses roadside radars and mobile radars. The Peninsula reported in November 2022 that newly installed radars can record speeding, phone use while driving and seat belt offences. Gulf Times reported in December 2021 that the Traffic Department had intensified the deployment of mobile radars on Qatar’s roads.
The same radars look at what you do with a screen. Major Hamad Ali Al Muhannadi, chief of radar operations at the General Traffic Department, said in August 2023 that touching a phone mounted on the dashboard is a violation under Article 55 of the Traffic Law, according to The Peninsula. We found no current official camera count, and no official confirmation of average-speed enforcement.
Are speed camera apps legal in Qatar?
We found no specific rule on speed camera apps or detector devices in Qatar. We could not open the full text of Traffic Law No. 19 of 2007, as amended by Law No. 16 of 2015, so this is not a statement that they are permitted. Checked on 30 October 2026; check locally with the General Directorate of Traffic.
What should visiting drivers know?
- Speeds are in km/h, and the posted sign applies even where a neighbouring road has a higher limit.
- Set up your phone before you move. Touching a mounted screen while driving is a violation, according to the statement above.
- Expect limits to change. Those on main corridors have been lowered and raised over the years.
- Slow down near homes and schools, which is the Ministry of Interior’s own advice for 2026.
Driving on in the Gulf? See our guides to Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Kuwait.
