Group cash into Dubai, where pages disagree.

What the official pages say

Dubai Customs says that arriving passengers must declare cash or bearer instruments above AED 60,000, or the equivalent in other currencies, including travellers cheques, on the set form. Its page adds that not declaring is treated as smuggling, which is punishable by law. It gives no penalty figure that we could find.

The Passenger Customs Guide, version 6 of 2025, is Dubai Customs’ own booklet. It says passengers aged 18 and over, arriving or leaving, must complete the declaration for cash, cheques, promissory notes, payment orders, precious metals or stones above AED 60,000, and it mentions the iDeclare app as a way to do it. The UAE government portal, updated on 27 October 2026, says the same AED 60,000 figure applies on entering or leaving the country. It says the declaration goes to the federal identity and customs authority, through its website or the Afseh app.

Those three agree. The disagreement is on two other official pages, below.

Where the pages disagree

We opened all five official pages on 31 October 2026. They do not give one figure, and we do not say which page is wrong.

So three official pages say AED 60,000 and two show AED 100,000. If you carry any amount near either figure, declare it or ask Dubai Customs before you fly.

What the pages do not answer for a group leader

The pages give a clear rule for an individual, and they leave several group questions open. We looked for answers and did not find them.

• Whether a teacher or leader who holds students’ money counts as the “accompanier” for the under-18 rule.
• Whether money held by one person for a group is added together with the leader’s own.
• The size of the penalty for not declaring. The pages say only “punishable by law”.

The pages do say that amounts held by travellers under 18 are added to the limit of the parent, guardian or accompanier. For anything beyond that, ask Dubai Customs in writing and keep the reply with your group papers. We are a transport company and do not give legal or customs advice.

Exchange, cards and cash machines

The UAE government portal, in a page updated on 27 October 2026, says currency can be exchanged at licensed exchange centres at airports, in malls and in commercial areas. It says cash machines exist, and that cards, currency cards and travellers cheques are accepted. For a group, that means cash is one option among several. We give no exchange rates and no view on tipping amounts.

Planning the arrival day

Treat the declaration as one more step between the plane and the exit, after passport control and the bags. Our guides on passport control and the three DXB terminals cover the earlier steps, and big group arrival at DXB explains how a large party moves through.

Here is an example, not a promise. Your flight lands at 14:00. You decide to allow two hours before the group leaves the terminal, and half an hour more if you will fill in a declaration. You ask for a pick-up at 16:30 and tell the driver in writing. If the group clears sooner, you wait. If it takes longer, you tell us the flight and we adjust where we can. Your own margin will depend on the terminal, the group size and how many people travel on the same flight.

Keep the group’s manifest and flight details to hand. Our passenger manifest template shows what to send us, and the tour leader briefing sheet lists what to share with the group.

Choosing the vehicle

Count passengers first and bags second. Our guide figures:

• Mercedes V-Class: up to 7 passengers and 6 bags.
• 13-seater HiAce: up to 13 passengers and about 10 suitcases.
• Mercedes Sprinter: up to 16 passengers and up to 12 suitcases.
• 30-seater mini coach and 50-seater coach for school-age groups and tour parties.

How a booked vehicle fits

1. Send the plan. Date, flight, party size and bags.
2. Ask for a fixed written quote. Nothing is charged until you confirm.
3. Read the meeting and drop-off arrangement. Your written quote states the meeting arrangement.
4. Agree the pick-up time. We plan the margin and tell you what is not yet published.
5. Tell us if plans change. We adjust where we can, and cannot promise to beat queues or traffic.

Related: Dubai Airport passport control and Smart Gates · DXB Terminals 1, 2 and 3 for group leaders · Big group arrival at DXB · Passenger list template for group airport pick-ups · Tour leader briefing sheet · Loading time for group luggage at the airport · Get a quote

Keep reading

• Extra stops on an airport transfer: Can the driver stop for a SIM card, cash or a pharmacy on the way from the airport? How a stop is asked for, how it shows on the quote and when to book hours instead.
• Tour leader briefing sheet: A one-page template a tour leader can print for guests on a coach day in the UAE: meeting point, times, stops, what to carry and what to do if you are late.
• Instruments, cameras and sports gear at Dubai customs: What Dubai Customs and the UAE government say about carrying instruments, cameras and sports gear into Dubai, which kit falls in the permit groups, and what we could not find.
• Big group arrival at DXB: How to land 30 or more people at Dubai International and get them onto the right coach: flight lists, luggage, split arrivals and a group leader who is easy to find.
• Leaving the hotel for DXB with a group: The departure morning for a group leader: head count, bags, terminal, loading and the time the coach should be at the hotel door.
• City tour by private minibus: A one-day Dubai city tour route for a group, how a private minibus compares with a hop-on hop-off bus, and what each option costs per head.