Every short-let in Dubai needs a holiday home permit from the Department of Economy and Tourism, with the permit number on every listing. What owners pay and what to check first.
Dubai has one of the clearest short-term rental frameworks in the region, and one of the strictest in terms of enforcement through the platforms. It is a UAE emirate, so EU Regulation 2024/1028 does not apply; Dubai runs its own holiday home system under the Department of Economy and Tourism (DET, the successor to the former DTCM). The rules below apply to Dubai; other emirates have their own regimes.
The holiday home permit
Any property let to guests on a short-term basis in Dubai needs a holiday home permit before it is listed. Owners can apply either as an individual owner or through a licensed holiday home operator or management company. The permit number must appear on every listing, and platforms such as Airbnb and Booking.com remove listings that lack a valid one.
What you need to apply
Requirements as reported by Dubai property and legal sources typically include:
- a title deed in your name, or, if you are a tenant, a lease plus a written No Objection Certificate from the landlord
- a passport or Emirates ID
- proof of utilities for the unit
- a property inspection by the authority
- insurance and building or community approval where the master community requires it
The exact checklist and any technical requirements, such as smart-lock or guest-registration systems, are updated by DET from time to time, so confirm the current list on the official portal rather than a third-party summary.
Fees
Published figures put the fixed registration charge at AED 1,520, plus an annual permit fee that starts at AED 370 for a studio or one-bedroom and adds AED 300 per additional bedroom, capped at AED 1,270. Permits are issued for up to 12 months and must be renewed. These numbers are indicative — DET adjusts them, so check the portal before budgeting.
The Tourism Dirham
On top of the permit, owners collect a Tourism Dirham fee from guests: AED 10 per room per night for a standard holiday home and AED 15 for a deluxe one, remitted to the authority monthly. For stays longer than 30 consecutive nights the fee is charged only for the first 30 nights. Factor it into pricing, because it is a pass-through you are responsible for collecting.
Rules inside buildings and communities
A permit from DET does not override your building or master community. Owners associations, developers and community managers can restrict or prohibit holiday homes, and some towers are operated as hotel-apartments with their own arrangements. Ask for the community's position in writing before you buy for Airbnb income, not after.
Penalties
Operating without a permit is an offence. Sources report fines starting at AED 5,000, with higher fines for serious breaches, as well as platform delisting; confirm the current schedule with DET. Properties are also subject to guest registration duties, which your operator normally handles.
FAQ
Do I need a permit to list my Dubai apartment on Airbnb? Yes, a DET holiday home permit, with the number shown on the listing. Can a tenant do it? Only with the landlord's written No Objection Certificate. What does it cost? Roughly AED 1,520 to register plus an annual permit fee by bedroom count (AED 370 up to AED 1,270), plus the Tourism Dirham from guests — verify current figures with DET. Can my building ban it? Yes, community and owners association rules apply on top of the permit. Does the EU regulation apply? No, Dubai is outside the EU.
How we help
We help you check, before you buy, whether a specific Dubai unit and its community actually allow holiday home use, and what the permit process looks like. Informational only, not legal, tax or investment advice; fees and rules change, confirm the current position with DET and the community manager.