DUBAI RULES FOR OWNERS
Holiday Home Permit in Dubai: Requirements, Fees and Rules
Every home let to short-stay guests in Dubai needs its own permit from the Department of Economy and Tourism (DET, formerly DTCM). Here is who can apply, what it costs and what you must do after the permit is issued.
The short answer
Is Airbnb legal in Dubai? Yes, with a permit. Each unit let to short-stay guests needs its own DET holiday home permit, whether it is listed on Airbnb, Booking.com or anywhere else.
Owners can apply for their own units, up to eight permits at a time. Beyond that, or to manage homes for others, you need a company licence or a DET-licensed operator. DET’s guide lists a permit fee of AED 370 for a studio or one-bedroom plus AED 300 per extra bedroom, up to AED 1,270.
Who can apply
- Individual owners can register on DET’s Holiday Homes System and apply for units they own themselves. An individual can hold up to eight permits at a time.
- DET-licensed operators (holiday home companies) can apply for units they manage on behalf of owners.
- Not eligible: hotel rooms and hotel apartments.
- Tenants: DET’s guides do not cover tenants. Some sources say a tenant can apply with the landlord’s written consent; confirm with DET and your landlord before you list.
Documents you will need
- Passport or Emirates ID copy
- Title deed copy. For an apartment, the deed should show the unit as residential. A completion certificate may be needed where units do not yet have individual deeds.
- A DEWA bill for the unit that is at least three months old
- DET’s authorisation form, where someone applies on the owner’s behalf
- Comprehensive insurance from a Dubai-licensed insurer
- A SIRA-approved smart lock linked to the Keyless system
Some buildings and developers also require a no-objection certificate (NOC), and a permit may be refused where the sale agreement prohibits short-term letting. Check your building’s rules before furnishing or listing.
How to apply, step by step
- Register on DET’s Holiday Homes System as a home owner and upload your Emirates ID.
- Go to Units and add a new unit.
- Enter the application type and unit details, and check the owner details.
- Upload the documents and submit the application.
- Once approved, classify the unit as Standard or Deluxe.
- Pay online and download the e-permit.
Operators may need a physical or virtual inspection before approval. Guest check-ins and Tourism Dirham payments are handled on a separate system, Holiday Homes 2.0.
Permit fees
| Item | Fee (AED) |
|---|---|
| Studio or one-bedroom | 370 |
| Each additional bedroom | +300 |
| Maximum per unit | 1,270 |
| Amending an approved permit | 70 |
| Cancelling an approved permit | 70 |
Source: DET Holiday Homes System user guide. Some websites quote a one-time AED 1,520 registration fee and an AED 320 inspection fee. We could not find either in DET’s current guides, so confirm the amount shown on the portal at payment.
Permits are not renewed automatically. The renewal option appears 30 days before expiry, and an expired permit cannot be renewed; you apply again.
Standard or Deluxe
Every permitted unit is classified as Standard or Deluxe. The class sets the Tourism Dirham rate and the minimum room sizes:
| Standard | Deluxe | |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum bedroom size | 12 m² | 14 m² |
| Minimum studio size | 17 m² | 20 m² |
| Tourism Dirham per bedroom per night | AED 10 | AED 15 |
DET’s minimum standards also cover furniture and equipment, including seating and a dining table for the number of guests, a TV, a safe, a washer-dryer, Wi-Fi and specified kitchen and bathroom items.
Obligations after the permit is issued
- Guest check-in: register guests on Holiday Homes 2.0 within three hours of arrival, and check them out.
- Insurance: keep comprehensive insurance valid for the whole permit period.
- Safety: a fire extinguisher or fire blanket, first-aid kit, torch, peephole or intercom, adequate lighting, and emergency numbers and procedures in Arabic and English.
- Stay length: guest contracts can run for up to three months, renewable.
- Tourism Dirham: collect it from guests, show it on the invoice and pay it to DET (see below).
Tourism Dirham for holiday homes
The Tourism Dirham is a guest levy of AED 10 per bedroom per night for Standard units and AED 15 for Deluxe. It is calculated as nights × bedrooms × rate.
The permit holder collects it, shows it on the guest invoice and pays it to DET by the 15th of the following month. Holiday Homes 2.0 generates the payment order automatically. Late payment carries a fine of 10% of the unpaid amount, with a minimum of AED 1,000.
It is not rental income, so it should appear separately on any owner statement.
Fines for breaking the rules
| Violation | Fine (AED) |
|---|---|
| Operating without a permit or licence | 5,000 |
| Operating during a suspension | 20,000 |
| Manipulating Tourism Dirham records | 15,000 |
| Obstructing DET inspectors | 10,000 |
| Providing false information | 5,000 |
| No valid insurance | 2,000 |
| Tourism Dirham missing from the invoice | 1,000 |
| Breaching permit conditions | 500 |
| Late renewal | 500 |
Source: DET leasing out holiday homes user guide.
How we help
For homes we manage, we coordinate the permit application, classification, insurance and safety checklist before launch, then handle guest check-in and Tourism Dirham reporting as part of day-to-day management. If your building does not allow short-term letting, we tell you at the assessment, before you spend money on furnishing.
Sources
- DET: Holiday Homes System user guide (PDF)
- DET: Leasing out holiday homes user guide (PDF)
- DET: Issue a new holiday homes permit
- Gulf News: how to get a holiday home permit in Dubai (Oct 2025)
- Airbnb: responsible hosting in Dubai
Rules and fees change. This guide reflects the sources above as checked in September 2026; confirm current requirements on DET’s portal before applying.
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