Is Airbnb Legal in United Arab Emirates? 2026 Rules

Permit required

Yes

Taxes on a stay

None

Fine for hosting without a permit

Up to AED 100,000

Latest rule change

Sep 15, 2026

The rules in brief

Who needs it

Anyone who regularly rents a furnished home to guests for short stays: owners, authorised tenants and professional operators. The permit is held per unit and must be in place before the home is advertised.^{1,4,5,6,7,11,21,22}

Issued by

Dubai DET; Abu Dhabi DCT; Sharjah SCTDA; Ajman Department of Tourism, Culture and Media; Ras Al Khaimah RAKTDA

Valid for

One year, renewable. Dubai permits are not renewed automatically and are assessed case by case; Abu Dhabi licences do not renew automatically and a renewal request is due within 30 days of expiry.

Processing

Dubai: DET states a service delivery time of 1 business day for registration and for a new permit.

On listings

The number must appear on every listing

Platform checks

Airbnb asks Dubai and Abu Dhabi hosts to enter the permit number on the listing; DCT requires platforms to provide a mandatory licence-number field, verify it and remove unlicensed listings within 30 days of a DCT notice.

Fees

Who qualifies

• Dubai: the title deed, or an approved sales and purchase agreement, must allow holiday-home use; an individual owner can register up to 8 units and a tenant 1 unit with the landlord's approval.
• Dubai: units inside hotel and hotel-apartment buildings cannot be permitted as holiday homes.
• Abu Dhabi: owners, authorised operators (including tenants with the owner's written authorisation) and companies can apply; a natural person can hold at most six licences.
• Dubai and Abu Dhabi: only entire units can be let, never a room or a bed.

How to apply

1. 1 Dubai: register an owner or operator account on DET's Holiday Homes system with the Emirates ID and, for operators, a trade licence whose activity is Vacation Homes Rental, then pay the registration fee.
2. 2 Dubai: add the unit with the title deed, the DEWA (Dubai Electricity and Water Authority) premises number and any developer no-objection certificate, self-classify it as Standard or Deluxe and pay the permit fee.
3. 3 Abu Dhabi: apply through DCT's Holiday Homes System with the passport, Emirates ID, title deed and a holiday-home insurance policy, then pass the on-site inspection.
4. 4 Add the permit number to the Airbnb listing before it goes live.

Permit rules

Dubai: licence required

Nobody may regularly rent out holiday homes in Dubai without a licence from the tourism authority (DET, formerly the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing).¹ Applies to: Dubai

Dubai: approval before listing

Apartments and villas must be registered and approved by DET before they are listed, through the Holiday Homes system.⁴ Applies to: Dubai

Dubai: one-year licence

A licence runs for one year and is renewed for the same period; permits are displayed in the unit.^1,6 Applies to: Dubai

Dubai: permit number on the listing

Once DET registration is complete, the unit's Holiday Home permit number must be added to the Airbnb listing.²¹ Applies to: Dubai

Abu Dhabi: licence before listing

Every Abu Dhabi holiday home unit needs a valid DCT licence to be listed on any online platform, and no property may appear on Airbnb without an active licence.^8,22 Applies to: Abu Dhabi · In force since January 1, 2026

Abu Dhabi: one-year licence

A licence is valid for one year and does not renew automatically; the renewal request is due within 30 days of expiry.⁷ Applies to: Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi: licence number shown publicly

Airbnb has a mandatory field for the DCT licence number, and the number is displayed publicly on the listing.²² Applies to: Abu Dhabi · In force since January 1, 2026

Abu Dhabi: platforms must remove unlicensed listings

Platforms must verify licence numbers and remove a listing for an unlicensed, expired, suspended or cancelled licence within 30 days of a DCT notice; shared units cannot be listed.^7,8 Applies to: Abu Dhabi · In force since January 1, 2026

Dubai: whole units only

A holiday home must be let as a whole, not as separate rooms or bed spaces; Airbnb states that private and shared rooms are not allowed in Dubai residential properties.^1,21 Applies to: Dubai

Dubai: unit limits per host

An individual owner can register up to 8 units; a tenant can register 1 unit and needs the landlord's approval. More units require a company licensed by DET.^4,21 Applies to: Dubai

Dubai: building and developer consent

Holiday homes are not permitted in hotel and hotel-apartment buildings, and a unit whose sales and purchase agreement does not allow holiday-home operation cannot get a permit.⁶ Applies to: Dubai

Abu Dhabi: entire units only

Private and shared rooms in residential properties are not permitted; only entire units can be licensed, and room-by-room or bed-by-bed letting needs a special DCT exception.^7,22 Applies to: Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi: who can apply

Owners, companies and authorised operators can apply, and an authorised operator can be a natural person including a tenant, with the owner's written authorisation validated in the DCT system.^7,23 Applies to: Abu Dhabi · In force since September 15, 2026

Abu Dhabi: six licences per person

A natural person can hold a maximum of six holiday home licences; further units must be run through a licensed company.⁷ Applies to: Abu Dhabi · In force since September 15, 2026

1. 1. Dubai

   Dubai

   DET permits each whole holiday home and runs the Holiday Homes system. Individual owners can register up to 8 units and tenants 1; guests pay the Tourism Dirham of AED 10 (Standard) or AED 15 (Deluxe) per occupied bedroom per night for up to 30 nights, filed monthly by the 15th.^{1,2,4,5,6,20,21}

   • Unit permit AED 300 per bedroom, up to AED 1,200 a year (AED 370 for a new one-bedroom permit)
   • One-time registration AED 1,520 on DET's Holiday Homes system
   • Permit and system registration fees waived from May 2026 until April 2027
   • Whole units only; permits are not available in hotel or hotel-apartment buildings

2. 2. Abu Dhabi

   Abu Dhabi Emirate

   DCT Abu Dhabi licenses each whole unit; since 2026 tenants and written-authorised operators can apply alongside owners, and a natural person can hold at most six licences. Hosts collect a 6% tourism fee on the guest invoice, declare revenue by the fifth working day and pay by the 15th.^7,8,11,22

   • Licence valid one year, not renewed automatically; AED 900 licence or renewal fee and AED 1,550 system registration in DCT's fee table
   • A DCT licence number is mandatory on every online listing; platforms remove unlicensed listings within 30 days of a notice
   • Private and shared rooms are not permitted; only entire units
   • Unlicensed hosting AED 5,000, then AED 10,000, AED 20,000 and AED 40,000

3. 3. Sharjah

   Sharjah Emirate

   SCTDA issues the holiday-home permit, but only to an applicant already licensed by the Sharjah Economic Development Department. The permit runs for one year and is renewable, with a nightly fee per home.³

   • Permit AED 300 per bedroom, up to AED 1,200 per home a year; operator permit AED 500
   • Nightly fee of AED 15 (luxury) or AED 10 (standard) per home, up to 30 days' worth
   • Whole units only; letting by room is fined AED 500 for a first violation
   • Operating without an SCTDA permit: AED 5,000, rising to AED 20,000 by the third violation

4. 4. Ajman City

   Ajman

   Ajman's Department of Tourism, Culture and Media issues holiday home unit permits to owners and authorised tenants after an on-site classification check, with fees that scale by room count.¹⁷

   • Registration AED 50 for the first year and initial approval AED 50
   • Permit AED 300 per room a year: AED 600 for two rooms, AED 900 for three, AED 1,200 for four or more
   • Certificate and classification board AED 100 (luxury or standard)
   • Service time two days after the documents are accepted

5. 5. Ras Al Khaimah City

   Ras Al Khaimah

   The Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority licenses and classifies holiday homes. Owners and operators register units, book an inspection and classify them as Standard or Luxury on the RAK holiday homes portal.^18,19

   • Register each unit on RAKTDA's electronic holiday homes portal
   • Book the inspection appointment through the portal
   • Units are classified as Standard or Luxury
   • Policies and terms are published on holidayhomesrak.com

Dubai: no night cap or minimum stay

Holiday homes may be let on a daily, weekly, monthly or annual basis; the rules set no yearly night cap and no minimum stay.¹ Applies to: Dubai

Dubai: insurance policy

A licensee must hold an insurance policy from a licensed insurer that indemnifies guests for damage, valid for the whole licence term; lacking one is fined AED 2,000.^1,2 Applies to: Dubai

Dubai: fire and first-aid equipment

Each unit needs a fire extinguisher, fire blanket, gloves, a torch and an easily available first aid kit, and a 24/7 help line with an emergency notice in Arabic and English.²¹ Applies to: Dubai

Dubai: visitor limits

The Guide limits visitors to a maximum of 6 per unit, fewer in smaller homes, and visitors may not stay in the unit between midnight and 8:00 am.²¹ Applies to: Dubai

Dubai: Tourism Dirham collection

Hosts collect the Tourism Dirham from guests, show it as a separate charge and file it with DET by the 15th of each month; late fees apply after the 15th.^4,21 Applies to: Dubai

Abu Dhabi: insurance policy

Applicants must submit a holiday-home insurance policy from a UAE-licensed insurer covering the unit, guest damages and third-party liability.⁷ Applies to: Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi: monthly revenue declaration

Licensees declare revenue each month, including nil months, within the first five working days of the next month and pay the tourism fee by the 15th, using DCT's system.^7,10 Applies to: Abu Dhabi · In force since April 15, 2026

Abu Dhabi: DCT system is mandatory

Bookings, guest check-ins, declarations and payments must be entered in DCT's Holiday Homes System; anything submitted outside it has no legal effect.^7,10 Applies to: Abu Dhabi · In force since April 15, 2026

Abu Dhabi: daily, weekly or monthly lets

The whole unit is let on a daily, weekly or monthly basis; DCT sets no published night cap in the 2026 guide.⁷ Applies to: Abu Dhabi

What the host still handles

• Dubai: register the owner or operator account and each unit on DET's Holiday Homes system, then enter Tourism Dirham figures there by the 15th of every month.
• Abu Dhabi: hold a DCT licence for each unit, declare revenue in the first five working days of each month and pay the 6% tourism fee by the 15th.
• Sharjah: hold a trade licence from the Sharjah Economic Development Department before SCTDA issues the permit.
• VAT: register with the Federal Tax Authority once taxable supplies and imports exceed AED 375,000 over the previous 12 months; voluntary registration starts at AED 187,500.^{12,13,14,15,16,20,21,22}

• Operating a holiday home in Dubai without a licence is fined AED 5,000; the fine doubles for a repeat violation within one year, up to AED 100,000, and DET can also suspend the activity for up to six months or revoke the licence.^1,2
• In Dubai a repeat violation within one year doubles the fine, capped at AED 100,000.²
• Dubai can suspend the activity for up to six months or revoke the licence in addition to a fine.²
• Operating in Dubai while a DET suspension decision is in force is fined AED 20,000.²
• In Dubai, letting a holiday home by room or bed space instead of as a whole is fined AED 500.²
• In Abu Dhabi, operating a holiday home without a licence is fined AED 5,000, then AED 10,000, AED 20,000 and AED 40,000 for the second to fourth violations.⁷
• In Abu Dhabi, operating after DCT has issued a suspension decision is fined AED 20,000, rising to AED 160,000 by the fourth violation; repeated violations can lead to temporary or permanent closure.⁷
• In Sharjah, operating without an SCTDA permit is fined AED 5,000 for a first violation, AED 10,000 for a second and AED 20,000 for a third.³

1. September 15, 2026
   Abu Dhabi updates holiday home regulations and publishes the 2026 guide

   DCT announced amended rules that let owners, joint owners, companies, tenants and persons authorised by an owner qualify as operators, and it published version 2 of the Guide to Holiday Homes in Abu Dhabi, which caps a natural person at six licences.^7,23

2. May 21, 2026
   Dubai announces Tourism Dirham and holiday-home permit fee exemptions

   Dubai's Executive Council approved a AED 1.5 billion package that includes exemption from collecting the Tourism Dirham and from permit and licence fees for holiday homes for DET-registered establishments. The 33 measures run for three to 12 months. DET's FAQ gives the holiday-home exemption, which covers unit permit fees and system registration fees, as May 2026 until April 2027, and the Tourism Dirham exemption for eligible hotel establishments as March to May 2026.^13,20

3. April 15, 2026
   Abu Dhabi: DCT system mandatory for all operations

   From 15 April 2026 owners and operators must use DCT's Holiday Homes System for guest registration, occupancy data, revenue disclosure by the 5th of each month and payment by the 15th.¹⁰

4. April 1, 2026
   Dubai: three-month deferral of the Tourism Dirham

   From 1 April 2026 hospitality establishments, including hotels, hotel apartments and holiday homes, could postpone paying the Tourism Dirham for three months as part of a AED 1 billion package.¹²

5. January 1, 2026
   Abu Dhabi: unlicensed listing rules fully enforced

   DCT Circular No. 8/2025 requires a valid licence for every online listing, a mandatory licence-number field on platforms, no shared-unit listings, and removal of unlicensed listings within 30 days of a DCT notice.^8,22

6. April 16, 2025
   Abu Dhabi: tourism fee applied to total revenue

   DCT Circular No. 3/2025 updated the earlier circular so that the 6% tourism fee applies to the total invoice collected from the guest for all units, with monthly revenue declarations and payment by the 15th of the following month.⁹

Estimate what a home could earn

1. 1. Decree No. (41) of 2013 Regulating the Activity of Leasing out Holiday Homes in the Emirate of Dubai · Supreme Legislation Committee, Emirate of Dubai
2. 2. Executive Council Resolution No. (49) of 2014 Approving the Fees and Fines Related to the Activity of Leasing out Holiday Homes in the Emirate of Dubai · Supreme Legislation Committee, Emirate of Dubai
3. 3. Executive Council Resolution No. (25) of 2021 regulating the rental of holiday homes in the Emirate of Sharjah (Arabic, scanned) · Sharjah Executive Council, published by Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority
4. 4. Register to operate Holiday Homes · Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism
5. 5. New Holiday Homes permit issuance · Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism
6. 6. Renew a Holiday Homes permit · Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism
7. 7. The Guide to Holiday Homes in Abu Dhabi, version 02 (2026) · Department of Culture and Tourism, Abu Dhabi
8. 8. Circular No. 8/2025: Obligations Related to Holiday Home Licensing · Department of Culture and Tourism, Abu Dhabi
9. 9. Circular No. 3/2025: Applying Tourism Fee to holiday homes in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi · Department of Culture and Tourism, Abu Dhabi
10. 10. Circular No. 3/2026: Entry and Update of Data in the Holiday Homes Licensing System · Department of Culture and Tourism, Abu Dhabi
11. 11. Holiday Homes in Abu Dhabi (policy manual with fees table) · Department of Culture and Tourism, Abu Dhabi
12. 12. Dubai economic measures boost hospitality and business growth · Government of Dubai Media Office
13. 13. Hamdan bin Mohammed approves second, larger AED1.5 billion economic incentives package · Protocol Department, Government of Dubai
14. 14. Registration for VAT · Federal Tax Authority
15. 15. Real Estate VAT Guide (VATGRE1) · Federal Tax Authority
16. 16. Register for VAT · The Official Portal of the UAE Government
17. 17. Holiday Home Unit Permit for Individuals · Department of Digital Ajman, Department of Tourism, Culture and Media
18. 18. E-services · Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority
19. 19. Press release: new updates to the RAK Holiday Homes system · Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority
20. 20. DET FAQs: Dubai’s second economic incentive package · Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism
21. 21. Responsible hosting in Dubai · Airbnb Help Center
22. 22. Responsible hosting in Abu Dhabi · Airbnb Help Center
23. 23. Abu Dhabi opens holiday home market to tenants under new rules · The National