How to Get a Holiday Home Permit in Dubai

Who needs a permit

Any apartment or villa let to short-stay guests in Dubai has to be registered with, and approved by, the Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) before it is advertised. The rules come from Decree No. 41 of 2013, its implementing resolution (Administrative Resolution No. 1 of 2020) and DET's holiday homes guide.

There are two ways in. A homeowner can register and run their own units on DET's Holiday Homes portal, and DET caps this owner route at eight units. Alternatively, a company licensed by DET as a holiday home operator can manage the home on the owner's behalf under a signed Property Management Letter.

Check the property is eligible

The implementing resolution allows apartments in residential buildings or buildings set aside for the activity, villas inside a compound, and standalone villas. DET's own guidance adds that residential villas must sit in a gated compound of at least four villas, and that holiday homes are not allowed in hotel or hotel apartment buildings.

If your sale and purchase agreement expressly rules out holiday home use, DET will not issue a permit. A developer no-objection certificate may also be asked for where applicable. The unit is let as a whole home, not room by room.

Documents to prepare

DET asks for the title deed, or the sale and purchase agreement with a payment completion certificate or a developer letter confirming there is no title deed yet, the unit is residential and nothing is outstanding. You also need a signed passport copy or Emirates ID of the owner, a recent DEWA bill and the Property Management Letter on DET's template.

If the owner is a company, add the trade licence and the authorised signatory's ID. If someone signs on the owner's behalf, attach a power of attorney and that person's passport copy. If you have just changed DEWA accounts, DET accepts a DEWA statement or a screenshot of the account profile showing the owner and account number.

Step by step on the DET portal

Log in to the Holiday Homes portal, choose Add Unit and enter the unit type, bedrooms, area and developer. Upload the documents, check everything and submit. DET says applications are reviewed within one business day.

Once approved, you self-classify the home as Standard or Deluxe against DET's criteria, then pay the permit and classification certificate fees. The unit then shows as approved. The permit must be displayed inside the home, and licensed operators must show the permit number in every advert.

Fees, validity and renewal

DET's renewal service lists AED 300 per bedroom per year plus a AED 10 knowledge fee and a AED 10 innovation fee, with a ceiling of AED 1,200 per unit. A classification certificate fee is charged on top. A permit can run from three to 12 months, and DET says the fee is the same whatever the length.

Renewal is not automatic. DET reviews each renewal against current policy, and a new owner or a change of DEWA account means registering the home again as a new unit. Operators must also update the Property Management Letter to match the new dates.

Dubai's May 2026 economic relief package announced an exemption from holiday home permit and licence fees for a limited period. Check the amount shown on the portal at the payment step.

Staying compliant

DET inspects holiday homes and can suspend or cancel a permit if the rules are broken, the permit lapses, the home no longer meets its classification or it is used for another purpose. A closed home can apply to reopen after at least 15 days, once the problem is fixed. Fines are set under Executive Council Resolution No. 49 of 2014.

Licensees must give each guest a written contract and house rules, share guest details with DET, keep a 24/7 contact number, stay within the permitted occupancy and take reasonable fire and pool safety precautions. They must also collect the Tourism Dirham and pay it to DET each month.