# Short-term rental in Dubai: the holiday home permit, fees and rules

Canonical page: https://firswoodproperties.ae/insights/short-term-rental-dubai.html

Owner Guide

By [Daniella Best](https://firswoodproperties.ae/about/#daniella-best), Head of Compliance · Updated 2 October 2026

Letting a Dubai home to paying guests for short stays requires a holiday home permit, issued through the Department of Economy and Tourism (DET). DET's [Holiday Homes System User Guide](https://www.dubaidet.gov.ae/en/our-services/for-consumers-and-students/-/media/det-sme-cr-release-1-new-media-files/pdfs/guest-accommodation/holiday-homes-system-user-guide-en.pdf) sets the permit fee at AED 370 for a studio or one-bedroom unit and AED 300 for each extra bedroom, capped at AED 1,270, and Administrative Resolution No. (1) of 2020 makes a permit valid for one year.

## In brief

- DET's system guide charges **AED 370** for a studio or one-bedroom permit, **AED 300** per additional bedroom and no more than **AED 1,270** per unit (guide read on 1 October 2026; it carries no date).
- Executive Council Resolution No. (49) of 2014 sets the permit fee at **AED 300.00 per bedroom, up to AED 1,200** per holiday home each year, which is AED 70 below each of DET's figures.
- A permit is **valid for one year** and renewable for the same period (Administrative Resolution No. (1) of 2020, Article 10). DET's system opens renewal only in the last **30 days**.
- Guests are charged a Tourism Dirham of **AED 15** a night in a luxury holiday home or **AED 10** in a standard one, per occupied room, for at most 30 consecutive nights (Executive Council Resolutions No. (2) and No. (10) of 2014).
- A tenant may not sub-lease without the landlord's **written consent**, unless the lease says otherwise (Law No. (26) of 2007, Article 24).

## Do you need a holiday home permit?

Yes, if guests pay to stay overnight. Decree No. (41) of 2013 is the base law, and its Article 3 reads: "No natural or legal person may conduct the Activity in the Emirate unless that person is licensed to do so by the DTCM."

The decree defines the Activity as "regularly, and on an ongoing basis, engaging in leasing out Holiday Homes, or renting Holiday Homes for the purpose of subletting them to Guests". Article 2 extends it to free zones, including the Dubai International Financial Centre.

The 2020 implementing bylaw then requires a permit for each unit. The legislation calls the authority DTCM; its holiday home services now sit on DET's website.

The permit covers the whole home. Executive Council Resolution No. (49) of 2014 fines a licensee AED 500.00 for leasing a holiday home "in part as separate rooms or bed spaces".

## Who can apply for a holiday home permit

The official texts describe four routes. The tenant route rests partly on a 2016 announcement, so it carries less weight than the current DET guide.

Who may hold a holiday home permit, in the words of the official texts read on 1 October 2026

| Applicant | What the text says | Source |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Individual owner | Registers in the Holiday Homes System as a "Property owner", with a copy of their Emirates ID | DET system guide |
| Licensed operator | A holiday home company or establishment registers with a copy of its valid licence; DET may require a physical or virtual inspection before approval | DET system guide |
| Owner's first-degree relative | Parents, children or a spouse may register the property, "but only in the owner's name and with proof of the first-degree relationship" | DET system guide |
| Tenant | The bylaw asks for the passport or Emirates ID "of the owner or tenant". DET's April 2016 release said tenants needed "a no objection certificate from their landlord" | Administrative Resolution No. (1) of 2020, Article 8; DET release, 28 April 2016 |

The tenant route needs care. Article 24 of Law No. (26) of 2007 states: "Unless otherwise agreed by the parties to the Lease Contract, the Tenant may not assign the use of or sub-lease the Real Property to third parties unless written consent of the Landlord is obtained." Under Article 25(1)(b), a landlord may seek eviction where a tenant sub-lets without that written approval.

The current English DET guide lists only owner and company accounts and does not mention tenants. A tenant should confirm the route with DET before taking a booking.

## Documents DET asks for

Under "proof of authorisation to use the unit", the DET guide lists three items:

- a copy of the property title deed;
- authorisation from the owner, on DET's approved form;
- a DEWA bill at least three months old on the date of the application, in the name of the owner or the licensee.

An individual owner adds a passport or Emirates ID copy. A company owner adds the passport or Emirates ID of the owner or a partner, with the licence documents or articles of association. Our [Dubai title deed](https://firswoodproperties.ae/insights/title-deed-dubai.html) guide explains that record.

Article 8 of the 2020 bylaw adds the conditions. The unit must be in an area where the Activity is authorised, and it must be an apartment, a house or villa in a compound, or an independent villa. It must also meet the Guide's technical specifications. Under Article 9, DTCM may visit the unit before it approves.

## Holiday home permit fees

DET's service pages for issuing and renewing a permit did not display their fee lists when we checked on 1 October 2026. The figures below come from DET's system guide and the 2014 fee resolution.

Holiday home permit fee by unit size, in AED: DET system guide against Executive Council Resolution No. (49) of 2014, both read on 1 October 2026

| Unit | DET system guide | Resolution No. (49) of 2014 | Difference |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Studio | 370 | Not stated (the fee is per bedroom) | Not calculable |
| 1 bedroom | 370 | 300 | 70 |
| 2 bedrooms | 670 (370 + 300) | 600 (2 × 300) | 70 |
| 3 bedrooms | 970 (370 + 300 + 300) | 900 (3 × 300) | 70 |
| 4 bedrooms | 1,270 (370 + 3 × 300), the cap | 1,200 (4 × 300), the cap | 70 |
| 5 bedrooms or more | 1,270 (cap) | 1,200 (cap) | 70 |

The gap is AED 70 at every size, and neither source explains it or mentions VAT. Pay the amount DET's system shows on the payment order.

Other holiday home charges, as each source prints them

| Charge | Amount | Source |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Adding a bedroom to a permit | AED 300 per bedroom plus AED 70 amendment fees | DET system guide |
| Cancelling an approved permit | AED 70 | DET system guide |
| Inspection, or re-inspection, of a holiday home | AED 300.00 each | Resolution No. (49) of 2014 |
| Re-opening a closed holiday home | AED 200.00 | Resolution No. (49) of 2014 |
| Classification certificate | AED 50.00 per holiday home | Resolution No. (49) of 2014 |
| Operator: initial approval; new licence or renewal; e-Programme subscription | AED 100.00; AED 500.00; AED 1,500.00 | Resolution No. (49) of 2014 |

## How long a holiday home permit lasts

Article 10 of Administrative Resolution No. (1) of 2020 makes a permit "valid for a term of one (1) year, renewable for the same period", on the same conditions as the first issue. The renewal application must reach DTCM before the expiry date.

DET's system narrows that window. Its renew button "appears only 30 days prior to the permit's expiry date", and the guide warns that a permit not renewed in that period expires and "cannot be renewed".

## Tourism Dirham

Executive Council Resolution No. (2) of 2014 lists holiday homes inside its definition of a hotel establishment. Its Schedule 1 sets the fee per occupied room per night by classification.

Tourism Dirham for holiday homes, Executive Council Resolution No. (2) of 2014, Schedule 1

| Classification | Fee per occupied room per night (AED) |
| --- | --- |
| Luxury holiday home | 15.00 |
| Standard holiday home | 10.00 |

Resolution No. (10) of 2014 caps the charge at "a maximum of thirty (30) consecutive nights". DET's Arabic guide gives the same two rates, charged on actual occupancy. The establishment collects the fee and pays it before the 16th day of the following month.

A worked example: a guest occupies one room in a standard holiday home for 45 consecutive nights. The charge stops at 30 nights, so the guest pays 30 × AED 10 = AED 300.

## Developer, building and owners association consent

The documents DET lists contain no no-objection certificate from a developer or owners association. The bylaw puts the duty the other way. Article 17 says "Real property developers, owners of jointly owned real property, and real property management and leasing firms and service providers must enable Licensees to conduct the Activity in accordance with the terms of their Licences and Permits."

Article 8 still matters at building level. The sale and purchase agreement "must not include any explicit provision that precludes using the real property unit as a Holiday Home". Read your purchase agreement for that clause before you apply.

## Where Ejari fits

Ejari records tenancy contracts, and the Ejari FAQ of the Dubai Land Department (DLD) puts the shortest lease at one year: "The minimum lease term is one year". Neither DET guide we read mentions Ejari. A tenant's own long lease is the contract that goes through Ejari; our [Ejari guide](https://firswoodproperties.ae/insights/ejari.html) covers its fees, and the [RERA rent calculator](https://firswoodproperties.ae/insights/rera-rent-calculator.html) covers rent changes on it.

For long-let context, the median annual rent on new 12-month apartment leases across Dubai was AED 67,000. That figure covers 203,193 contracts starting between 1 September 2025 and 31 August 2026, from DLD open data ([how we calculate it](https://firswoodproperties.ae/about/#dld-figures)). Registered leases do not show nightly rates or occupancy, so no like-for-like comparison is possible.

## Fines for letting without approval

Selected fines, Executive Council Resolution No. (49) of 2014, Schedule 2

| Violation | Fine (AED) |
| --- | --- |
| Conducting the Activity without a licence | 5,000.00 |
| Providing false or incorrect information or documents to DTCM | 5,000.00 |
| Leasing out holiday homes without DTCM's prior approval | 2,000.00 |
| No valid insurance policy throughout the licence term | 2,000.00 |
| Charging guests extra for electricity and water | 2,000.00 |
| Obstructing DTCM staff, or failing to cooperate | 10,000.00 |
| No notice board with the licensee's details in Arabic and English | 300.00 |

Article 3(b) doubles a fine repeated within one year of the previous violation, up to a ceiling of AED 100,000.00.

## How we checked

The six laws and resolutions named above come from the Dubai Legislation Portal, read on 1 October 2026; its English texts defer to the Arabic. The same day we read DET's English and Arabic holiday homes guides, its 2016 release and DLD's Ejari FAQ. DET's service pages did not load, so their current fee lists could not be read. This guide sets out published rules only and is not legal advice.

## Common questions

### Do I need a permit to rent my apartment short term in Dubai?

Yes. Article 3 of Decree No. (41) of 2013 requires a DTCM licence to lease out holiday homes, and the 2020 bylaw requires a permit for each unit.

### How much does a holiday home permit cost in Dubai?

DET's Holiday Homes System User Guide charges AED 370 for a studio or one-bedroom unit and AED 300 for each additional bedroom, up to AED 1,270. Executive Council Resolution No. (49) of 2014 sets AED 300.00 per bedroom, up to AED 1,200 a year. Neither source explains the AED 70 difference.

### Can a tenant rent out a Dubai flat as a holiday home?

Only with the landlord's written consent, under Article 24 of Law No. (26) of 2007. DET's 2016 release required a landlord no objection certificate. The current English DET guide lists only owner and company accounts, so confirm the route with DET first.

### Do I need a NOC from the developer or the building?

The documents DET lists do not include one. Article 17 of the 2020 bylaw says developers and owners of jointly owned property must enable licensees to conduct the Activity. Your sale and purchase agreement must not explicitly ban holiday home use, so check it before applying.

### How much is the Tourism Dirham for a holiday home?

AED 15 per occupied room per night for a luxury holiday home and AED 10 for a standard one, for a maximum of 30 consecutive nights, under the 2014 Tourism Dirham resolutions.

### How long is a holiday home permit valid?

One year, renewable for the same period, under Article 10 of Administrative Resolution No. (1) of 2020. DET's system shows the renew button only in the 30 days before expiry, and a permit not renewed in that window cannot be renewed.

Our [property management](https://firswoodproperties.ae/services/property-management.html) page sets out what an owner brief should cover before a unit is let. To ask about a specific unit, send the community, bedroom count and current occupancy through our [enquiry form](https://firswoodproperties.ae/#contact).

Cite as: Firswood Properties, *Short-term rental in Dubai: the holiday home permit, fees and rules*, 2 October 2026.

## Sources & further reading

Sources checked 1 October 2026.

- [DET: Holiday Homes System User Guide (PDF)](https://www.dubaidet.gov.ae/en/our-services/for-consumers-and-students/-/media/det-sme-cr-release-1-new-media-files/pdfs/guest-accommodation/holiday-homes-system-user-guide-en.pdf)
- [DET: Leasing Out Holiday Homes user guide, Arabic (PDF)](https://www.dubaidet.gov.ae/ar/our-services/for-consumers-and-students/-/media/det-sme-cr-release-1-new-media-files/pdfs/guest-accommodation/leasing-out-holiday-homesuser-guidev-11ar.pdf)
- [DET: press release on holiday home regulations, 28 April 2016 (PDF)](https://www.dubaidet.gov.ae/-/media/dotsite/migrated/pdfs/2016/05/prs-may-2016/update-holiday-homes-regulations.pdf?la=en)
- [Dubai Legislation Portal: Decree No. (41) of 2013 regulating the activity of leasing out holiday homes](https://dlp.dubai.gov.ae/Legislation%20Reference/2013/Decree%20No.%20(41)%20of%202013.html)
- [Dubai Legislation Portal: Administrative Resolution No. (1) of 2020, implementing bylaw of Decree No. (41) of 2013](https://dlp.dubai.gov.ae/en/Pages/HTMLViewer.aspx?file=UmVzb2x1dGlvbiBOby4gKDEpIG9mIDIwMjA%3D&year=2020)
- [Dubai Legislation Portal: Executive Council Resolution No. (49) of 2014, holiday home fees and fines](https://dlp.dubai.gov.ae/Legislation%20Reference/2014/Executive%20Council%20Resolution%20No.%20(49)%20of%202014.html)
- [Dubai Legislation Portal: Executive Council Resolution No. (2) of 2014, Tourism Dirham fee](https://dlp.dubai.gov.ae/Legislation%20Reference/2014/Executive%20Council%20Resolution%20No.%20(2)%20of%202014.html)
- [Dubai Legislation Portal: Executive Council Resolution No. (10) of 2014 amending the Tourism Dirham fee](https://dlp.dubai.gov.ae/Legislation%20Reference/2014/Executive%20Council%20Resolution%20No.%20(10)%20of%202014.html)
- [Dubai Legislation Portal: Law No. (26) of 2007 regulating the relationship between landlords and tenants](https://dlp.dubai.gov.ae/Legislation%20Reference/2007/Law%20No.%20(26)%20of%202007.html)
- [Dubai Land Department: Ejari FAQs](https://dubailand.gov.ae/en/eservices/campaign-for-ejari-services/)
- [Dubai Land Department: open data](https://dubailand.gov.ae/en/open-data/real-estate-data/)

## Keep reading

- [DLD fees 2026: buyer and seller costs](https://firswoodproperties.ae/insights/dld-fees.html)
- [DLD project status: how to check](https://firswoodproperties.ae/insights/dld-project-status.html)
- [Ejari registration, fees and renewal](https://firswoodproperties.ae/insights/ejari.html)
- [Oqood: off-plan registration and fees](https://firswoodproperties.ae/insights/oqood.html)

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Firswood Properties L.L.C, Unit 22, 20th Floor, The Prime Tower, Marasi Drive, Business Bay, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. RERA ORN 59926. Email info@firswoodproperties.ae, telephone +971 50 185 5699. Enquiries: https://firswoodproperties.ae/#contact