Dubai Holiday Home
Licence Guide 2026
The complete, official-sourced guide for property owners and investors. What the licence is, how to get it, what it costs, and how to stay compliant in 2026.
What is a Dubai holiday home licence?
A holiday home licence is an official permit from the Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) that legally authorises you to rent a furnished property short-term, from one night up to 90 days per booking. Without it, renting short-term is illegal regardless of how the property is marketed.
You own or rent a property in Dubai
Apartment or villa. If renting, you need written permission from your landlord.
You register with DET on the Holiday Homes System
Both your account and a permit per unit are required. DET monitors short-term rental platforms and removes unlicensed listings.
You prepare the property, print your permit and QR code
The printed permit must be displayed visibly inside the unit. The QR code must be placed beneath the DEWA premise plaque on the exterior of the unit door.
You stay compliant year-round
Every guest registered, Tourism Dirham submitted by the 15th of each month, and trade licence information updated annually.
Who can apply?
Your pathway depends on how many properties you plan to manage.
Individual owners, up to 8 units
No business entity required. Account name must match the title deed exactly.
- ✓Emirates ID of property owner
- ✓Title deed + DET authorisation form
- ✓DEWA bill (min. 3 months old)
Professional operators, 9+ units
Trade licence with “Vacation Homes Rental” as commercial activity required.
- ✓Emirates ID + commercial licence copy
- ✓Scalable to unlimited units
- ✓Corporate accommodation contracts
How to register: the official 5-step process
Based on the official DET Holiday Homes System User Guide. Approval takes 1 business day when documentation is complete.
Register an account on the DET Holiday Homes portal
Choose Operator (company) or Home Owner. Applications can be submitted and processed remotely.
Complete the online application form
Fill in property and operator details. If using the DLD deed number, most fields auto-populate. Account name must match the title deed exactly.
Upload required documents
Emirates ID, title deed, DET authorisation form, and a DEWA bill at least 3 months old in the name of the owner or licensee.
Submit and pay
AED 1,520 fixed fee. Accepted online (recommended), via Dubai Islamic Bank transfer, or Al Ansari Exchange.
Complete unit classification and go live
Classify your unit (Standard or Deluxe), pay the per-bedroom permit fee, receive your permit, print it, and display it visibly inside the property.
Already licensed? Automate guest check-in, ID verification, and payment collection in minutes.
Get started free →What does it cost in 2026?
All fees are fixed and sourced from the official DET portal and Holiday Homes System User Guide.
| Cost component | Amount |
|---|---|
| DET registration fee (fixed) | AED 1,520 |
| Permit fee: studio or 1 bedroom | AED 370 |
| Each additional bedroom | AED 300 |
| Maximum permit fee (any size) | AED 1,270 |
| Tourism Dirham — Deluxe category | AED 15 per room per night |
| Tourism Dirham — Standard category | AED 10 per room per night |
| Amendment fee (bedroom or classification) | AED 70 |
| Permit cancellation fee | AED 70 |
| Annual renewal fee | None |
Where to maximise returns
Location is the single biggest driver of short-term rental income in Dubai. These districts consistently deliver the highest occupancy and daily rates.
Four rules you cannot ignore
Enforcement is tightening. Greater platform-regulator coordination and stricter Tourism Dirham auditing mean compliance is not optional.
Guest registration
Every guest must be registered with DET. Valid ID collected and verified. The most actively enforced requirement in 2026.
Tourism Dirham by the 15th
Submit by the 15th of every month. The Holiday Homes 2.0 system auto-generates payment orders on the 11th. Late submissions trigger automatic penalties.
Update trade licence annually
Operators must keep commercial licence information current. Professional operators must include their licence number with every Tourism Dirham payment.
Display permit and QR code
Printed permit visible inside the unit. QR code placed beneath the DEWA premise plaque on the exterior side of the unit door.
Common mistake: Many owners assume short-term rental platforms handle compliance automatically. They do not. Every guest registration, Tourism Dirham payment, permit display, and licence update is entirely the operator’s responsibility.
Automate your holiday home operations
Managing guest registrations, payments, and pricing manually is unsustainable at scale. Automation is what separates profitable operators from overwhelmed ones.
Run your Dubai holiday home with ChargeAutomation
ChargeAutomation integrates directly with your property management system to handle guest digital check-in, ID verification, payment collection, security deposit automation, and upsells — all from one platform.
Common questions
Click any question to see the answer.
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