Dubai Development Authoritychapter by chapter

Reg 1.1, 2.1-2.8S.1 Short Title and Interpretation

Establishes how the Licensing Regulations 2003 are interpreted and applied, including the fit and proper person test and electronic record and signature equivalence.

Reg 3.1-3.5S.2 Persons Entitled to Carry on Business

No person may carry on or purport to carry on business in the Zone without a licence granted under the Regulations, unless covered by a published Authority exemption, which may carry conditions.

Reg 4.1-4.4S.2 Licence Application - Zone-Incorporated Applicants

Zone-incorporated applicants must submit a complete licensing application, detailing business types, a manager, and the requisite information and fees to the Authority.

Reg 5.1-5.10S.2 Grant/Refusal of Licence - Zone-Incorporated Applicants

Zone-incorporated applicants must meet Schedule 1 minimum criteria for licence grant; once granted, licences renew annually and state licensee name, effective date, manager, business category and conditions.

Reg 6.1-7.8S.2 Licence Application - Non-Zone-Incorporated Applicants

Applicants incorporated or formed outside the Zone must submit a licence application with business description, manager nomination, fees, meet Schedule 1 criteria, and meet renewal requirements.

Reg 8.1-8.4S.2 Role of the Manager

A natural person must be appointed as manager to represent the licensee with the Authority, documenting any power limitations.

Reg 9.1-10.2S.2 Conditions, Revocation, Cancellation or Suspension

DDA licensees must comply with licence conditions and avoid grounds for revocation, cancellation or suspension, such as misleading information, unpaid fees, or failing to start business within 90 days.

Reg 12.1, 13.1S.2 Limitations of Licence and Dispute Resolution

Zone licence holders must not carry on business in the UAE outside the Zone based solely on that licence, and must accept the designated court's jurisdiction over Zone disputes.

Reg 14.1-14.2S.3 Notification of Change of Manager

A licensee must notify the Authority in writing within 14 days of a person becoming or ceasing to be manager, and arrange for the licence to be modified accordingly.

Reg 15.1-16.1S.3 Power to Obtain Information, Documents and Right of Entry

Licensees must provide information, reports, and documents to the Authority or its officers on written notice within the stated time, including manager fit-and-proper information, and allow right-of-entry to premises.

Reg 17.1-17.5S.3 Investigations on Behalf of the Authority

Licensees must cooperate with Authority-appointed inspectors investigating their business, ownership or control, including allowing premises entry and showing proof of authority on request.

Reg 18.1-21.3S.4 Conduct of Business, Advertising, Financial Resources and Notification Rules

Businesses must comply with director general rules on conduct, advertising, financial resources, and notification of changes.

Reg 22.1-22.3S.4 Employment of Prohibited Persons

Licensees must not employ any individual the Authority has directed may not be employed, including otherwise than under a contract of service, without written consent.

Reg 23.1-23.6S.5 Rules About Names

Licensees must obtain Authority approval for restricted words in their names and give written notice of proposed name or trading name changes, ceasing use of any name objected to.

Reg 24.1-27.1S.6 Register of Licensees and Restrictions on Disclosure

The Authority maintains a public register of licensees available for a fee, and restricts disclosure of licensee business information, subject to listed permitted-disclosure exceptions.

Reg 28.1-33.6S.7 Court Applications, Enforcement, Implementing Regulations and Agreements

Sets out the Authority's and courts' enforcement powers, and makes agreements by unlicensed persons unenforceable, subject to compensation and court discretion in specified circumstances.

Art 1.1-1.9Art.1 Definitions, Interpretation and Rule-Making Powers

The Authority is empowered to implement and amend guidelines, policies, and conduct-of-business rules using defined terms and interpretive rules.

Art 2.1-2.7, 2.9-2.10, 2.14-2.15Art.2 General Manager, Registered Office and Segment/Permit Eligibility

Licensees must appoint a General Manager, maintain the registered office stated on the licence, and hold all other permits required by Dubai or UAE law.

Art 2.8, 2.11Art.2 Audited Accounts and UBO Disclosure

Licensee must prepare and retain audited accounts for the Authority on demand, and keep ultimate beneficial ownership details at its registered office, providing them to the Authority on demand.

Art 2.13Art.2 Penalties for Non-Compliance

Licensees face penalties for breaching Licensing Regulations, including failures related to UBO and Audited Accounts.

Art 3.1Art.3 Segment/Activity Classification

Licensees must conduct business only within the licence segments and activities that correctly reflect their business, per the DDA segment and activity classification.

Art 3.2Art.3 NMC Media-Content Registration

Persons conducting publishing, TV or radio broadcasting, social media influencing, e-services, news distribution or interactive services must register with the National Media Council and follow its requirements.

Art 3.4-3.10Art.3 Sector-Specific Pre-Licence Approvals and Restrictions

Sector-specific approvals are required before licensing for specified activities, along with compliance with various operational and financial obligations.

Art 4.1-4.7Art.4 Broadcasting and Publishing Limitations

Broadcast licensees and publishers may not open UAE branches, must operate only as free zone LLCs, and must register each title or channel before publication.

Art 5.1-5.6Art.5 Education Provider Limitations

Education providers must obtain KHDA approvals or No Objection Certificates before licence issuance, and branch universities must operate under full parent control; advertising must comply with KHDA rules.

Art 6.1Art.6 Non-Profit Association Limitations

Non-profit associations in media, professional, life science and general segments must operate on a bona fide non-profit basis and obtain prior Community Development Authority approval for registration.

Art 7.1-8.2Art.7-8 Consultancy, Service Provider and Support Service Restrictions

Licence applicants in Dubai must obtain relevant authority approvals or NOCs before licence issuance, such as Legal Affairs Department approval for lawyers and sector NOCs for listed service activities.

Art 9.1-9.3Art.9 Freelancer Segment Restrictions

Freelancer permits are issued only to individuals as sole practitioners at a prescribed annual fee, and a freelancer is not an employee under the Employment Regulations.

Art 10.1-11.1Art.10-11 Additional and Shared Segments

Obtain prior Registrar approval and pay fees to add additional segments to an existing license and follow limits for segment activities.

Art 12.1-12.2Art.12 Property Management Services

Property management licensees must obtain a RERA No Objection Certificate before licence issuance, manage only Authority-controlled properties they own or lease, and not offer leasing, brokerage or sales outside the Zone.

Art 13.1Art.13 Hotel and Leisure Services Segment Reference

Participants in the Hotel and Leisure Services Segment must comply with the detailed licensing and approval regime set out in Schedule 2 to the Decision.

Art 14.1-14.6Art.14 Licence, Permit and Additional-Item Fees

Licensees must pay annual licence and permit fees by segment and activity, additional-location fees for adding locations, and per-channel or per-title fees before broadcasting or publishing new titles.

Art 15.1Art.15 Minimum Paid-Up Capital

FZ-LLC licensees must maintain the minimum paid-up share capital for their segment or activity, typically AED10,000, with higher amounts set for specified segments such as outsourcing, printing and hotels.

Sch 1, cl.1.1-2.7Sch.1 In5 and Dubai SME Programme Eligibility and Benefits

Businesses admitted to the In5 or Dubai SME programmes must meet eligibility criteria and evaluation process, track reduced or waived fee periods, and revert to standard licensing fees afterward.

Sch 2, Art.1-3Sch.2 Hotel Name Registration and Owner Incorporation

Hotel owners must incorporate with minimum AED50,000 paid-up capital, obtain DTCM name-use approval after Authority preliminary name approval, and limit each Hotel Licence to one establishment.

Sch 2, Art.4-5Sch.2 Construction Permit, Classification and Final Licensing

Construction requires Zoning Division approval and a completion certificate, and hotels must obtain DTCM classification, a Tourism Licence and a Hotel Licence, maintaining classification compliance throughout the licence term.

Sch 2, Art.6-8Sch.2 Liquor Licence, Employment/Tourist Visas and Outlets

To obtain a Liquor Licence, applicants must contact Dubai Police and adhere to employment visa quotas and other governmental approvals.

Sch 2, Art.9, 11-12Sch.2 Waste Disposal, Entertainment, Inspection and Fines

Hotels must pay the Dubai Municipality waste fee, hold permits for in-hotel entertainment meeting DTCM and Dubai Police rules, and allow inspections; non-compliance is a contravention subject to fines.

Sch 3, cl.1-8Sch.3 General Manager Appointment and Succession

A licensee must maintain a natural-person General Manager named on the licence at all times, and must immediately notify the Registrar and appoint a replacement upon the General Manager's resignation or death.

Sch 4, cl.1-6Sch.4 Licence Renewal, Unlicensed Activity and Other Penalties

Licensees must renew before expiry to avoid tiered late-renewal penalties, and face fines for unlicensed or wrong-category activity, misleading information, obstructing inspectors, or failing to supply UBO information.