Holiday Home Licence in Dubai 2026: Permit, Fees & Rules
If you rent your Dubai apartment or villa to guests for short stays, every unit needs its own holiday home permit from Dubai's Department of Economy and Tourism (DET). Here is who can apply, the steps, the documents, what it costs in 2026, and the rules you have to keep following once guests arrive.
Last updated: 13 November 2026
Key takeaways
- Short stays in a furnished home need a DET holiday home permit before the unit is listed anywhere.
- One permit per apartment or villa, renewed every year. Owners can register up to eight units themselves.
- Fees: a one-time registration in the DET system plus an annual permit per unit. Dubai's May 2026 package exempts holiday-home permit and licence fees for a period, so check the amount shown when you apply.
- After approval you must register guests, collect the Tourism Dirham and keep the home to the DET standard.
What a holiday home permit is
A holiday home permit is the approval from Dubai's Department of Economy and Tourism (DET, formerly DTCM) that lets a furnished residential unit be rented to guests for short stays. It applies to Airbnb, Booking.com, Vrbo and direct bookings alike. A normal tenancy registered on Ejari is a different route; our guide to holiday home vs long-term rental compares the two.
The permit is issued per unit. If you own two apartments in the same tower, each one needs its own permit, its own classification and its own renewal date.
Who can apply
- Owners: the person or company on the title deed can register and run their own units. DET lets an owner register up to eight units; more than that needs a commercial holiday-homes trade licence.
- Tenants: a tenant can register the home they rent only with the landlord's written permission, and usually only one unit.
- Licensed operators: you can hand the unit to a DET-licensed holiday home operator, who applies and manages guests for you under a management agreement.
- The building must allow it: many towers and communities require a no-objection certificate (NOC) from the developer or owners' association, and some do not allow short stays at all.
Step-by-step process
Applications are made through the DET Holiday Homes portal. Processing time depends on your documents and whether an inspection is needed.
- Step 1 — Check the building: ask the developer or owners' association whether holiday homes are allowed and request the NOC.
- Step 2 — Prepare the home: furniture, appliances, linen, a first-aid kit, a fire extinguisher, smoke detectors and clear emergency information.
- Step 3 — Register in the DET Holiday Homes system and create your account.
- Step 4 — Add the unit and upload the documents (see the checklist below).
- Step 5 — DET reviews the application and may inspect the unit.
- Step 6 — On approval, classify the unit (for example Standard or Deluxe) and pay the fees shown.
- Step 7 — Show the permit number on every listing and renew the permit before it expires each year.
Documents checklist
- Title deed (or the tenancy contract plus the landlord's written permission)
- Passport and Emirates ID of the owner or applicant
- A recent DEWA bill for the unit
- NOC from the developer or owners' association, where the building requires it
- If an operator applies for you: the signed management agreement and your authorisation
- Insurance covering guest injury and property damage is strongly recommended and often requested
What it costs in 2026
On 21 May 2026 Dubai approved its second economic incentives package, which includes an exemption from permit and licence fees for holiday homes. Each authority sets its own timeline for these measures, so the fee you see when you apply or renew may be zero for now. Published fee tables online often disagree; the DET system shows the amount that applies to your unit.
For VAT registration and filing, check the current rules with the Federal Tax Authority.
| Item | What to expect |
|---|---|
| DET system registration | One-time fee, widely reported as AED 1,520 including knowledge and innovation fees |
| Unit permit | Annual fee per unit; the amount rises with the number of bedrooms |
| 2026 relief | Exempt for a period under Dubai's May 2026 incentive package — check the amount in the DET system |
| Tourism Dirham | Charged to guests per bedroom per night and paid to DET; the rate depends on the unit's classification |
| VAT | Short stays are standard-rated; registration is mandatory above AED 375,000 of taxable income in 12 months |
Rules you must keep following
DET inspects units and can fine owners and operators who let without a valid permit or skip guest registration.
- Check every guest in and out through the DET system, with their ID details, for every stay.
- Collect the Tourism Dirham from guests and pay it to DET on time.
- Keep the home to the standard of its classification: cleanliness, safety equipment, working air conditioning and appliances.
- Respect building rules on access cards, parking, noise and visitors.
- Renew the permit every year; an expired permit means the unit cannot be listed.
Common mistakes
- Listing the unit before the permit is approved.
- Assuming the building allows short stays without asking for the NOC.
- Using one permit for two units, or forgetting a second unit's renewal date.
- Not registering guests because the stay is short or the guest is a friend paying a fee.
- Forgetting the Tourism Dirham in the nightly price, so the margin disappears.
- Leaving the home with no one checking it between bookings — AC faults and leaks are found by the next guest.
How SETTRA helps
SETTRA is not a holiday home operator and does not hold guest bookings. We help owners who live abroad or travel often: we coordinate the paperwork with licensed partners and DET-licensed operators, arrange the NOC request and the safety items, and keep the home checked, cleaned and repaired between stays through our residence care service.
If you are still deciding whether to let short-term or long-term, read holiday home vs long-term rental and renting a holiday villa: what to check, then message us on WhatsApp.
Ask SETTRA a question about your own situation.
FAQ
Do I need a licence to rent my apartment on Airbnb in Dubai?
Yes. Every apartment or villa rented to guests for short stays needs its own holiday home permit from Dubai's Department of Economy and Tourism before it is listed.
How much does a holiday home permit cost in Dubai in 2026?
There is a one-time registration in the DET system, widely reported as AED 1,520, plus an annual permit per unit that depends on the number of bedrooms. Dubai's May 2026 incentive package exempts holiday-home permit and licence fees for a period, so check the amount shown in the DET system.
How many holiday homes can an owner register?
An owner can register up to eight units in their own name. Running more than that requires a commercial holiday-homes trade licence.
Can a tenant run a holiday home?
Only with the landlord's written permission, and usually for one unit.
Do I need permission from my building?
Often yes. Many developers and owners' associations require a no-objection certificate, and some buildings do not allow short stays.
Does SETTRA manage holiday homes?
No. SETTRA coordinates the paperwork with licensed partners and DET-licensed operators, and keeps your home checked and maintained between stays.
