The 2026 DET holiday-home rules, in plain English
Everything an owner needs to rent legally in Dubai — permits, costs, guest registration and the mistakes that trigger fines.
If you let a Dubai apartment for short stays — through Airbnb, Booking.com, Vrbo or even direct — you need a holiday-home permit from the Department of Economy and Tourism (DET, formerly DTCM). It applies to any residential let under six months. Here's what 2026 looks like.
Who can register
As an individual owner you can now register your own units directly through the DET Holiday Homes portal — typically up to eight properties — without setting up a trade licence. If you manage other people's homes, you need a licensed Holiday Home Operator permit instead. Long-lease tenants can also register, with a No Objection Certificate from the landlord.
The documents you'll need
- Title deed for the unit
- Owner's passport copy (and Emirates ID if resident)
- A No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the developer or owners' association
- A recent DEWA bill in the owner's name
Fees & classification
Budget around AED 1,520 for the registration, plus an annual per-unit permit (apartments commonly fall in the AED 1,000–2,500 range) and a property inspection fee of roughly AED 320. Each unit is classified Standard or Deluxe, which sets your Tourism Dirham rate.
Tourism Dirham
You collect a nightly Tourism Dirham from guests — AED 10 per bedroom per night for Standard homes, AED 15 for Deluxe — for up to 30 consecutive nights, and remit it to DET monthly. It's the owner's responsibility to file on time.
The rule owners forget: guest details (passport and booking information) must be uploaded to the DET system within about three hours of check-in. Miss it repeatedly and you risk penalties — this is exactly the kind of operational task Dar Mama handles automatically for every stay.
VAT
VAT registration becomes mandatory once your taxable turnover passes AED 375,000 over any 12 months (voluntary from AED 187,500). Many single-unit owners stay below the threshold, but it's worth tracking as your portfolio grows.
What happens if you don't comply
Operating without a valid permit isn't a grey area. Repeated unlicensed letting can bring fines from AED 10,000 to 50,000 and listing blacklisting, with serious or persistent breaches escalating toward AED 100,000 and a permanent ban.
How Dar Mama makes this effortless
We guide owners through DET registration, classify the unit correctly, collect and remit Tourism Dirham, and file guest details within the deadline for every single check-in — all visible to you in your owner platform. You stay compliant without lifting a finger.
This article is general information, not legal or tax advice, and Dubai's rules can change. Always confirm the current requirements and fees on the official DET Holiday Homes portal (dubaidet.gov.ae) or speak to us before you list.