Dubai holiday home rules: what guests need to know

The rules at a glance

Every holiday home needs a DET licence and permit

Dubai’s Decree No. 41 of 2013 says that no one may lease out holiday homes in the emirate without a licence from the tourism authority, now the Department of Economy and Tourism (DET, formerly DTCM). Each unit is approved separately and classified as Standard or Luxury (called Deluxe in DET’s guide and on Airbnb), depending on its facilities.

The executive regulation, Administrative Resolution No. 1 of 2020, adds several obligations that protect guests. The operator must put its trade name and permit number in all print and digital advertisements, respect the maximum occupancy set in the permit, and hold an insurance policy covering damage that guests may suffer. Airbnb, for example, asks Dubai hosts to add their unit holiday home permit number to every listing.

On DubaiCrypt, each home shows its holiday-home permit number where available. If you cannot see one, ask our concierge for it before you book.

Your lease contract and what you can be charged

Under the same regulation, the operator must sign a holiday home lease contract with you and give you a copy, hand over the home on the agreed date, and give you full use of it for the whole stay. It may not charge you any costs other than those agreed in the contract, and it must give you a list of the house rules you have to follow. Keep the confirmation, the house rules and your receipt until after check-out.

Guest registration and the ID you need

DET’s guide to the holiday homes activity requires the operator to register guests in DET’s system within a maximum of three hours of their entering the home, attaching clear copies of each guest’s passport, or national ID card for GCC citizens. Building management may view the passport photos or identity of guests only at check-in. A guest check-in record is valid for a maximum of three months and can be renewed before it expires, which matters for long stays.

In practice, operators usually ask for the documents before arrival so that check-in is quick, and third-party guides quote different deadlines (from three to 24 hours), so follow your operator’s instructions. The regulation also requires operators to keep guest information for at least three years and not to disclose it except to the relevant government entities.

On DubaiCrypt, each guest shows a passport (or Emirates ID for UAE residents) at check-in, our team completes the registration, and the main guest must be 18 or older. See what you need to check in.

The Tourism Dirham: how much it is

The Tourism Dirham is a fee charged to guests for each night of occupancy, set by Executive Council Resolution No. 2 of 2014. For holiday homes it is AED 10 per occupied room per night in a Standard Holiday Home and AED 15 in a Luxury Holiday Home; hotels and hotel apartments pay between AED 7 and AED 20 per room per night, depending on their category.

The calculation rules, in Administrative Resolution No. 2 of 2020, matter for guests. The fee applies for a maximum of 30 consecutive nights and not to nights beyond that. When a unit has more than one bedroom, it applies to each room per night, regardless of how many people stay. And it must be shown clearly in price lists, invoices and receipts, and described as a fee rather than a tax.

The 2026 Tourism Dirham relief: what was announced

30 March 2026: Dubai’s Executive Council approved an AED 1 billion package. From 1 April 2026, hotels could postpone paying 100% of the sales fees and the Tourism Dirham for three months. Dubai Media Office said the measures covered all hospitality establishments, including hotels, hotel apartments and holiday homes, and that businesses would receive an update at the end of the three months. This was a deferral of payment by operators, not a waiver.

21 May 2026: a second, larger AED 1.5 billion package included “exemption from collection of the Tourism Dirham and the sales fees on hotel rooms and restaurants” and “exemption from permit and licence fees for holiday homes” for establishments registered with DET. Its 33 initiatives run over three to 12 months, with the timeline for each to be announced by the government entity responsible.

Checked on 27 October 2026: we did not find an official end date for the Tourism Dirham exemption. Secondary sources disagree on whether it is still running, and DET’s implementation timeline was not available on the official pages we could check. In practice, read your price breakdown: on DubaiCrypt, any Tourism Dirham that applies is shown before you pay, never added on arrival.

VAT and other charges

The UAE’s standard VAT rate is 5%, collected by businesses registered with the Federal Tax Authority, so whether it appears on your bill depends on the operator. On DubaiCrypt, prices are in US dollars with cleaning and service fees included, and the full total is shown on the “Confirm and pay” page before you pay.

Security deposits

DET’s guide lets operators choose to take a security deposit, and requires them to return any balance as soon as possible after your departure, in accordance with the law. Ask how much it is, how it is held and when it comes back before you book.

On DubaiCrypt, if a home requires a deposit, this is shown before you book, the refund goes to your DubaiCrypt balance after check-out, and any deduction is documented with photos or receipts and shared with you first. More in security deposits.

House rules: noise, visitors, parties, smoking and pets

• Quiet hours: 10 pm to 8 am in DET’s guide, and guests must not make noise that disturbs neighbours when arriving or leaving.
• Visitors: they may not remain in the home between midnight and 8 am, and their number is capped according to the number of bedrooms, up to six per unit in DET’s guide.
• Occupancy: only the guests you registered, within the maximum allowed by the permit, can stay overnight.
• Parties and events: gatherings must not disturb residents, and functions need approval from the local authority, according to Airbnb’s summary of Dubai’s rules. On DubaiCrypt, parties and events are not allowed without our written approval.
• Smoking: DET’s guide asks guests not to smoke in non-smoking areas; on DubaiCrypt, smoking is not allowed indoors.
• Pets: there is no general rule for guests; it depends on the home and the building. Book a home that clearly accepts them, such as our pet-friendly homes.

Check-in and check-out

The law does not fix check-in or check-out times: they are set in your booking. On DubaiCrypt, check-in is usually from 3 pm and check-out by 11 am, and keys are handed over in person, through the building concierge or by smart lock. Arriving late at night? Add your arrival time when you book, or tell the concierge your flight number, and we will send you the arrival options. Staying a month or more? The Tourism Dirham stops after 30 consecutive nights, and your check-in record must be renewed after three months.

How to check a home is licensed

1. Look for the permit number on the listing: licensed operators must include it, with their trade name, in all their adverts.
2. If it is missing, ask the operator for its trade name and permit number before you pay.
3. Expect written terms: a licensed operator must give you a lease contract and a list of house rules.
4. Look for the DET notice in the home: operators can be fined for failing to display the required notice board.
5. Be wary of homes offered only through social media or chat apps, and never pay to an address or account sent by message.

On DubaiCrypt, you only ever pay inside your DubaiCrypt account, at checkout on our own site, to the address and QR code shown on the payment screen, and each home shows its permit number where available. See how to book safely.

What to do if something goes wrong

1. Contact the operator first. DET’s guide requires operators to run a phone line that works 24/7 and to record every complaint with the action taken.
2. Document the problem with dated photos and keep your messages.
3. On DubaiCrypt, contact the 24/7 concierge with your booking reference: we manage every home ourselves, so we arrange the fix directly, and any refund that is due goes to your DubaiCrypt balance. You can contact us at any time.
4. If the issue is not resolved, you can complain to DET. Decree No. 41 of 2013 gives it the power to receive and investigate complaints against licensed operators, who must respond to complaints DET refers to them.

Frequently asked questions