Building a home or any new project in Dubai starts with a permit. For most plots, Dubai Municipality issues the building permit through the Build in Dubai platform, and the application is submitted by a registered building consultant or contractor rather than by the owner directly.
Once a complete application is in, Dubai Municipality aims to issue a new building permit within 3 working days. The permit is valid for 2 years and includes a demarcation certificate, which you need before any work can begin on site.
This guide covers who issues building permits in Dubai, the documents and fees involved, each step of the application and what happens after the permit is issued.
- What is a building permit in Dubai?
- Who issues building permits in Dubai?
- When do you need a building permit?
- Who can apply for a building permit in Dubai?
- Documents required for a new building permit
- How to apply for a building permit in Dubai, step by step
- Building permit Dubai fees
- How long does it take, and how long is the permit valid?
- Planning to build? Start with the right plot
- After the permit: inspections and the completion certificate
Dubai Building Permit: Key Information
| Item | Details |
| Main issuing authority | Dubai Municipality (other licensing authorities cover their own zones) |
| Where to apply | Build in the Dubai platform |
| Who submits the application | Building consultants or building contractors |
| Core documents | Project plans by type and the proposed building design |
| Service completion | 3 working days |
| Permit validity | 2 years from the issue date |
| Minimum permit fee | AED 500, plus service entity fees |
What is a building permit in Dubai?
A building permit is the official approval to carry out a new construction project. Dubai Municipality describes it as the permit you need to implement a new project, including a demarcation certificate, before starting any work on site.
Every design has to meet Dubai’s building rules, including the Dubai Building Code, green building regulations and universal design requirements for accessibility. If you’re planning work on an existing home, our guide to the Dubai Building Code and renovation permits explains how those rules apply.
Who issues building permits in Dubai?
Dubai Municipality is the main licensing authority for building permits in the emirate. Since 2022, building permit transactions with Dubai’s licensing agencies have run through one unified system, so the authority you deal with depends on where your plot is.
| Authority | Role in the permit process |
| Dubai Municipality | Issues building permits for most plots in Dubai and runs the Build in Dubai platform |
| Dubai Development Authority | Licensing agency for the zones under its jurisdiction |
| Trakhees | Licensing agency for the zones under its jurisdiction |
| Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority | Licensing agency for the zones under its jurisdiction |
| Service entities | Dubai Civil Defence, RTA, DEWA, Etisalat and du review their part of the project and charge their own fees |
If your plot sits in a free zone or a special development zone, your consultant will confirm which licensing authority applies before the application goes in.
When do you need a building permit?
A new building is the most common reason, but Dubai Municipality issues separate permits for other types of work:
- New building: For any new project on a plot. Only one new building application is allowed per plot.
- Modifications and additions: For minor or major changes to existing buildings or projects under construction, including advertising signage on rooftops and façades.
- Villa extensions: For building annexes to completed private villas.
- Demolition: A preliminary or final permit for full or partial demolition works.
- Decorative works: For units larger than 100 square metres, covering suspended ceilings, flooring, shelves and non-structural internal partitions.
For an overview of the wider approvals the municipality handles, read our guide to Dubai Municipality approval.
Who can apply for a building permit in Dubai?
Dubai Municipality accepts new building permit applications from building consultants and building contractors. As the owner, your main job is to appoint a registered consultant, who designs the project and handles the application.
The Build in Dubai platform lists registered consultants and contractors with their ratings and offers model contracts for villa projects, which helps when comparing firms. Owners can also use the Dubai Building Permits app to see their plots, search for consultants and contractors, pay fees and track the status of their permit.
Documents required for a new building permit
Your consultant prepares and uploads these documents on the Build in Dubai platform:
- Project plans according to the project type: architectural, structural, electromechanical, drainage and thermal insulation, roads or Civil Defence
- The proposed design of the building
Initial design approval (optional)
Before the full application, a consultant can request initial approval of the design concept using the architectural drawings. This step takes 3 working days and checks that the early drawings meet the building standards before detailed design work begins. It isn’t mandatory, and it doesn’t allow any work to start on site.
Timing matters once drawings are approved. The consultant must obtain the building permit within 9 months of the drawings approval, or request an extension. Drawing validity can be extended up to 4 times, for 6 months each time.
How to apply for a building permit in Dubai, step by step
Here’s how the application works on the Build in Dubai platform:
- Log in: Your consultant or contractor signs in to Build in Dubai.
- Submit the application: They fill in the form, upload the plans and design, and apply for the service.
- Pay the fees: The first half of the permit fee is paid when the application is submitted.
- Get Dubai Municipality’s decision: The reply comes through the system as approved, rejected or returned for revision.
- Receive the permit: Once approved, the payment voucher and the permit are issued through the system.
- Book the demarcation: You receive the appointment details by SMS, and a surveyor meets you at the plot to mark out the building.
- Receive the demarcation certificate: It is issued through the system, and work on site can begin.
Note: Make sure the site is ready and free of obstructions before the surveyor’s visit. If it isn’t, Dubai Municipality issues a site report with remarks, and you’ll need to address them before applying again.
Building permit Dubai fees
Building permit fees in Dubai have three parts: an application fee, an area-based permit fee and an optional printed demarcation certificate. Your first application is free.
Application fees for resubmissions
| Building type | Fee per new application |
| Private villa | AED 100 |
| Investment villa | AED 200 |
| Multistorey building (up to 7 floors) | AED 200 |
| Multistorey building (more than 7 floors) | AED 250 |
| Industrial or public facility | AED 250 |
| Floor area ratio building | AED 250 |
Permit fees
The permit fee is calculated on the areas in your project, with a minimum of AED 500 for all building types. You pay it in two instalments: half when you submit the application and half once the permitted area receives final approval.
| Item | Rate |
| Total internal area | 30 fils per square foot |
| Outdoor concrete slab | 10 fils per square foot |
| External concrete wall | 10 fils per linear foot |
| Outdoor pergola area | 15 fils per square foot |
| Swimming pool area and other external services | 30 fils per square foot |
| Printed demarcation certificate (optional) | AED 100 |
For example, a villa with 5,000 square feet of internal area would pay AED 1,500 for the internal area alone, before outdoor areas are added. A AED 20 Knowledge and Innovation fee applies to each part, and you also pay the fees set by the service entities: Dubai Civil Defence, DEWA, RTA, Etisalat and du.
How to pay
You can pay through the Dubai Municipality app, the Dubai Now app or the Dubai Smart Government portal, or in cash or by cheque at Al Ansari Exchange. Accepted methods include Noqodi, direct debit, credit card, Apple Pay and Samsung Pay.
How long does it take, and how long is the permit valid?
Dubai Municipality lists a service completion time of 3 working days for a new building permit. The permit is valid for 2 years from the issue date. If construction hasn’t started or has stopped, you can renew it through the municipality’s permit renewal service, which is completed instantly.
A few conditions apply once the permit is issued:
- The contractor must provide an insurance document for the construction works.
- Temporary buildings aren’t covered by the new building permit.
- Repeated comments on an application can lead to fines under Administrative Resolution No. (425) of 2016.
- Buildings intended for shared accommodation must follow the approved Shared Housing Guide. Our guide to Dubai’s shared housing law covers the wider rules.
After the permit: inspections and the completion certificate
The building permit is the first of three stages. The second is structural inspection during construction, and the third is the completion certificate.
Structural site inspections
The contractor requests an inspection for footings and slabs before concrete is cast, and for shoring works at set points during excavation. These include after the first 2 metres below original ground level, at anchor level if there is one, and at foundation level. A unified committee from Dubai Municipality’s building control and survey departments carries out each visit, and the service takes 3 working days.
Building completion certificate
When construction is finished, a unified committee inspects the building. It includes Dubai Municipality, Dubai Civil Defence, RTA, Etisalat and du. Once approved, you receive the building completion certificate, the Civil Defence completion certificate and the final survey certificate, and services can be connected.
Applications from the contractor or consultant take 3 working days, including the site inspection. Owners can apply too, which takes 3 to 10 working days because the contractor is first given 7 working days to respond. Under Administrative Decision No. (275) of 2024, if the contractor or consultant refuses to approve the certificate over a financial or contractual dispute with the owner, the municipality can still complete the certificate for the owner.
Planning to build? Start with the right plot
Every building permit starts with a plot. Before you buy, check the plot’s permitted use and where it sits, since that decides which authority will license your project. You can browse land for sale in Dubai on Property Finder and compare plots across different communities.
If you’re buying outside a master community, it also helps to check whether a property is freehold. And if building from scratch feels like too long a process, villas for sale in Dubai give you a ready-made alternative.
Key Takeaways
- Dubai Municipality issues most building permits in Dubai through the Build in Dubai platform, while other licensing authorities cover their own zones.
- Only building consultants and contractors can submit a new building permit application, so owners start by appointing a consultant.
- The core documents are the project plans by type and the proposed building design.
- The first application is free, and the permit fee is area-based with a minimum of AED 500, plus service entity fees.
- A new building permit takes 3 working days and is valid for 2 years, and it includes the demarcation certificate needed before work starts.
- Structural inspections and a completion certificate follow before services are connected.
Frequently Asked Questions
Dubai Municipality lists a completion time of 3 working days for a new building permit, once a complete application is submitted through the Build in Dubai platform. Revisions requested by the municipality add time, as each resubmission is reviewed again.
The first application is free. The permit fee is based on area, at 30 fils per square foot of total internal area, plus set rates for outdoor slabs, external walls, pergolas and pools, with a minimum of AED 500. A AED 20 Knowledge and Innovation fee applies, and fees for Civil Defence, DEWA, RTA, Etisalat and du are charged separately by each entity.
No. Dubai Municipality accepts new building permit applications from building consultants and building contractors. As the owner, you appoint a consultant, who prepares the drawings and submits the application for you. You can follow the progress of your project on the Dubai Building Permits app.
A new building permit is valid for 2 years from the date it is issued. If construction has not started, or has stopped, the permit can be renewed through Dubai Municipality’s renewal service.
It depends on the work. Changes or additions to an existing building need a modifications and additions permit, annexes to a completed private villa need a villa extension permit, and decorative works in units larger than 100 square metres, such as suspended ceilings, flooring and non-structural partitions, need a decorative works permit.
No. Only one new building application can be submitted per plot. Any later additions are handled through a modifications and additions application.
It is the certificate issued after a Dubai Municipality surveyor marks out the building on site. It comes with the new building permit, and the site must be ready and clear of obstructions for the surveyor’s visit. A printed copy is optional and costs AED 100.
Dubai Municipality issues it after a final inspection by a unified committee that includes the municipality’s building control and survey teams, Dubai Civil Defence, RTA, Etisalat and du. Approval also covers the Civil Defence completion certificate and the final survey certificate, and allows services to be connected.
