Renting your Dubai apartment to short-stay guests requires a holiday home permit. Here is what it means, and what to prepare before your home goes live.
Dubai welcomes holiday homes, but treats them like hospitality, not like a regular rental. That means a permit for each home and a few duties for each stay.
Some buildings and owners associations have their own rules on short stays. Check these first, before you furnish or list.
The home needs to be furnished and equipped for guests, with safety basics such as fire safety equipment and a first aid kit in place.
The permit is issued per property by the Department of Economy and Tourism (DET). Owners can register a home themselves, or work with a licensed holiday home operator.
The permit has to be renewed, and each stay has guest obligations, such as registering guests and the Tourism Dirham fee per night.
Requirements and fees change from time to time. Always check the current rules on the website of Dubai's Department of Economy and Tourism before you list.
Yes. Renting a home in Dubai to guests for short stays requires a holiday home permit from the Department of Economy and Tourism (DET).
Yes. DTCM, the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing, is the former name of what is now the Department of Economy and Tourism. Many people still search for the DTCM holiday home licence.
A fee per occupied room per night that applies to holiday homes in Dubai, in the same way as hotels. It is collected from guests and paid to the authorities.
Owners can register a holiday home themselves, or work with a licensed holiday home operator who handles the registration. The current requirements and fees are published by the DET.
We talk this through on the first call, for your property and your situation, so you know exactly what is needed before your home goes live.
Eight things to check before you hand over the keys.
What full short-stay management covers, and what stays with you.
Short stays or a long-term let: how the two compare.
How to work out gross and net yield on a holiday home.
Book a call and we will walk you through what your property needs before it goes live.