Holiday home licence in Abu Dhabi: what the 2026 rules mean for owners

Who regulates holiday homes in Abu Dhabi

Short-term rentals in the emirate are licensed by the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi). Applications go through its online licensing system, and DCT must approve each home, and can inspect it, before any guest checks in. The rules apply wherever the home is listed: Airbnb, Booking.com, your own website or anywhere else.

Who can apply under the 2026 rules

The amended regulations announced this year list these applicants as eligible:

• individual owners
• joint owners
• companies and other legal entities
• tenants
• people authorised by the owner

Being eligible is not the same as being approved. Every applicant still has to meet DCT’s conditions and complete the licensing process. For tenants in particular, a lease alone does not allow holiday-home use: the tenant must hold a licence in their own right. If you are a tenant, read your lease carefully and ask DCT what it needs from you before you apply.

What the property has to meet

• The whole unit is let. Renting out single rooms or dividing a unit is not allowed.
• No more than three guests per bedroom, and living rooms, lounges and hallways cannot be turned into bedrooms.
• The property must be one that can legally be leased, in a development or area where holiday homes are permitted.
• The unit is insured, with an insurance certificate for that specific unit.

Documents usually asked for

DCT can ask for more, but applications normally include:

• a copy of the applicant’s Emirates ID or passport
• the title deed, or the tenancy contract if the applicant is a tenant
• the insurance certificate for the unit
• where a company operates the home, its business licence and the owner’s ID documents

How the licence is issued

1. Create an account on DCT Abu Dhabi’s licensing system.
2. Submit the application with the documents for the unit.
3. Pay the registration fee. An annual licence fee follows.
4. DCT reviews the application and may inspect the property.
5. Once approved, the home receives a licence number. Only then can it be listed and booked.

DCT sets the fees and they change, so check the current amounts when you apply. Licensed homes also have ongoing obligations through the same system, including tourism fees and the guest information it asks for.

Listing the home online

A holiday home cannot be advertised on any website or app without a valid DCT licence, and the licence number must appear on the listing itself. For guests, it is a quick way to check a home is legitimate. For owners, it means a listing without a number is now easy for anyone to spot.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Publishing the listing while the application is still being processed.
• Letting rooms separately to earn more from a larger unit.
• Turning the living room into an extra bedroom to take more guests.
• Letting the licence or the unit’s insurance lapse at renewal time.