Dubai exempts small shops from decoration works licence

By Rajive Singh

DUBAI 17 December 2018: Dubai Municipality will exempt shopping centres and small units from obtaining a licence for decoration works. The municipality has also a launched smart self-licence services for big shops.

Dawood Al Hajiri, director-general of Dubai Municipality, has issued a decree on the development and improvement of the procedures for licensing of decoration works.

“Dubai Municipality has been keen to streamline and simplify its procedures in line with the government of Dubai’s approach on developing government services and achieving a high quality of life for UAE nationals and residents, in accordance with the Dubai 2021 Plan in general and the municipality’s strategy in particular,” said Al Hajiri.

He added that shops of any size in the commercial centres and the building units outside the commercial centres of no more than 100 square meters will be allowed to design and execute the decoration works without obtaining a licence from the municipality’s Building Permits Department, whether for commercial, office or investment use.

However, the work should be compliant with the requirements of the Civil Defence, and should be for an independent rental unit. The decoration work should be done through a contractor approved by the municipality and should abide by the specifications, requirements and provisions of the building and planning legislation in force at the municipality.

The decoration work should also be within the limits of construction units that are approved according to the licensed plans of the building. The tenant should obtain the approval of the owner of the property to get permission for the decoration work.

For shops with a total area of more than 100 square meters, it is permissible to get the licence for the decoration works directly from the ‘Dubai Building Licensing System’ without the intervention of the municipality’s engineers. A contractor or engineer approved by the municipality can apply for the service of ‘Self-Licensing of Decoration’ digitally.