Do you need a permit to film in Dubai? The 2026 guide
Who needs a Dubai filming permit, what the Dubai Film and TV Commission charges, how long approval takes, and the fines for getting it wrong.
Yes, if you are shooting a commercial, corporate or brand production in Dubai, you need a permit from the Dubai Film and TV Commission (DFTC), and a UAE-licensed production company has to apply for it. The application fee reported by the UAE press is AED 520, and filming without permission can cost up to AED 25,000 in fines. Weddings, events, school footage and personal use are the reported exceptions.
This guide sets out who the permit is for, what it costs, how long it takes and where the sources disagree. The fee figures come from a Khaleej Times report of 9 October 2024 that attributes them to the DFTC. Fees and rules change, so confirm the current schedule with the commission or your production company before you budget.
Who needs a filming permit in Dubai?
The DFTC is the authority that regulates filming in Dubai. According to the same report, anyone filming in Dubai has to work through a licensed UAE-based production house, which files the application on your behalf. A foreign brand or agency cannot apply directly, so the relationship with a local production company has to be in place before dates are committed.
The report lists what does not need a permit: weddings, events, footage for schools and colleges for educational purposes, and filming for personal use. A commercial, a corporate film, a TV spot, a branded reel shot in a public place or a documentary falls on the other side of that line. If you are unsure which side a project is on, ask before the shoot, not after.
What does a Dubai filming permit cost?
Three kinds of cost sit behind the word "permit". Keep them apart when you read a quote.
| Cost | Reported figure | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee | AED 520 per application | Non-refundable. One application can cover several days and several locations. |
| Government location fee | AED 2,500 for advertisements (up to 30 days) and for corporate videos (up to 7 days) | Aerial filming is listed at AED 0 for up to 7 days. Fees depend on the category of production. |
| Private location fee | AED 0 up to AED 25,000 a day | Set by the owner. Depends on the production, clean-up and security needed. |
Production-company sites quote different public-location figures, and one gives a flat fee of AED 2,520. We have not been able to reconcile every figure, which is why we show the Khaleej Times numbers with their date and tell you to confirm. The honest answer to "what will my permit cost" is the application fee plus whatever your locations charge, and your producer should itemise both.
How long does DFTC approval take?
The press report does not give a processing time for the permit itself. In our own work, approval takes from a few days to two weeks, and it starts before the shoot dates are fixed, because a location you cannot get approved is a location you cannot book. Treat it as part of the critical path, not a form to fill in the week before.
Scripted productions are different. The report says scripts take up to 25 business days to be approved, that the script has to be approved before the permit application, and that it must list the shoot dates and locations, with no changes allowed once submitted. Arabic-language productions submit the script in Arabic, and everything else in English. A typical commercial or corporate film is not a scripted drama, but if your project has a script, ask your producer early whether it needs approval.
Planning a film?
Tell us what you are making and when. We reply within one working day with a scoped quote.
What are the fines for filming without a permit?
The reported fines are heavy enough to make the permit the cheapest part of the shoot.
| Violation | Reported fine |
|---|---|
| Filming without permission from the relevant authorities | AED 25,000 |
| Filming activities other than those in the permit | AED 25,000 |
| Shooting without location permission | AED 15,000 |
| Aerial filming without permission, property damage, littering, blocking roads or paths, building sets without permission, or a production member not on set | AED 20,000 each |
The same rules say scenes must not disrespect UAE culture and values or reflect economic, political or ideological issues unethically. For brands, that is a creative check as well as a legal one.
What do you need to give your production company?
- 01The concept and the outputs.What is being filmed, and where the film will run
- 02Dates and locations.Every location, with the date it is needed, so one application covers them all
- 03Cast and crew numbers.The size of the unit affects the location and any road or security arrangements
- 04Whether drones are involved.Aerial filming has its own permission and its own fine if it is missed
- 05The script, if there is one.Scripts need approval before the application
How does the permit fit into a production schedule?
The order matters. Costs climb when a location is locked before its permit is cleared, or a script is approved after the crew is booked. We run it this way:
- 1Brief and treatment.Agree what is being made and where it can be shot
- 2Permit application.Submitted as soon as dates and locations are firm, and well before the crew is confirmed on a hard date
- 3Pre-production.Casting, crew, equipment and the call sheet, while the approval is in review
- 4Shoot.Only on approved locations and within the activities the permit names
The full production sequence is on our video production page, and our guide to how much video production costs in Dubai shows where permits sit in a budget. If you are planning a shoot around a date, such as National Day, start the permit in the first week.
Who handles it at Steer Media?
We are a UAE-based production company, so we raise the application for you as part of the production. A corporate film starts from AED 35,000 and a TV commercial from AED 100,000, with permits scoped into the quote. Send your locations and dates and we reply within one working day.
Planning a film?
Tell us what you are making and when. We reply within one working day with a scoped quote.
Filming permit questions: who, how much and how long.
Do I need a permit to film in Dubai?
Yes for commercial, corporate and brand productions. The Dubai Film and TV Commission regulates filming, and a licensed UAE production company applies on your behalf. Weddings, events, school footage and personal use are reported exceptions.
How much does a Dubai filming permit cost?
The Dubai Film and TV Commission application fee was reported at AED 520 per application in October 2024. Location fees are separate: AED 2,500 for advertisements on government locations, and AED 0 to AED 25,000 a day on private ones. Confirm the current schedule before budgeting.
How long does DFTC approval take?
In our experience, from a few days to two weeks, and it starts before the shoot dates are fixed. Scripted productions need script approval first, which the press reports as up to 25 business days.
What is the fine for filming without a permit in Dubai?
The reported fine is AED 25,000 for filming without permission from the relevant authorities. Shooting without location permission is reported at AED 15,000, and several other violations at AED 20,000 each.
Can a foreign company apply for a Dubai filming permit?
Not directly. The commission requires a UAE-licensed production company to apply, so a foreign brand or agency needs a local partner in place before committing to dates.
Do I need a permit to fly a drone for filming in Dubai?
Aerial filming needs permission, and filming from the air without it is reported at AED 20,000. The location fee for aerial filming is listed at AED 0 for up to 7 days. Tell your producer at the start if drones are in the plan.
Does Steer Media arrange filming permits?
Yes. We are a UAE-based production company and raise the application as part of the production. Send your dates and locations and we reply within one working day.
