Dubai Music Licence 2026 | Music Licensing Dubai | EMRA Music Licence Dubai | Restaurant & Café Music Licence Dubai | Background Music Licence Dubai | Commercial Music Licence Dubai | Music Licence Cost Dubai
Last updated: 27 August 2026
If your business in Dubai plays music for customers, guests, members or visitors, you may be asking:
Do I need a music licence in Dubai?
And if you do:
How much does a music licence cost in Dubai?
The answer is becoming increasingly important.
The UAE Ministry of Economy & Tourism launched the Collective Management in Music Guide on 11 August 2026, under Ministerial Resolution No. 136 of 2026. The Ministry says applicable music-use fees will begin being collected from December 2026.
The framework applies across the UAE, including Dubai, and covers commercial users such as restaurants, cafés, hotels, fitness centres, shopping malls, airlines, broadcasters and concerts/similar events.
This guide explains Dubai music licensing in simple language.
Dubai Music Licence — Quick Answer
If you operate a:
- Café
- Restaurant
- Hotel
- Gym
- Fitness centre
- Shop
- Retail store
- Supermarket
- Salon
- Spa
- Shopping centre
- Event venue
- Cinema
- Theatre
- Other customer-facing business
and play music commercially, you should understand your music-rights and licensing position.
The UAE framework is federal, so there is not a completely separate "Dubai music law" for commercial music use.
Instead:
Dubai businesses fall within the UAE-wide music collective-management framework.
The Ministry says EMRA and Music Nation are responsible for collecting applicable fees and managing relevant rights under the framework.
Is There a Dubai-Specific Music Licence?
Not in the sense of a separate Dubai-only tariff system.
The new music licensing framework is established at the UAE federal level.
Therefore, a café in:
Dubai
and a café in:
Abu Dhabi
are operating within the same national framework, although their applicable tariff can depend on the business category and scale rather than the emirate itself.
EMRA's current application actually allows businesses to select:
- Abu Dhabi
- Ajman
- Dubai
- Fujairah
- Ras Al Khaimah
- Sharjah
- Umm Al Quwain.
When Does Dubai Music Licensing Start?
The Ministry announced that applicable fees will begin being collected from:
December 2026
Current reporting identifies the commencement date as:
1 December 2026
The relevant licences are issued for:
One year
and are renewable under the applicable rules and conditions.
Who Manages Music Licensing in Dubai?
Two authorised collective-management organisations are involved:
EMRA
Emirates Music Rights Association
and:
Music Nation
The UAE Ministry of Economy & Tourism has authorised both organisations for collective management of music rights and collection/distribution of applicable payments.
Is EMRA a Dubai Government Department?
No.
This is an important distinction.
UAE Ministry of Economy & Tourism
The government authority establishing the regulatory framework.
EMRA
An authorised collective-management organisation.
Music Nation
Another authorised collective-management organisation.
So when you hear:
"EMRA music licence Dubai"
this generally refers to the music-rights licensing process administered through an authorised collective-management organisation within the UAE framework.
Dubai Music Licence Cost 2026
There is no single Dubai music licence price.
The reported tariff depends on the type and size of business and the nature of music use.
For example:
| Dubai business | Reported starting annual tariff |
|---|---|
| Café/restaurant — recorded background music | AED 1,500 |
| Café/restaurant — DJ/entertainment | AED 2,500 |
| Retail shop | AED 1,700 |
| Fitness centre | AED 1,700 |
| Hotel | Based on classification + rooms |
| Major shopping mall | Area-based, reported up to AED 50,000 |
| Airline | Reported up to AED 45,000 |
These are reported figures from coverage of the Ministry's tariff schedule and should be confirmed against the applicable official licensing arrangement.
Dubai Café Music Licence
One of the most common questions is:
"I have a café in Dubai. Do I need a music licence?"
If your café uses music commercially, you should assess the applicable music licensing requirements.
For restaurants and cafés using recorded background music, the reported tariff is:
| Seating | Reported annual fee |
|---|---|
| 1–50 seats | AED 1,500 |
| 51–100 seats | AED 2,700 |
| 101–200 seats | AED 4,800 |
| Above 200 | AED 4,800 + AED 20/additional seat |
| Reported maximum | AED 6,000 |
Example
A Dubai café with:
40 seats
and recorded background music would fall into the reported:
AED 1,500/year
category.
Dubai Restaurant Music Licence
Restaurants fall under the same relevant restaurant/café tariff structure for recorded background music.
For example:
80-seat Dubai restaurant
Reported annual tariff:
AED 2,700
150-seat Dubai restaurant
Reported annual tariff:
AED 4,800
These figures are indicative based on the published/reporting tariff schedule and should be confirmed for the actual business.
Dubai Restaurant With DJ
A restaurant with a DJ or entertainment can fall into a higher reported tariff category.
| Seating | Reported annual fee |
|---|---|
| 1–50 | AED 2,500 |
| 51–100 | AED 3,500 |
| 101–200 | AED 6,500 |
| Above 200 | AED 6,500 + AED 20/additional seat |
| Reported maximum | AED 8,000 |
This is why Dubai restaurants should clearly distinguish between:
Background music
and:
DJ / entertainment.
Do Dubai Gyms Need a Music Licence?
Fitness centres and gyms are included in the current commercial music-user framework.
The reported tariff is based on floor area.
| Gym size | Reported annual fee |
|---|---|
| Up to 300 m² | AED 1,700 |
| Above 300 m² | AED 1,700 + AED 5/additional m² |
| Reported maximum | AED 6,000 |
So a small Dubai gym of 250 m² has a reported starting tariff of:
AED 1,700/year
Do Dubai Hotels Need a Music Licence?
Hotels are specifically covered by the new framework.
Hotel tariffs use a different calculation based on factors such as:
- Hotel classification
- Number of rooms.
Reported rates include:
1–2 star: AED 50/room
3 star: AED 120/room
4–5 star: AED 150/room
with reported annual bands/ceilings depending on the category.
A Dubai hotel should therefore not use the café tariff to estimate its music licensing cost.
Do Dubai Shops Need a Music Licence?
Retail businesses are included in EMRA's current music-user application, including stores, supermarkets and department stores.
The reported retail tariff is based on floor area:
| Area | Reported annual fee |
|---|---|
| Up to 300 m² | AED 1,700 |
| 301–700 m² | AED 3,400 |
| Above 700 m² | AED 3,400 + AED 60/additional 25 m² |
| Reported maximum | AED 20,000 |
Dubai Shopping Mall Music Licence
Shopping malls are specifically included in the UAE framework.
The reported tariff for major shopping centres is calculated according to common/shared areas.
The reported schedule starts at:
AED 625
for the first 100 m², followed by additional area charges.
The reported annual ceiling is:
AED 50,000
This should not automatically be confused with the music licensing position of an individual retail shop located inside the mall.
Dubai Salon & Spa Music Licence
EMRA's current music-user pre-application includes:
- Beauty Salon
- Spa
among its business categories.
Therefore, a Dubai salon or spa using music should assess its licensing position rather than assuming that music is automatically exempt because it is "only background music."
The exact applicable tariff should be confirmed through the relevant licensing process.
Dubai Event & DJ Music Licence
Events, concerts and similar events are covered by the Ministry's framework.
A Dubai event involving:
- DJ
- Live band
- Singer
- Concert
- Entertainment
should not automatically be treated as ordinary background music.
The nature of the use matters.
Dubai Background Music Licence
One of the most important terms for businesses is:
Background Music Licence
This generally refers to music played in a commercial environment to create atmosphere rather than as the main entertainment.
Examples include:
- Café background music
- Restaurant background music
- Hotel lobby music
- Gym music
- Retail-store music
- Salon music
- Spa music.
EMRA's current pre-application specifically asks whether an outlet plays background music, how many areas use it and the average daily hours.
Does Background Music Need a Licence in Dubai?
Businesses should not assume:
"It's only background music, so no licence is necessary."
The new UAE framework specifically covers commercial establishments where music use involves copyright and neighbouring rights. Restaurants, cafés, hotels, gyms and other commercial categories are expressly identified.
The precise requirement depends on the music and use involved.
What If I Only Play Music for Atmosphere?
That is still commercial use of music when music is being played in a customer-facing business.
Do not confuse:
background
with:
private/non-commercial.
Dubai Music Licence and Spotify
A common question is:
"I have Spotify Premium. Do I still need a music licence?"
Do not assume that a consumer streaming subscription automatically provides the rights required for commercial public playback.
EMRA's current pre-application specifically asks whether businesses use streaming services such as:
- Spotify
- YouTube
- SoundCloud.
So if your Dubai business uses Spotify, disclose that when completing the relevant music-use information.
Dubai Music Licence and YouTube
The same principle applies to YouTube.
Being able to stream a song or video does not automatically mean the business has every right required for commercial public use.
Dubai Music Licence and SoundCloud
SoundCloud is also specifically mentioned in EMRA's current music-user application.
Again:
Streaming access and commercial music rights should not automatically be treated as the same thing.
What About Royalty-Free Music in Dubai?
The term:
Royalty-free
does not automatically mean:
Licence-free.
Royalty-free music can still be subject to licence terms.
A Dubai business should check:
- Commercial-use permission
- Public playback rights
- Territory
- Duration
- Restrictions.
What About AI-Generated Music in Dubai?
AI-generated music is an increasingly important question.
There is currently no blanket UAE rule identified saying that all AI-generated music is automatically exempt from music licensing.
If your Dubai business uses AI-generated music, examine:
- Who created it
- Which AI platform was used
- Platform terms
- Commercial rights
- Output rights
- Any third-party material
- Licence documentation
- Provenance.
What About Music I Created Myself?
If you created and genuinely control the relevant rights, the situation may be different.
But document:
- Composition
- Recording
- Ownership
- Contributors
- Commercial rights.
Do not simply assume:
"I made it, therefore no licensing issue can ever arise."
What About Public-Domain Music?
A public-domain composition and a particular recording are not necessarily the same thing.
A modern recording of an old composition can have separate rights.
Businesses should examine the specific recording being played.
Dubai Music Licence Application
EMRA currently provides an online music-user licensing process.
Its application asks for:
Company legal name
Total locations
Business type
and contact details.
EMRA Music Licensing Application
EMRA Dubai Music Licence Application — What Information Is Needed?
The current pre-application asks for business information including:
- Company legal name
- Trade licence number
- VAT registration number
- Main address
- Total locations
- Business type
- Emirate(s).
It also asks for music-use details.
Music Usage Information for a Dubai Business
Be prepared to answer:
Do you play live music?
Do you play background music?
Do you use streaming services?
Do you have a DJ?
How many music areas?
How many hours per day?
How frequently are DJs used?
How frequently are live events held?
Do you have existing music-rights agreements?
This is an excellent checklist for any Dubai business preparing for music licensing.
How to Apply for a Music Licence in Dubai
Step 1 — Identify your business
Café, restaurant, gym, hotel, retail, salon, spa, event venue, etc.
Step 2 — Identify your music
Background music, streaming, DJ, live music or event music.
Step 3 — Identify your locations
Number of branches and premises.
Step 4 — Gather your documents
Trade licence, VAT information and business details.
Step 5 — Audit your music sources
Spotify? YouTube? SoundCloud? Direct provider? Downloaded music? AI catalogue?
Step 6 — Identify existing licences
Do you already have a music agreement?
Step 7 — Submit the required information
Use the applicable authorised licensing process.
Step 8 — Determine your tariff
The fee depends on the relevant category and scale.
Step 9 — Complete the licensing process
Review the agreement and payment requirements.
Step 10 — Keep your records
Licence, agreement, receipt and music-rights documentation.
How Much Does a Music Licence Cost in Dubai?
There isn't one price.
Reported starting figures include:
Café / restaurant
AED 1,500/year
Café / restaurant with DJ
AED 2,500/year
Gym
AED 1,700/year
Retail shop
AED 1,700/year
Shopping mall
Potentially up to a reported AED 50,000/year
Hotel
Based on classification and room count.
Are These Dubai Government Fees?
The regulatory framework comes from the UAE Ministry of Economy & Tourism.
The Ministry says EMRA and Music Nation will collect applicable fees and manage relevant rights.
Therefore, don't confuse:
UAE government regulatory framework
with:
the authorised collective-management organisation administering the rights.
Does a Dubai Trade Licence Include Music Rights?
No.
A Dubai trade licence and a music licence address different things.
Trade licence
Authorises your commercial business activity.
Music licence
Addresses applicable music rights associated with commercial music use.
Having a valid Dubai business licence does not automatically mean you have permission to use every copyrighted recording commercially.
Does Dubai Municipality Approve My Music?
A business should not assume that ordinary business approvals automatically constitute a music-rights licence.
Music rights operate under the relevant UAE copyright and collective-management framework.
Does My Hotel Licence Cover Music?
Not automatically.
A hotel trade/hospitality licence and a music-rights licence are different matters.
Does My Restaurant Licence Cover Music?
Again:
No automatic assumption.
Your restaurant trade licence permits the restaurant activity.
Music licensing concerns the rights associated with music use.
What If I Have Several Dubai Branches?
EMRA's current process asks for:
Total locations
and allows businesses to identify the emirates in which they operate.
So prepare a branch list.
For example:
Dubai Marina — 1
Downtown Dubai — 1
Jumeirah — 1
Business Bay — 1
Then provide the actual music-use information.
What If One Branch Has a DJ?
Tell the licensing organisation.
For example:
Branch A
Background music only.
Branch B
Background music + DJ.
Don't automatically assume both branches fall into exactly the same use category.
What If I Have a Dubai Restaurant With Live Music?
Declare the live performance.
EMRA's current application separately asks about live music and frequency of live events.
What If I Have a Dubai Café That Only Uses Instrumental Music?
Instrumental music can still be protected.
The absence of lyrics does not automatically mean there are no rights.
What If I Use Music From an Independent Artist?
Ask:
Does the artist actually control the rights?
Does the permission cover the recording?
Does it cover commercial public playback?
Does it cover UAE use?
Is it in writing?
Keep the documentation.
What If I Already Have a Music Provider?
Don't automatically cancel it.
Review:
- Catalogue
- Licence
- Rights
- Territory
- Premises
- Duration
- Commercial-use permissions.
Then determine how it interacts with the current UAE framework.
Dubai Businesses Should Start Preparing Now
Although the fee framework begins in December 2026, EMRA already has an active licensing and pre-application process.
This means a Dubai business can begin preparing its information now.
Why Should a Dubai Business Prepare Early?
Because your music environment may be more complicated than you think.
You might have:
- Spotify
- YouTube
- DJ
- Live singer
- Background playlist
- Downloaded tracks
- Music supplied by a previous provider.
A music audit now can reveal what needs attention.
Dubai Music Licensing Checklist
Before contacting the relevant organisation, prepare:
Business
☐ Trade licence
☐ Company legal name
☐ VAT details, where applicable
☐ Business category
☐ Number of branches
☐ Branch addresses
Music
☐ Background music
☐ Streaming
☐ Spotify
☐ YouTube
☐ SoundCloud
☐ DJ
☐ Live music
☐ Events
Usage
☐ Number of music areas
☐ Daily hours
☐ DJ frequency
☐ Live-event frequency
Rights
☐ Existing music licence
☐ Music-provider contract
☐ Catalogue information
☐ Commercial-use permissions.
Dubai Music Licence — Common Mistakes
Mistake 1: "It's only background music."
Background music is still music use.
Mistake 2: "We have Spotify Premium."
A consumer subscription should not automatically be treated as a commercial music licence.
Mistake 3: "The music is royalty-free."
Check the actual licence.
Mistake 4: "It's AI-generated."
AI generation does not automatically establish a blanket licensing exemption.
Mistake 5: "We have a Dubai trade licence."
A trade licence is not a music-rights licence.
Mistake 6: "We only play music occasionally."
Occasional use should still be properly assessed.
Mistake 7: "Our old licence covers everything."
Check its actual scope.
What About VENUORA in Dubai?
VENUORA is being developed as a:
Commercial Background-Music Service for UAE Businesses
The model focuses on:
Controlled catalogue
Documented provenance
Defined commercial licence
Business-focused background music.
For a Dubai business, this can provide a much more structured approach to sourcing background music than simply collecting tracks from consumer streaming platforms or random online sources.
Does VENUORA Replace EMRA in Dubai?
VENUORA does not make that blanket claim.
This distinction is critical.
A VENUORA licence is intended to cover:
Eligible VENUORA catalogue music and the rights expressly granted under the VENUORA commercial licence.
It does not automatically mean:
"The business has no other music licensing obligations."
For example, if a Dubai café uses:
VENUORA + Spotify + DJ music
the VENUORA licence does not automatically cover the Spotify or DJ repertoire.
VENUORA's Approach to Commercial Music
The idea is simple:
Know the catalogue.
Know the source.
Know the rights.
Know the licence.
Keep the documentation.
This is particularly useful for small and medium-sized businesses that want a predictable background-music system.
Dubai Music Licence — What Businesses Should Do Now
1. Audit your music.
Find out exactly what is playing.
2. Identify your music sources.
Spotify? YouTube? DJ? Music provider?
3. Count your locations.
Include every relevant branch.
4. Document your existing licences.
Don't lose old agreements.
5. Identify your use.
Background, DJ, live music or events.
6. Review the applicable tariff.
Don't assume every business pays the same.
7. Contact the relevant authorised organisation.
Provide accurate information.
8. Keep your licence records.
Make compliance easy to demonstrate.
Dubai Music Licence FAQ
Do cafés in Dubai need a music licence?
Commercial cafés using music should assess their licensing requirements under the UAE collective-management framework. Restaurants and cafés are specifically included in the Ministry's framework.
How much does a Dubai café music licence cost?
Reported annual background-music tariffs start at AED 1,500 for cafés/restaurants with up to 50 seats.
How much does a Dubai restaurant music licence cost?
Reported background-music tariffs range from AED 1,500 to AED 6,000 depending on seating capacity, with a separate higher schedule for DJ/entertainment use.
Do Dubai gyms need a music licence?
Fitness centres are included in the framework. Reported fees start at AED 1,700/year.
Do Dubai hotels need a music licence?
Hotels are specifically included in the framework.
Do Dubai shops need a music licence?
Retail categories including stores, supermarkets and department stores appear in EMRA's current music-user application.
Is there a separate Dubai music licence?
The relevant framework is UAE-wide rather than a separate Dubai-only regime.
Who issues the licence?
The Ministry establishes the framework and licences collective-management activities; EMRA and Music Nation are the authorised organisations responsible for collecting applicable fees and managing relevant rights.
When do the fees start?
Applicable fees begin in December 2026; current reporting identifies 1 December 2026.
Are music licences annual?
The Ministry states that the relevant licences are issued for one year and are renewable under applicable rules and conditions.
Does Spotify Premium cover my café?
Do not assume that a consumer streaming subscription provides the required commercial public-playback rights.
Does YouTube cover my restaurant?
Do not assume so.
Is royalty-free music exempt?
No blanket exemption should be assumed.
Is AI-generated music exempt?
No blanket UAE exemption has been identified.
Does VENUORA replace EMRA?
VENUORA makes no blanket claim that its commercial licence replaces EMRA or Music Nation.
Can I start preparing now?
Yes. EMRA already provides a music-user pre-application and licensing process.
Dubai Music Licensing — One-Minute Guide
If you operate a business in Dubai that plays music:
Know your business.
Know your music.
Know your music sources.
Know your locations.
Know your existing licences.
Know how many hours you play music.
Know whether you use DJs or live performers.
Understand the applicable tariff.
Complete the appropriate licensing process.
Keep your documentation.
The UAE's new commercial music framework begins fee collection in:
December 2026
So there is no reason for a Dubai business to wait until the last minute.
Start Your Dubai Music Rights Audit Today
Ask these 10 questions:
1. What type of Dubai business do we operate?
2. How many branches do we have?
3. Where is music played?
4. How many music areas are there?
5. How many hours per day?
6. Do we use Spotify?
7. Do we use YouTube or SoundCloud?
8. Do we have a DJ or live music?
9. Do we have existing music agreements?
10. Can we document the rights to the music we play?
If you can answer these questions, you have already completed the first stage of your Dubai music licensing preparation.
Final Takeaway
Dubai businesses are part of the UAE's new music licensing framework.
There isn't a separate universal "Dubai music licence price."
Instead, the applicable fee depends on:
Business type + scale + nature of music use.
Reported examples include:
Café/restaurant background music
From AED 1,500/year
Café/restaurant with DJ/entertainment
From AED 2,500/year
Gym
From AED 1,700/year
Retail
From AED 1,700/year
Shopping mall
Up to a reported AED 50,000/year
Hotel
Classification + room-based calculation
The UAE Ministry says applicable fees begin in:
December 2026
and EMRA and Music Nation are responsible for collecting applicable fees and managing relevant rights under the framework.
For a Dubai business, the smartest approach is simple:
Understand your music before December.
Important Licensing Disclaimer
This page is for general educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.
The UAE Ministry of Economy & Tourism's official announcement confirms the Collective Management in Music Guide, Ministerial Resolution No. 136 of 2026, the covered categories, December 2026 fee collection and the roles of EMRA and Music Nation.
The detailed AED figures presented on this page are reported tariff figures from UAE media and other sources referring to the Ministry's tariff schedule. Businesses should confirm their exact classification, applicable tariff, repertoire and licensing arrangement with the relevant authorised organisation before relying on a figure for payment or compliance.
No blanket exemption is claimed for:
- Spotify
- YouTube
- SoundCloud
- Royalty-free music
- Creative Commons music
- Public-domain recordings
- Independently licensed music
- AI-generated music
- VENUORA music.
VENUORA does not claim that purchasing a VENUORA licence automatically replaces or exempts a business from EMRA, Music Nation or any other applicable UAE music-rights requirement.
A VENUORA licence applies to eligible VENUORA catalogue music and the rights expressly granted under the applicable VENUORA commercial licence.
Businesses with specific licensing questions should confirm their position with the relevant authorised organisation or a qualified UAE legal adviser.
Official UAE Music Licensing Sources
UAE Ministry of Economy & Tourism
Collective Management in Music Guide — UAE Ministry of Economy & Tourism
EMRA Music Licensing
EMRA — Music Licensing Application
EMRA Music User Pre-Application
EMRA — Music User Pre-Application Form
Related UAE Music Licensing Guides
UAE Music Licensing Guide 2026 — Complete Guide
UAE Music Licensing Fees 2026 — Café, Restaurant, Gym, Hotel & Retail Tariffs
Do Cafés & Restaurants Need a Music Licence in UAE?
UAE Music Licence for Restaurants & Cafés
UAE Music Licence for Gyms & Fitness Centres
UAE Music Licence for Hotels
UAE Music Licence for Shops & Retail Businesses
EMRA Music Licence UAE Explained
Music Nation UAE Music Licensing Explained
Collective Management in Music UAE Explained
Ministerial Resolution No. 136 of 2026 Explained
Background Music Licence UAE
Playing Music in a Café in Dubai — What Licence Do You Need?
Spotify, YouTube & Background Music in UAE Businesses
AI-Generated Music & UAE Music Licensing
Royalty-Free Music vs Licensed Music in UAE
Commercial Music Licence UAE — Complete Guide
UAE Music Licensing FAQ
UAE Music Licence Cost 2026 — How Much Does a Music Licence Cost?
How to Get a Music Licence in UAE — Step-by-Step Guide
EMRA Music Licence Cost UAE 2026
VENUORA — Commercial Background Music for Dubai Businesses
Controlled catalogue. Documented provenance. Defined commercial licence.
VENUORA is being developed for UAE businesses that want a structured way to source and use commercial background music.
Know the music. Know the rights. Keep the licence.
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