Restaurant & Café Music Licence UAE 2026 — Cost, Requirements, Background Music, EMRA, Music Nation & How to Prepare
Last updated: August 2026
If you operate a restaurant, café, coffee shop, bakery, dessert shop, pastry shop, food hall or other F&B business in the UAE, and you play music for customers, you need to understand the UAE's music-rights licensing framework.
The UAE has introduced a new Collective Management in Music Guide, with collection under the new tariff framework beginning in December 2026.
For restaurants and cafés, the applicable fee depends mainly on:
Seating capacity
Whether you use recorded background music
Whether you have a DJ or similar entertainment
The nature of your music use
The applicable licensing category
This page explains the UAE restaurant and café music licence in plain English.
Quick Answer
Do restaurants and cafés need a music licence in the UAE?
If your restaurant or café uses music commercially for customers, you should check the applicable music-rights licensing requirements.
Restaurants and cafés are specifically included in the UAE's new collective-management framework.
The Ministry of Economy and Tourism has announced that collection under the new framework begins at the start of December 2026.
The published café/restaurant tariff starts at:
AED 1,500 per year
for establishments with up to 50 seats using recorded background music.
A higher tariff applies where the venue has DJs or similar entertainment.
UAE Restaurant & Café Music Licence Cost
The published tariff structure for restaurants and cafés is based on seating capacity.
Recorded Background Music
| Seating capacity | Annual tariff |
|---|---|
| Up to 50 seats | AED 1,500 |
| 51–100 seats | AED 2,700 |
| 101–200 seats | AED 4,800 |
| More than 200 seats | AED 4,800 + AED 20 per additional seat |
| Maximum | AED 6,000 |
These are annual licence fees.
They are not monthly charges.
For budgeting purposes:
AED 1,500/year = AED 125/month equivalent
Restaurant Music Licence With DJ or Entertainment
Restaurants and cafés that provide DJ or similar entertainment fall into a higher reported tariff category.
| Seating capacity | Annual tariff |
|---|---|
| Up to 50 seats | AED 2,500 |
| 51–100 seats | AED 3,500 |
| 101–200 seats | AED 6,500 |
| More than 200 seats | AED 6,500 + AED 20 per additional seat |
| Maximum | AED 8,000 |
This is an important distinction.
A 50-seat café playing recorded background music and a 50-seat café running regular DJ nights are not necessarily treated in the same tariff category.
Restaurant & Café Music Licence Examples
30-seat café
Recorded background music:
AED 1,500/year
50-seat café
Recorded background music:
AED 1,500/year
75-seat café
Recorded background music:
AED 2,700/year
100-seat restaurant
Recorded background music:
AED 2,700/year
150-seat restaurant
Recorded background music:
AED 4,800/year
200-seat restaurant
Recorded background music:
AED 4,800/year
50-seat café with DJ
DJ/entertainment category:
AED 2,500/year
Is the Restaurant Music Licence Mandatory?
This question requires an important distinction.
The UAE has established a formal framework for collective management of music rights and introduced tariffs for covered commercial music uses.
Restaurants and cafés are explicitly included.
However, the precise obligation for an individual business can depend on:
The music being used
The relevant rights
The repertoire involved
How the music is used
Existing licensing arrangements
The applicable tariff category
Therefore, businesses should not rely on blanket statements such as:
"Every restaurant automatically pays the same fee."
or:
"Small cafés don't need a licence."
The appropriate approach is to establish the business's specific music-rights position.
When Does the UAE Restaurant Music Licence Start?
The Ministry has announced that collection under the new music-rights tariff framework begins in:
December 2026
The licences under the framework are structured as annual licences that can be renewed under the applicable rules.
That means restaurants and cafés should start reviewing their music arrangements before December rather than waiting until the last moment.
Why Should Restaurants Start Now?
Because music licensing should not become a last-minute compliance exercise.
A restaurant should already know:
What music it uses
Where the music comes from
Who controls the music
Whether it has commercial-use rights
How many areas play music
Whether it has DJs
Whether it has live performers
Whether it operates multiple branches
EMRA's current music-user process asks commercial businesses for precisely this type of information. (emraorg.ae)
Starting early gives a restaurant time to review its music sources and documentation.
What Is a Restaurant Music Licence?
In simple terms, a restaurant music licence is permission associated with using music in a commercial environment.
A restaurant may use music to:
Create ambience
Improve customer experience
Fill quiet periods
Create a particular atmosphere
Support a brand identity
Provide entertainment
The music may not be the restaurant's primary product.
But it is still being used as part of the commercial environment.
What Counts as Background Music?
Background music is music that supports the environment without being the primary entertainment.
Examples include:
Soft jazz
Instrumental music
Piano
Bossa nova
Lounge music
Acoustic tracks
Ambient music
Classical music
Chill-out music
If customers hear music through the restaurant's sound system, it may constitute commercial music use even if the music is quiet.
What If the Music Is Only Background Music?
This is one of the most common misconceptions.
A restaurant may say:
"We don't have entertainment. We only play music quietly."
That does not automatically mean that music licensing is irrelevant.
The new tariff framework specifically provides a category for recorded background music in cafés and restaurants.
Therefore, background music should be treated as a specific music-use category rather than automatically assumed to be exempt.
What If the Restaurant Has a DJ?
A DJ can place the business in a different tariff category.
The published café/restaurant schedule provides separate fees for venues with DJ or similar entertainment.
For example:
50-seat café — background music: AED 1,500/year
50-seat café — DJ/entertainment: AED 2,500/year
That is why businesses should accurately disclose their music use.
What If We Have a DJ Only Once a Month?
Do not automatically assume that occasional DJ use is irrelevant.
If your restaurant has:
Monthly DJ nights
Weekend DJs
Special-event DJs
Seasonal entertainment
Guest DJs
describe the actual use when determining your licensing position.
EMRA's current application asks commercial users about DJ/event use and show timings. (emraorg.ae)
What If We Have Live Music?
Live music is different from simply playing a recording.
Examples include:
Singers
Guitarists
Pianists
Bands
Violinists
Acoustic performers
Live entertainment
If your restaurant provides live music, determine the applicable licensing requirements separately.
Do not automatically assume that a recorded-background-music tariff covers every live performance.
What If We Play Music Through Spotify?
This is one of the most important issues for cafés and restaurants.
Do not assume that a personal Spotify subscription is a commercial restaurant music licence.
A streaming service gives users access to content under its applicable terms.
That is not necessarily the same thing as permission to use that music publicly in a commercial venue.
EMRA's current application specifically asks businesses whether they use streaming services including:
Spotify
YouTube
SoundCloud
and asks about the areas and hours in which those services are used. (emraorg.ae)
Therefore:
Spotify access and commercial music licensing are separate questions.
What If We Play YouTube Music?
The same principle applies.
The ability to access a song or video on YouTube does not automatically establish that a restaurant has obtained all necessary rights for commercial public use.
A restaurant should consider:
The applicable platform terms; and
The relevant UAE music-rights requirements.
What If We Use SoundCloud?
SoundCloud should also be treated carefully.
If your restaurant uses SoundCloud as a background-music source, review the applicable terms and determine the relevant UAE licensing requirements.
EMRA specifically asks commercial music users about SoundCloud. (emraorg.ae)
What If We Play Radio?
Radio is another source of music.
A restaurant should not automatically assume that because a broadcaster has arrangements in place, the restaurant's own commercial use is automatically covered in every circumstance.
If radio is part of your music system, include it when reviewing your music sources.
What If We Bought the Music?
Buying a recording does not necessarily mean buying unlimited commercial public-performance rights.
For example:
"We purchased the song."
does not automatically answer:
"Do we have the necessary rights to play that song commercially to our customers?"
The source and licence terms matter.
What If We Use Royalty-Free Music?
Royalty-free does not automatically mean licence-free.
The actual licence may allow:
Personal use only
Commercial use
Online use
Public performance
Business use
Multiple locations
or some combination of these.
A restaurant should specifically look for commercial and public-use rights.
What If We Use a Commercial Background-Music Provider?
This can be a useful approach for a restaurant that wants a controlled music environment.
A commercial music provider may offer:
Curated playlists
Background music
Business-use licensing
Catalogue information
Music documentation
Multiple genres
Scheduled playlists
But restaurants should always ask:
What rights does the provider actually control?
and:
What rights does my licence actually grant?
What About AI-Generated Music?
AI-generated music is increasingly relevant to commercial background music.
But restaurants should not assume:
AI-generated = copyright-free = no licensing requirement
Those are separate questions.
A restaurant should ask:
How was the music created?
Which AI platform was used?
Was commercial use authorised?
What are the platform's terms?
Who controls the resulting recording?
Are third-party rights involved?
What commercial rights are being granted?
Does the catalogue involve any collective-management rights?
At the time of publication, we have not identified an official UAE government statement creating a blanket exemption for AI-generated music.
Therefore, AI music should be evaluated based on its actual rights and licence terms.
What About Independently Licensed Music?
An independent music provider may give a restaurant a direct commercial licence for its catalogue.
This can be different from using a consumer streaming service.
However, restaurants should ask:
Who owns or controls the music?
What rights does the provider control?
Does the licence permit public commercial use?
Does it cover the UAE?
Does it cover all restaurant branches?
How long is the licence valid?
Are there third-party rights?
Does the provider maintain provenance documentation?
And importantly:
Does the direct licence change the restaurant's position under the UAE collective-management framework?
At present, we have not identified an official UAE blanket statement saying that every independently licensed catalogue is automatically exempt from collective-management fees.
Therefore, businesses should not make that assumption.
Who Issues/Collects Restaurant Music Licensing Fees?
The UAE Ministry's collective-management framework identifies:
Emirates Music Rights Association — EMRA
and
Music Nation
as authorised organisations involved in collective music-rights management and collection.
EMRA's current licensing system specifically provides a route for music users such as restaurants, cafés, hotels, gyms, stores and venues. (emraorg.ae)
What Does EMRA Ask a Restaurant?
EMRA's current music-user pre-application can ask for information including:
Company name
Trade licence information
VAT information
Number of locations
Emirates
Business type
Background music
Number of music areas
Average daily hours
Streaming services
DJs/events
Live music
Existing agreements with music-rights organisations (emraorg.ae)
For a restaurant owner, this is useful because it tells you what information you should have ready.
Restaurant Music Licence: Information to Prepare
Before contacting a licensing organisation, prepare:
Business information
Legal business name
Trade licence
VAT information where applicable
Business address
Emirates
Number of branches
Music information
Background music
Music source
Number of music areas
Average daily hours
Streaming services
DJs
Live performers
Events
Rights information
Existing music licences
Music-provider contracts
Commercial-use terms
Catalogue information
Payment records
This can make the process much easier.
What If My Restaurant Has Multiple Branches?
Don't assume one licence automatically covers every branch.
For example, a restaurant group may operate:
Dubai branch
Abu Dhabi branch
Sharjah branch
Multiple Dubai locations
The business should confirm how its licensing arrangement applies to multiple premises.
EMRA's current process asks for the total number of locations and emirates in which the business operates. (emraorg.ae)
What If My Restaurant Is in Dubai?
The UAE music-rights framework is federal in scope.
Dubai restaurants should therefore not assume that being located in Dubai removes the need to consider the national framework.
A Dubai restaurant should review:
Music source
Music use
Seating capacity
DJ/live entertainment
Existing rights arrangements
Applicable collective-management requirements
What If My Restaurant Is in Abu Dhabi?
The same basic principle applies.
The framework applies across the UAE, and businesses should identify the applicable requirements based on their actual music use.
What If My Café Is in Sharjah, Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah or Umm Al Quwain?
The same national framework should be considered.
The business location does not by itself mean that music licensing is irrelevant.
The exact tariff and administrative process should be confirmed for the specific business.
What If We Don't Play Music?
If your restaurant genuinely does not use music, the situation is obviously different.
For example, if you have:
No music system
No radio
No streaming music
No DJ
No live music
No music events
you should not assume that simply operating a restaurant creates a music-use obligation.
The relevant issue is use of music, not simply having a restaurant licence.
Does My Restaurant Trade Licence Include Music Rights?
Not automatically.
A trade licence allows your business to operate its approved commercial activity.
Music rights are a separate issue.
Think of these as different categories:
Trade licence
→ permission to operate the business
Food/health approvals
→ permission to provide food/services
Music licence
→ rights associated with specified music use
One does not automatically replace another.
Does My Hotel Licence Cover My Restaurant?
Do not automatically assume this.
A hotel can have:
Lobby music
Restaurant music
Café music
Lounge music
Pool music
Spa music
Event music
The hotel operator should establish which music uses are covered by its arrangements.
Does the Shopping Mall Licence Cover My Restaurant?
Again, do not automatically assume this.
A mall may license music for common areas.
Your restaurant may separately operate:
Its own speakers
Its own playlist
Its own streaming service
Its own DJ
Its own entertainment
The restaurant should establish its own position.
How Long Does a Restaurant Music Licence Last?
The new framework provides for one-year licences, renewable according to the applicable rules and conditions.
Therefore, restaurants should treat music licensing as an annual business-management item.
Restaurant Music Licensing Checklist
Before December 2026, ask:
Do we play music?
Is it background music?
What is our music source?
Do we use Spotify?
Do we use YouTube?
Do we use SoundCloud?
Do we use radio?
Do we use downloaded music?
Do we use royalty-free music?
Do we use a commercial music provider?
Do we use AI-generated music?
How many music areas do we have?
How many hours per day?
Do we have DJs?
How often?
Do we have live music?
How many seats?
How many branches?
Do we have existing music licences?
Have we checked the UAE licensing framework?
Have we contacted the relevant authorised organisation where appropriate?
Restaurant Music Licence: Common Mistakes
"We're only a small café."
Small size does not automatically mean exemption.
"It's just background music."
Background music is specifically recognised as a tariff category.
"We have Spotify Premium."
A consumer streaming account should not automatically be treated as a commercial music licence.
"It's royalty-free."
Check the actual licence.
"It's AI-generated."
AI generation does not automatically answer the rights question.
"The mall already pays."
Don't assume common-area licensing covers your restaurant.
"The hotel already pays."
Don't assume hotel-wide arrangements automatically cover every restaurant use.
"We only have a DJ once a month."
Disclose the actual entertainment arrangement.
"We bought the music."
Purchasing a recording is not automatically the same as obtaining commercial public-use rights.
How to Prepare Your Restaurant for December 2026
We recommend a simple five-step approach.
1. Audit your music
Write down every source.
2. Audit your rights
Find every licence, contract and subscription.
3. Audit your usage
Record:
Locations
Music areas
Hours
Background music
DJs
Live performances
4. Confirm your UAE licensing position
Contact the appropriate authorised music-rights organisation where applicable.
5. Establish a controlled music source
Choose music that your business can use under clear commercial terms.
Can VENUORA Help Restaurants & Cafés?
Yes.
VENUORA is being developed as a commercial background-music solution for UAE businesses.
For restaurants and cafés, the proposition is simple:
Curated background music
Defined commercial licence
Documented music provenance
Simple annual pricing
The VENUORA Café licence is:
AED 499 / year
This provides a commercial licence for the eligible VENUORA catalogue under the applicable VENUORA licence terms.
Why Would a Restaurant Use VENUORA?
A restaurant may want to move away from relying on:
Personal Spotify accounts
Consumer YouTube use
Random internet playlists
Unclear royalty-free sources
Music with uncertain provenance
Uncontrolled staff playlists
Instead, the restaurant can establish a controlled source:
VENUORA catalogue
→
VENUORA commercial licence
→
Restaurant
→
Documented music use
Important: VENUORA Does Not Claim to Replace EMRA or Music Nation
This distinction matters.
A VENUORA licence covers:
Eligible VENUORA catalogue music
under:
VENUORA's commercial licence terms
It does not automatically mean that a restaurant has no other UAE music-rights obligations.
We do not currently claim:
"A VENUORA licence means you don't need EMRA."
or:
"AI music is automatically exempt from UAE music licensing."
Those would be overly broad claims.
Instead, our position is:
Use properly documented commercial music, understand the UAE framework and obtain any other licensing required for your particular music use.
That is the responsible approach.
Why Start Your VENUORA Licence Today?
You do not need to wait until December to organise your background music.
Starting today gives your restaurant time to:
Replace unsuitable consumer music sources
Establish an approved playlist source
Document your music licence
Train staff
Organise branch-level music use
Keep licence records
Build a consistent customer experience
VENUORA Café
AED 499/year
Approximately:
AED 41.58/month equivalent
The licence is annual; the monthly figure is only a budgeting comparison.
A Better Music Setup for Your Restaurant
Instead of:
Staff member's Spotify
→
Personal account
→
Random playlist
→
Unclear commercial rights
consider:
VENUORA catalogue
→
Commercial licence
→
Controlled playlist
→
Restaurant
→
Licence documentation
The objective is not to make music complicated.
It is to make your music source clearer and more professional.
Restaurant Music Licence UAE — Frequently Asked Questions
Do restaurants need a music licence in UAE?
Restaurants using music commercially should determine the applicable music-rights licensing requirements. Restaurants are specifically included in the UAE's collective-management framework.
Do cafés need a music licence in UAE?
Cafés using music commercially should review the applicable requirements. Cafés are specifically included in the new framework.
How much is a restaurant music licence in UAE?
For recorded background music, the published tariff starts at AED 1,500 per year for establishments with up to 50 seats.
How much is a café music licence in Dubai?
For a café with up to 50 seats using recorded background music, the published annual tariff is AED 1,500.
Does a 50-seat café pay AED 1,500?
The published background-music tariff for establishments with up to 50 seats is AED 1,500 per year.
What if the café has a DJ?
The café/restaurant DJ/entertainment category starts at AED 2,500 per year for establishments with up to 50 seats.
Is restaurant background music subject to licensing?
Restaurants using recorded background music should determine the applicable licensing requirements. The UAE tariff framework specifically includes recorded background music as a café/restaurant category.
Can I play Spotify in my restaurant?
Do not assume that a consumer Spotify subscription provides all rights required for commercial public use.
Can I play YouTube music in my café?
Access to YouTube does not automatically establish commercial public-performance rights.
Can I use royalty-free music?
Possibly, if the licence expressly permits the intended commercial/public use. Check the licence terms.
Can I use AI-generated music?
Potentially, depending on the rights and licence terms. AI-generated music should not automatically be assumed to be licence-free.
Does VENUORA replace EMRA?
No blanket replacement claim is made. VENUORA provides a commercial licence for eligible VENUORA catalogue music. Businesses should determine whether any separate UAE licensing requirements apply to their other music or use.
Does VENUORA replace Music Nation?
No blanket replacement claim is made. The VENUORA licence applies to the eligible VENUORA catalogue under its own licence terms.
When do the new UAE music licensing fees start?
Collection under the new framework begins in December 2026.
Are music licences annual?
The framework provides for one-year licences that are renewable according to the applicable rules.
Final Takeaway for UAE Restaurants & Cafés
If you operate an F&B business and play music, don't wait until the last few weeks of 2026 to think about your music rights.
Start now.
Know your music.
Know your rights.
Know your music source.
Know your UAE licensing position.
And if you want a dedicated commercial background-music catalogue:
Try VENUORA
AED 499 / year
Commercial background music for UAE businesses.
A defined licence.
A documented catalogue.
A professional music source.
And a simple way to organise your business background music.
Official Sources
UAE Ministry of Economy and Tourism — Collective Management in Music Guide
The Ministry's official announcement confirms the collective-management framework, the inclusion of cafés and restaurants, the December 2026 commencement and the role of EMRA and Music Nation.
EMRA — Music Licensing
EMRA's current licensing system provides a pathway for F&B businesses and other commercial music users.
EMRA — Music User Pre-Application
The current application asks businesses about background music, streaming services, DJs, live performances, music areas, daily hours and existing music-rights agreements.
UAE Copyright & Neighbouring Rights Legislation
The UAE's copyright framework includes Federal Decree-Law No. 38 of 2021 and its implementing regulations.
Related UAE Music Licensing Guides
UAE Music Licensing Guide 2026 — Complete Guide
Everything UAE businesses need to know about music licensing, copyright, neighbouring rights, EMRA, Music Nation and commercial music use.
UAE Music Licensing Fees 2026
Café, restaurant, gym, hotel, retail, mall, airline, radio and TV tariffs.
Why Wait Until December? Start Your Music Licence Today
Why UAE businesses should begin preparing for the December 2026 framework now.
EMRA & Music Nation UAE — What Businesses Need to Know
A plain-English guide to the organisations managing UAE music rights.
Can You Play Spotify, YouTube or AI-Generated Music in a UAE Business?
Understanding commercial music use and streaming platforms.
Last reviewed: August 2026
This page is an educational and commercial information resource and is not legal advice. Businesses should confirm their specific licensing requirements and applicable tariff directly with the relevant authorised organisation.
No comments:
Post a Comment