UAE Music Licensing Fees 2026 — Café, Restaurant, Gym, Hotel & Retail Tariffs

UAE Music Licence Cost 2026: Complete Fee Guide for Restaurants, Cafés, Gyms, Hotels, Shops, Malls, Airlines, Radio & TV

Last updated: August 2026

If your business plays music in the UAE, one of the most important questions is simple:

How much will a UAE music licence cost?

From 1 December 2026, the UAE's new tariff framework for covered commercial music uses will begin collection.

The fees vary according to the type and size of the business and how music is used.

A small café may pay a very different amount from a large hotel, shopping mall, broadcaster or airline.

This guide explains the UAE music licensing fees for 2026 in simple language, including the published tariff structure for:

Cafés
Restaurants
Gyms
Fitness centres
Retail shops
Commercial complexes
Shopping malls
Hotels
Radio stations
TV channels
Airlines
DJ and entertainment venues

Quick Answer: How Much Is a UAE Music Licence in 2026?

The UAE's new Collective Management in Music framework introduces annual tariffs based on the type and scale of music use.

For example:

Small café with up to 50 seats: AED 1,500 per year for recorded background music.

Small café with DJ/entertainment: AED 2,500 per year.

Retail shop: fees start from approximately AED 1,700 per year.

Gym/fitness centre: fees start from approximately AED 1,700 per year.

Hotel: fees depend on hotel classification and number of rooms, with a reported maximum of AED 25,000 per year.

Major shopping centre: fees can reach AED 50,000 per year.

Premium airline: fees can reach AED 45,000 per year.

The exact fee depends on the applicable category and tariff conditions.

What Changed in UAE Music Licensing in 2026?

The UAE Ministry of Economy and Tourism introduced the Collective Management in Music Guide under Ministerial Resolution No. 136 of 2026.

According to a 19 August 2026 legal update from Al Tamimi & Company, the Resolution was issued on 29 June 2026.

The Resolution became effective on 6 July 2026, while collection under the tariff schedule begins on 1 December 2026.

The Ministry's own website lists the Collective Management in Music Guide as an August 2026 initiative covering music use in cafés, restaurants, hotels, radio stations, TV channels, malls and airlines.

The framework establishes a Ministry-approved pricing matrix.

The tariff depends on factors such as:

Seating capacity
Floor area
Number of hotel rooms
Type of music use
Business category
Annual revenue for certain broadcasters
Flight seating capacity for premium airlines

UAE Music Licensing Fees at a Glance

Business type	Published / reported tariff structure
Café / Restaurant	From AED 1,500
Café / Restaurant with DJ or similar entertainment	From AED 2,500
Retail shops / commercial complexes	From AED 1,700
Gyms / fitness centres	From AED 1,700
Hotels	Based on star rating and room count
Major shopping centres	Up to AED 50,000
Radio / TV	Percentage of annual revenue, subject to minimum
Premium airlines	AED 5,000–AED 45,000
Licence period	One year, renewable
Collection begins	1 December 2026

The tariff matrix is part of the Collective Management in Music Guide.

1. UAE Café & Restaurant Music Licence Fees

For cafés and restaurants, the tariff depends primarily on seating capacity and whether the venue uses ordinary recorded background music or has a DJ/similar entertainment.

Recorded Background Music

Seating capacity	Annual music licence fee
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

Example

A 40-seat café playing recorded background music would fall within the first category:

Annual tariff: AED 1,500

A 90-seat restaurant would fall into the second category:

Annual tariff: AED 2,700

A 150-seat restaurant would fall into the third category:

Annual tariff: AED 4,800

These figures are part of the published tariff matrix referenced in the new UAE music-rights framework.

2. Café & Restaurant Fees With a DJ or Entertainment

A restaurant or café offering DJ entertainment or similar entertainment can fall into a higher tariff category.

Seating capacity	Annual fee
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 creates a significant difference between ordinary background music and entertainment-oriented use.

Simple example

A 40-seat café with background music:

AED 1,500/year

A 40-seat café with DJ/entertainment use:

AED 2,500/year

Difference:

AED 1,000 per year

Therefore, businesses should describe their actual music use accurately when applying for a licence.

3. UAE Retail Shop Music Licence Fees

Retail businesses also fall within the new tariff framework.

For shops and commercial complexes, the tariff is based primarily on floor area.

The published structure starts from approximately:

AED 1,700 per year

and can increase according to the size of the premises.

The reported maximum for this category is:

AED 20,000 per year

This can be particularly relevant to:

Fashion stores
Supermarkets
Department stores
Electronics stores
Lifestyle retailers
Showrooms
Commercial stores
Other customer-facing retail businesses

The exact amount should be confirmed against the applicable floor-area category.

4. UAE Gym & Fitness Centre Music Licence Fees

Gyms and fitness centres are specifically included in the UAE framework.

The tariff is based on the size of the premises.

The published tariff structure starts from approximately:

AED 1,700 per year

with a reported maximum of:

AED 6,000 per year

This can apply to businesses such as:

Gyms
Fitness studios
Wellness centres
Training centres
Other fitness facilities

EMRA's current music-user application separately identifies Gym/Fitness Center as a business category and asks applicants about background music, streaming services, live music and DJ/event use.

5. UAE Hotel Music Licence Fees

Hotels have a different tariff structure.

Hotel fees depend on factors including:

Hotel classification/star rating
Number of rooms
Applicable tariff category

The reported tariff structure can reach:

AED 25,000 per year

for the highest applicable hotel category.

This is relevant to:

Hotels
Resorts
Floating hotels
Hospitality operators

A hotel should not assume that its fee is simply the same as a restaurant fee because the hotel has a restaurant inside it.

Different uses and business categories can have separate licensing considerations.

6. UAE Shopping Mall Music Licence Fees

Shopping centres have their own tariff category.

For major shopping centres, the annual fee can reach:

AED 50,000

The applicable tariff depends on the relevant area/category under the pricing matrix.

This is particularly important for music played in:

Mall common areas
Public areas
Corridors
Atriums
Shared customer spaces
Other mall-operated areas

Individual retailers inside a mall should also determine whether they have separate music-use obligations.

7. UAE Radio & TV Music Licensing Fees

Broadcasting uses are treated differently from cafés, shops and gyms.

The reported tariff structure for radio and television broadcasters is based on a percentage of annual revenue.

The reported range is:

0.25%–3% of annual revenue

subject to a reported minimum annual fee of:

AED 1,700

The applicable percentage depends on the relevant broadcasting category.

This is therefore not a simple "AED X per year" model like a small café.

8. UAE Airline Music Licensing Fees

Airlines are also included in the framework.

For premium-class airlines, the reported annual tariffs range from:

AED 5,000 to AED 45,000

depending on flight seating capacity.

The applicable category should be confirmed by the airline with the relevant licensing organisation.

9. UAE Music Licence Fees for DJs

A DJ can change the applicable licensing category.

This is particularly important for:

Restaurants
Cafés
Clubs
Hotels
Event venues
Entertainment venues
Private/commercial events

For cafés and restaurants, the published tariff matrix provides a higher fee category where the venue has a DJ or similar entertainment.

The key lesson is:

A venue should not assume that a background-music tariff automatically covers DJ or entertainment use.

10. Is Live Music More Expensive?

Live music can involve different rights and licensing considerations from recorded background music.

A venue offering:

Live singers
Bands
Musicians
DJs
Concerts
Entertainment nights
Ticketed music events

should identify those uses separately.

The UAE framework specifically includes concerts and similar events, and businesses should confirm the applicable category rather than assuming that a basic background-music licence covers all forms of entertainment.

11. Is the UAE Music Licence a One-Time Fee?

No.

The framework provides for one-year licences that can be renewed under the applicable rules and conditions.

Therefore, businesses should think about music licensing as an annual operating cost, not simply a one-time registration expense.

For example:

AED 1,500/year

is approximately:

AED 125/month

for budgeting purposes.

Similarly:

AED 6,000/year

is approximately:

AED 500/month

And:

AED 8,000/year

is approximately:

AED 667/month

These monthly figures are simply annual-fee equivalents and do not mean that the licensing fee is billed monthly.

12. Is UAE Music Licensing a Tax?

No.

The music licensing fee is associated with the management and licensing of copyright and neighbouring rights in music.

It is not the same thing as:

VAT
Corporate Tax
Trade licence fees
Municipality fees
Tourism fees
Business registration fees

It is a separate rights-related cost associated with covered music use.

13. Who Collects UAE Music Licensing Fees?

The UAE Ministry has authorised two organisations for collective management of music rights:

Emirates Music Rights Association (EMRA)
Music Nation

EMRA's current website has a dedicated Music Users pathway for hotels, restaurants, cafés, gyms, stores, broadcasters, venues and other users.

Its current licensing pre-application asks businesses to provide information about:

Number of locations
Business type
Emirate
Background music
Streaming services
Number of music areas
Average daily hours
DJs
Live performances
Existing music-rights agreements

This is useful because it shows that licensing is linked not only to the size of a business but also to how music is actually used.

14. Does Every Business Pay the Same Fee?

No.

There is no single UAE music licence price for every business.

The tariff depends on the applicable category.

For example:

Café

Based on seating capacity.

Retail shop

Based primarily on floor area.

Gym

Based primarily on floor area.

Hotel

Based on hotel classification and room count.

Radio/TV

Based on annual revenue and applicable percentage.

Airline

Based on seating capacity/category.

Shopping mall

Based on the applicable shopping-centre category and area.

This is why businesses should not compare their licence simply with what another company is paying.

15. What Is the Cheapest UAE Music Licence?

For the major commercial categories covered by the published tariff matrix, the lowest examples include:

Café/restaurant — background music

AED 1,500/year

Retail shop

From approximately AED 1,700/year

Gym/fitness centre

From approximately AED 1,700/year

However, the cheapest tariff is not necessarily the tariff that applies to your business.

The nature of music use and the applicable business category matter.

16. What Is the Most Expensive UAE Music Licence?

Among the major tariffs reported under the new framework:

Major shopping centres

Up to AED 50,000/year

Premium-class airlines

Up to AED 45,000/year

Hotels

Up to AED 25,000/year

Retail/commercial complexes

Up to AED 20,000/year

Café/restaurant with DJ/entertainment

Up to AED 8,000/year

Café/restaurant with recorded background music

Up to AED 6,000/year

These are category ceilings reported from the published tariff matrix; the actual amount depends on the applicable category and circumstances.

17. UAE Music Licence Cost Comparison

Here is the easiest way to understand the new tariff structure:

Business	Starting / example fee	Maximum / upper figure
Café/restaurant — background music	AED 1,500	AED 6,000
Café/restaurant — DJ/entertainment	AED 2,500	AED 8,000
Retail shops/commercial complexes	AED 1,700	AED 20,000
Gyms/fitness centres	AED 1,700	AED 6,000
Hotels	Category dependent	AED 25,000
Major shopping centres	Category dependent	AED 50,000
Radio/TV	0.25%–3% of annual revenue	Category dependent
Premium airlines	AED 5,000	AED 45,000

Note: "Starting fee" and "maximum" are not applicable to every business in the same way. Always determine the exact tariff category before budgeting or applying.

18. How Much Does Music Licensing Add to a Small Café's Costs?

For a small café, the reported minimum background-music tariff is:

AED 1,500 per year

That's equivalent to approximately:

AED 125 per month

For a small café using DJ/entertainment services, the reported minimum is:

AED 2,500 per year

or approximately:

AED 208 per month

These monthly figures are provided only to make annual costs easier for business owners to understand.

19. What About Spotify, YouTube and SoundCloud?

A streaming subscription should not automatically be treated as a UAE commercial music licence.

EMRA's current music-user pre-application specifically asks businesses whether they use streaming services such as:

Spotify
YouTube
SoundCloud

and asks how many music areas use those services and for how many hours per day.

Therefore, a business should distinguish between:

Access to a streaming platform

and

rights to use music commercially in a business.

These are not necessarily the same thing.

20. What About Royalty-Free Music?

A business should not automatically assume that "royalty-free" means "no licensing cost."

Royalty-free is generally a description of the payment model.

It does not necessarily mean:

No copyright
No licence
Unlimited commercial use
Unlimited public performance
All rights included

Always check the actual commercial licence.

21. What About AI-Generated Music?

This is an important emerging issue.

AI-generated music may be created under different platform terms and different rights arrangements.

A business should not assume:

AI-generated = copyright-free = no licence fee.

Those are three different questions.

The relevant issues can include:

How the music was generated
Which AI platform was used
Whether commercial use was authorised
What the platform's terms provide
Who controls the resulting recording
Whether third-party material is involved
What commercial rights are granted
Whether any collective-management rights are involved

At the time of publication, we have not identified an official UAE Ministry statement creating a blanket exemption for AI-generated music.

Therefore, AI-generated music should be assessed based on its actual rights and licence position.

22. Can Independently Licensed Music Reduce Music Costs?

Potentially, but businesses should be careful about assuming this.

A music provider may give a business a direct commercial licence for its own catalogue.

That can be different from using music represented by a collective management organisation.

However, the important question is:

What rights does the provider actually control, and what rights does its commercial licence grant?

Until the UAE authorities provide clearer guidance on how independently controlled catalogues interact with collective-management tariffs, businesses should not assume that a direct music-provider licence automatically eliminates every other licensing obligation.

23. Why Music Licensing Costs May Matter More to Small Businesses

For a large hotel or shopping mall, an annual music-rights fee may represent a relatively small part of the overall operating budget.

For a small café, salon, gym or independent retailer, even AED 1,500 per year can be noticeable.

This is why businesses are likely to look more closely at:

Music sources
Commercial music licences
Royalty-free catalogues
Direct licensing
Background-music providers
AI-generated music
Music subscription services

The question will increasingly become:

What am I paying for, and what rights do I receive?

24. How Should a UAE Business Budget for Music Licensing?

A simple budgeting formula is:

Annual music licence fee ÷ 12 = approximate monthly budget

Examples:

Annual fee	Approximate monthly equivalent
AED 1,500	AED 125
AED 1,700	AED 142
AED 2,500	AED 208
AED 2,700	AED 225
AED 3,500	AED 292
AED 4,800	AED 400
AED 6,000	AED 500
AED 6,500	AED 542
AED 8,000	AED 667
AED 20,000	AED 1,667
AED 25,000	AED 2,083
AED 50,000	AED 4,167

These are annual-fee equivalents, not monthly billing rates.

25. What Should Businesses Do Before 1 December 2026?

Don't wait until December.

Start with five simple questions:

1. What music do we use?

Spotify? YouTube? Radio? Downloaded music? A music provider? AI-generated music?

2. Where do we use it?

One location or multiple branches?

3. How do we use it?

Background music? DJ? Live music? Events?

4. What rights do we currently have?

Check your contracts and licence terms.

5. Which tariff category applies?

Confirm your business category and applicable fee before budgeting.

UAE Music Licensing Fees 2026 — Quick Reference

Café / Restaurant

Background music: from AED 1,500/year

DJ/entertainment: from AED 2,500/year

Gym / Fitness Centre

From approximately AED 1,700/year

Retail Shop

From approximately AED 1,700/year

Hotel

Category and room-count based; up to AED 25,000/year

Shopping Centre

Up to AED 50,000/year

Radio / TV

0.25%–3% of annual revenue, subject to minimum tariff

Premium Airline

AED 5,000–AED 45,000/year

Licence duration

One year, renewable

Collection begins

1 December 2026

Frequently Asked Questions About UAE Music Licensing Fees

How much is a music licence for a café in Dubai?

For recorded background music, the published tariff starts at AED 1,500 per year for cafés/restaurants with up to 50 seats.

How much is a restaurant music licence in UAE?

It depends on seating capacity and how music is used. Reported background-music fees range from AED 1,500 upward, while DJ/entertainment categories start at AED 2,500.

How much does a 50-seat café music licence cost?

A café with up to 50 seats using recorded background music falls into the reported AED 1,500 annual category.

How much does a 100-seat restaurant music licence cost?

A restaurant in the 51–100-seat category has a reported annual background-music fee of AED 2,700.

How much does a 200-seat restaurant music licence cost?

A restaurant in the 101–200-seat category has a reported annual background-music fee of AED 4,800.

What is the maximum café music licence fee?

For recorded background music, the reported maximum is AED 6,000 per year.

For cafés/restaurants with DJ or similar entertainment, the reported maximum is AED 8,000 per year.

Is DJ music more expensive than background music?

Yes. The published café/restaurant tariff has a separate, higher category for venues with DJs or similar entertainment.

How much is a gym music licence in UAE?

The reported tariff for gyms and fitness centres starts at approximately AED 1,700 per year, with a reported maximum of AED 6,000.

How much is a hotel music licence in UAE?

Hotel tariffs depend on star rating and room count, with reported annual fees reaching AED 25,000.

How much is a retail music licence in UAE?

Retail-shop tariffs start at approximately AED 1,700 per year and can reach a reported maximum of AED 20,000 depending on the applicable category.

How much is a shopping mall music licence in UAE?

Major shopping-centre tariffs can reach AED 50,000 per year.

How much does airline music licensing cost?

Reported premium-class airline tariffs range from AED 5,000 to AED 45,000, depending on flight seating capacity.

When do UAE music licensing fees start?

Collection under the new tariff schedule begins 1 December 2026.

Is the UAE music licence annual?

Yes. The framework provides for one-year licences that are renewable under the applicable rules and conditions.

Is the UAE music licensing fee a tax?

No. It is a rights-related licensing/royalty collection mechanism associated with copyright and neighbouring rights in music.

Does Spotify Premium include this fee?

Do not assume that a standard streaming subscription provides the commercial public-use rights required for a UAE business.

Does royalty-free music avoid the UAE music licence?

Not automatically. The actual rights and licence terms must be examined.

Does AI music avoid the UAE music licence?

There is currently no identified official UAE blanket exemption stating that AI-generated music automatically avoids collective-management fees.

UAE Music Licensing Fees: What Business Owners Should Remember

The most important numbers are:

AED 1,500

Starting reported café/restaurant background-music tariff.

AED 2,500

Starting reported café/restaurant DJ/entertainment tariff.

AED 1,700

Starting reported retail and gym/fitness tariff.

AED 6,000

Reported maximum for café/restaurant background music and gym/fitness categories.

AED 8,000

Reported maximum for café/restaurant DJ/entertainment use.

AED 20,000

Reported maximum for retail shops/commercial complexes.

AED 25,000

Reported maximum for hotels.

AED 45,000

Reported maximum for premium airlines.

AED 50,000

Reported maximum for major shopping centres.

And the date to remember is:

1 December 2026

That is when collection under the new tariff schedule begins.

Important Note About These Fees

The tariff information on this page is based on the UAE's Collective Management in Music Guide and the tariff matrix referenced in the framework, together with current legal analysis of Ministerial Resolution No. 136 of 2026.

The exact amount applicable to a business depends on its category, size, music use and the applicable tariff provisions.

Before paying a fee or relying on a tariff figure for compliance purposes, businesses should confirm their specific category and current amount with the authorised licensing organisation.

Tariffs and administrative procedures may be updated by the competent authorities.

Official Sources

UAE Ministry of Economy and Tourism

The Ministry's current website lists the Collective Management in Music Guide as an August 2026 initiative covering music use in cafés, restaurants, hotels, radio, TV, malls and airlines.

EMRA

EMRA currently provides a music-user licensing pathway for hotels, restaurants, cafés, gyms, stores, broadcasters and venues.

EMRA Music User Pre-Application

The current application captures business locations, business type, background music, streaming services, live performance, DJ/event use and existing music-rights agreements.

Legal analysis

Al Tamimi & Company confirms that Ministerial Resolution No. 136 of 2026 was issued on 29 June 2026, became effective on 6 July 2026, and that tariff collection begins on 1 December 2026. It also summarises the sector tariff ceilings and calculation methods.

Related UAE Music Licensing Guides

UAE Music Licensing Guide 2026 — Complete Guide

A plain-English overview of UAE music licensing, copyright, neighbouring rights, EMRA, Music Nation and commercial music use.

Do Cafés & Restaurants Need a Music Licence in UAE?

A practical guide specifically for cafés, restaurants and F&B businesses.

EMRA & Music Nation UAE — What Businesses Need to Know

Understanding the two organisations involved in UAE collective music-rights management.

Can You Play Spotify, YouTube or AI-Generated Music in a UAE Business?

A practical guide to streaming services, royalty-free music, directly licensed music and AI-generated music.

AI-Generated Music & UAE Music Licensing

What businesses should understand about AI music, commercial rights and music provenance.

Last reviewed: August 2026

This page is an educational resource and is not legal advice.

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