Dubai · Guide for photographers and filmmakers
“In Dubai, the permit is part of the production. Plan it like a location, not like paperwork.”
If you are shooting anything commercial in Dubai, from a brand campaign to paid social content, you need a permit. It costs Dh520 per application, it goes through a UAE-licensed production company, and shooting without one can cost up to Dh25,000. Personal and tourist photos don't need one. Here is how the rules work, what it costs, how long it takes, and how to plan a shoot so the paperwork never stops the day.
Waterproof · Downtown Dubai
01 · The rule
Who needs a permit, and who doesn't
| Your shoot | Permit? |
|---|---|
| Holiday photos, phone photos, personal shoots | No |
| Commercial photography or video in a public place | Yes |
| Paid or monetised social content (brand deals, ads) | Yes |
| Professional equipment in public: lights, stands, crew | Yes |
| Drones | Yes, plus separate aviation approval |
| Private property (hotel, villa, residence, mall) | The owner's written permission, and a permit for commercial work |
The line is commercial use, not camera size. A phone video for a brand needs a permit; a full-frame camera on holiday doesn't. And the owner's permission is not a replacement for the government permit: a hotel saying yes lets you use the space, it doesn't make a commercial shoot legal on its own.
02 · How to apply
The process, step by step
Work with a licensed production company
Applications go through a UAE-licensed production company. If you are flying in from London, this is the first person to book, before flights.
Send the brief, not just dates
The application needs the concept or script (English is fine for English content), shoot dates, locations and the crew. Arabic content needs an Arabic script.
Get each location's approval
Private venues issue their own permission (often called an NOC). Malls and hotels have their own media teams and their own fees.
Leave time
Simple shoots can be approved in days, but script approval can take up to 25 business days. Book permits two to four weeks out for a commercial shoot.
Send your production company: the concept or script, shoot dates, every location with an address, crew and talent names, a kit list (especially lights, stands, drones), and where the content will be used.
03 · Coming from abroad
Shooting in Dubai as a foreign photographer
Most of the photographers who ask about Dubai permits are flying in from London, Europe or further away. Three things catch visitors out: the visa, the kit and the weather.
Paid work is not tourism
Being paid for a shoot while on a tourist visa is treated as unlicensed commercial work, with fines and possible bans. Visiting crews work through a local production company, which handles the shoot permit and the paperwork for foreign crew. Residents who freelance need a freelance permit, for example from Dubai Media City or Fujairah Creative City.
Bring kit on an ATA Carnet
Dubai Customs accepts ATA Carnets, which let professional equipment in temporarily without paying duty or VAT up front, for up to 12 months. List every item with its serial number. Batteries and other consumables are not covered. In the UK, carnets come from the London Chamber of Commerce.
Hire the heavy kit locally
Lights, stands, grip and generators are easy to rent in Dubai. Fly in with cameras and lenses, rent the rest, and your carnet list stays short.
Pick the season
October to April is the shooting season. From 15 June to 15 September outdoor work is banned between 12:30 and 15:00, and August highs sit around 41°C, which is hard on talent, make-up and cameras.
Sources: Sarmat, freelance photography licence in Dubai · Gulf News, Dubai Customs and ATA Carnets · Equipment import and carnet rules for UAE productions · What's On, UAE midday work break.
04 · Cost
What a Dubai shoot permit costs
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Permit application | Dh520 per application, non-refundable. One application can cover several days and locations. |
| Location fees | Dh0 to Dh25,000 per day, set by the location. |
| Production company | Their own service fee, quoted per job. |
| Shooting without a permit | A fine of up to Dh25,000. |
The cheapest way to save money is to put every day and location on one application, and to choose locations whose fees you know in advance.
Sources: Khaleej Times, Dubai filming permit rules and fines · UAE Film Permit, 2026 costs. Fees change, so confirm with your production company.
05 · People
Consent matters more than the permit
The UAE takes privacy seriously. Photographing or filming someone without their consent can lead to the camera being confiscated, the footage destroyed, a fine and, in serious cases, prison. Under Federal Decree-Law 34 of 2021, publishing images of people without consent can carry fines from Dh150,000 to Dh500,000.
Release forms for everyone in frame
Models, extras and anyone recognisable. Get it signed before the camera rolls, not afterwards.
Frame the public out
On street and event shoots, use long lenses, tight framing and quiet times of day so passers-by aren't identifiable.
Sources: Bayut, UAE photography rules · BSA Law, Federal Decree-Law 34 of 2021.
06 · Drones
Drones need their own approval
Drones sit outside the shoot permit. Operators register through the UAE Drone app with UAE Pass, and every flight with a camera needs approval. Dubai has its own aviation authority on top of the national rules, and the rules have changed several times since 2022. Use a licensed drone operator for commercial work and check the current position before you promise aerials to a client.
Source: The National, UAE drone rules.
07 · Worked example
How we planned Waterproof
Waterproof was a beauty editorial shot inside a private residence in Downtown Dubai, with the location's permission, by a team of three in one day.
Keeping it indoors and private kept the plan simple: one location, a fixed timetable, no crowds in frame, and everyone on set signed off.
10:00 Arrive, hair starts
11:00 Make-up
12:30 First frames, dry
14:00 Second look
15:00 Water on the skin
16:00 Wrap
Bigger productions use the same logic at scale. L'Officiel Baltic was filmed at Palazzo Versace Dubai and the Damas Jewellery campaigns were made with a production house, so locations and approvals were handled before the crew arrived.
L'Officiel BalticPalazzo Versace Dubai
Damas JewelleryFlagship campaigns with 1602 Studio
08 · Checklist
Before you book flights
1. Is it commercial? If anyone is paying or it promotes a brand, plan for a permit.
2. Production company booked, and the brief sent to them.
3. Every location confirmed in writing, with its fee.
4. Release forms ready for everyone in frame.
5. Drone? A licensed operator and separate approval.
6. Flying in? Production company handling crew paperwork, and an ATA Carnet for your kit.
7. Two to four weeks between application and shoot day.
FAQ
Common questions
Do I need a permit for a photoshoot in Dubai?
Yes for anything commercial: brand work, advertising, paid social content, or a professional shoot in a public place. No for personal and tourist photography.
How much is a filming or photography permit in Dubai?
The application is Dh520, non-refundable, and can cover several days and locations. Locations can add Dh0 to Dh25,000 per day, and the production company charges its own fee.
Can I apply for a Dubai shoot permit myself?
Applications go through a UAE-licensed production company, so book one early, especially if you are travelling in for the shoot.
How long does a Dubai shoot permit take?
Simple shoots can be quick, but script approval can take up to 25 business days. Allow two to four weeks for a commercial shoot.
Can a foreign photographer work in Dubai on a tourist visa?
Not for paid work. Being paid for a shoot on a tourist visa counts as unlicensed commercial activity. Work through a local production company, which handles the shoot permit and the paperwork for visiting crew.
Can I bring my camera kit into Dubai without paying duty?
Yes, on an ATA Carnet, which Dubai Customs accepts for professional equipment for up to 12 months. List every item with its serial number; consumables are not covered.
What happens if I shoot without a permit?
Fines of up to Dh25,000, and filming people without consent can lead to confiscated equipment, further fines or prison.
Written by Joshua Swain, who shoots beauty and commercial work in Dubai and London. See the portfolio. This guide is general information, not legal advice; rules change, so confirm with your production company.