UAE Music Licensing Fees: The Full Schedule by Venue Type
Starting December 1, 2026, restaurants, cafes, hotels, malls, fitness centres, airlines, and retail shops across the UAE must pay annual music licensing fees under Ministerial Resolution No. 136 of 2026 and the Ministry of Economy and Tourism’s Collective Management in Music Guide. The fees, collected by the Emirates Music Rights Association and Music Nation, will support copyright compliance and fund national music culture.
The cap varies enormously by venue type, from Dh6,000 for a restaurant to Dh50,000 for a shopping mall, so what you’ll actually pay depends entirely on which category your business falls into.
| Venue Type | Fee Structure | Annual Cap |
|---|---|---|
| Restaurants/cafes (up to 50 seats) | Dh1,500 flat | – |
| Restaurants/cafes (51-100 seats) | Dh2,700 flat | – |
| Restaurants/cafes (101-200 seats) | Dh4,800 flat | – |
| Restaurants/cafes (201+ seats) | +Dh20 per extra seat | Dh6,000 max |
| Retail shops | From Dh1,700, +Dh60 per 25 sqm beyond threshold | Dh20,000 max |
| Shopping malls (common areas) | Dh625 for first 100 sqm, +Dh50 per extra 25 sqm | Dh50,000 max |
| Fitness centres | From Dh1,700 | Dh6,000 max |
| Hotels/floating hotels (1-2 star) | Dh50 per room | – |
| Hotels/floating hotels (4-5 star) | Dh150 per room | Dh25,000 max |
| Airlines | By seat coverage | Dh5,000-45,000 |
| Radio stations | 1% of annual income (general), 3% (music-focused) | – |
| TV channels | 1% (general), 0.25% (news) | Min Dh1,700 |
The Ministry retains full supervisory powers, including field inspections, financial record reviews, and the right to impose administrative penalties or revoke permits for non-compliance, with fines reported up to Dh500,000. Licences are valid for one year and renewable. Note that a personal music streaming subscription does not, on its own, give a business the legal right to play that music publicly to customers.
To comply, businesses must obtain a music licence from the Emirates Music Rights Association or Music Nation before December 1, 2026.
