Filming Permit in Dubai: Who Needs One, Timeline, Fees

A filming permit in Dubai is issued by the Dubai Film and TV Commission (DFTC), the only authority that licenses media filming in the emirate, including free zones such as DIFC. If you plan to shoot an advertisement, a brand film, online content or photography on a public or private location in Dubai, you need one. This guide sums up what the DFTC itself publishes: who can apply, what documents are needed, how long approval takes, what the official fee schedule says and what happens if you film without a permit. Rules and fees change, so check the current terms on the DFTC website before you budget the shoot.

Who Needs a Filming Permit in Dubai

According to the DFTC, permits are required for audio and visual media productions on government-operated and private locations, for every media platform (television, film, radio, online, mobile and print) and every content format, including advertisements, short-form and long-form content, documentaries, radio programmes and photography.

The DFTC lists the cases that do not need a filming permit: weddings, events, educational filming for schools and colleges, press conferences and filming for personal use.

Who Can Apply

Any individual, company or organisation that wants to film in Dubai must appoint a UAE-licensed production company to obtain the permit. The DFTC does not issue filming permits directly to international companies. The local production company also arranges work or business visas for any international crew, and the crew may arrive on set only after the script is approved and the permit is issued.

Documents and Approvals

• Commissioning letter. The company behind the project appoints the UAE-licensed production company in a letter (the DFTC publishes a template).
• NOC from the location owner. Required for every private location before filming.
• Script clearance. Required before production of TV series, films and documentaries. Script approval is free of charge.
• Drone and broadcasting permits. Applied for online on the DFTC portal; aerial and ground filming can be combined in one permit.
• Insurance. Optional, but the DFTC terms expect cover for crew, equipment, locations and workmen's compensation.

The DFTC may request additional documents and may reject an application. Filming is allowed only in the approved areas and time slots, and restricted areas such as government departments, ministries, royal palaces, military sites and refineries are off limits.

How Long Approval Takes

The DFTC's published timelines:

• Filming permit: one working day, subject to the location owner's approval.
• Registration on the DFTC portal: two working days.
• Feature films: 10 to 15 working days.
• Documentaries: 10 to 20 working days.
• TV series: 20 to 25 working days.

Date restrictions for a location are set by its owner, so book locations early, especially for weekend or night shoots.

What the Official Fee Schedule Says

The fees are set in Schedule 1 of Dubai Executive Council Resolution No. 50 of 2014. For permits issued to UAE-licensed production companies it lists an AED 500 fee and an AED 2,500 permit fee, with validity depending on the type of production: up to 3 days for commercials, up to 7 days for promotional or internal content, up to 14 days for landmark filming and up to 30 days for TV and film drama.

Government location fees are published by the DFTC; fees for private locations are set by the owner. The same resolution caps what a private entity may charge for filming at a publicly accessible location at AED 25,000 per day.

Fines for Filming Without a Permit

Schedule 2 of the resolution sets the penalties:

• Filming without a permit: AED 25,000.
• Filming for a purpose the permit does not cover: AED 25,000.
• Filming at a location or on days and times that are not permitted: AED 15,000.
• Other breaches of the permit: AED 20,000.

A repeated violation within a year doubles the fine, up to AED 50,000, and the DFTC may stop the shoot or ban the company from filming for up to six months or permanently.

How to Plan the Permit Into Your Shoot

1. Lock the locations and the shoot dates first: the permit is issued for specific places and time slots.
2. Get the NOC from each private location owner.
3. If the project is a series, film or documentary, apply for script clearance early: it takes the longest.
4. Add drone filming and any broadcast to the same application.
5. Budget the permit and location fees in the estimate, not as an extra after the shoot.

A full-cycle production plans permits together with the shooting schedule, so the shoot day is not held up by paperwork. See how we run a production from brief to final masters, or read how much video production costs in Dubai.