Last updated: June 2026
A filming permit in Dubai costs AED 520 to apply, plus a location fee of AED 2,520 for most shoots. Some shoots, like aerial work and news for a UAE broadcaster, have no location fee at all. The permit comes from the Dubai Film and TV Commission, or DFTC, and you need one for almost any professional or paid filming in the city. This guide walks you through who needs a permit, what it really costs, how to apply, the true timeline, the drone rules, and what to do if you already filmed without one.
We produce video for UAE brands and act as the licensed local partner that visiting teams need, so we deal with DFTC permits every week. Here is the honest, plain-English version, with no scary sales pitch.
Do you actually need a filming permit in Dubai?
You need a permit for almost any professional or paid shoot, but not for casual personal filming. The simple test is this: if you are using professional gear, filming with a crew, or planning to sell the video or run ads on it, you need a DFTC permit. A tourist taking a phone video of the Burj Khalifa for their own memories does not.
Here is who is generally exempt:
- Tourists and residents filming personal, non-commercial clips on a phone or small camera in public.
- Genuine school and university projects (carry your student ID anyway).
- Weddings, private parties, and personal events.
And here is when a shoot becomes commercial and needs a permit:
- The video is monetised, sponsored, or sold.
- You use a tripod, gimbal, lighting, or a crew.
- You film at a controlled venue like a mall, hotel, or landmark.
Real talk: the gear is what gets people stopped. You can stand in a public spot with a phone all day, but the moment you set up a tripod, security treats you as a professional shoot and asks for your permit. Many malls and parks ban tripods without prior approval, full stop.
How much does a Dubai filming permit cost in 2026?
A Dubai filming permit costs a non-refundable AED 520 application fee, plus a location fee that depends on the type of shoot. For most public shoots the location fee is AED 2,520. The big thing to understand is that the AED 520 and the location fee are two separate charges, which is where a lot of online confusion comes from.
Here is the 2026 fee breakdown:
| Shoot type | Application fee | Location fee | Permit covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scripted film, TV series, documentary | AED 520 | AED 2,520 | up to 30 days |
| Advertisement (TV or online) | AED 520 | AED 2,520 | up to 3 days |
| Corporate video or stills | AED 520 | AED 2,520 | up to 7 days video / 14 days stills |
| Still photography (city footage) | AED 520 | AED 2,520 | up to 14 days |
| News for a UAE broadcaster | AED 520 | AED 0 | up to 30 days |
| Aerial shoot (any type) | AED 520 | AED 0 | up to 7 days |
| Private location | AED 520 | AED 0 to 25,000/day (owner sets it) | per agreement |
One application can list several days and several locations, so you pay the AED 520 once, not per day. Private locations are negotiated with the owner up to a cap of AED 25,000 a day, and the owner can also pass on cleaning or security costs.
A quick note on a fee you may see elsewhere. Some guides mention a separate "script approval fee" of around AED 500. The UAE Media Council's own guidance says local scripts are exempt from approval fees, so we do not treat that charge as a confirmed government fee. Always check the live DFTC fee page for the exact current figures before you budget.
The cheapest legal way to film in Dubai
The cheapest legal route is to pick a shoot type with a zero location fee, or to film on private property with the owner's consent. Most guides only quote the AED 2,520 and the AED 25,000 fine, but they never tell a small creator how to keep it cheap and still legal. Here is how.
If you are a solo creator or a startup on a tight budget:
- Shoot aerial or UAE-broadcaster news and the location fee is AED 0, so you pay only the AED 520 application fee.
- Film inside a private venue (a café, an office, a studio) with a written no-objection letter from the owner, and you avoid public location fees.
- Keep it genuinely personal and handheld in a public space, and you may need no permit at all.
For a small commercial shoot, the real minimum is often just the AED 520 application fee plus a local partner's service charge, not the AED 2,520 that scares people off. The trick is matching your shoot to the right category before you apply, instead of defaulting to the most expensive one.
How to apply for a filming permit, step by step
You apply online through the DFTC portal, and the single biggest rule is that only a UAE-licensed production company can be the applicant. If you do not hold a UAE production trade licence, you apply through a company that does. Here is the process from start to finish.
- Get a licensed applicant. Register on the DFTC portal with a valid UAE production trade licence, or appoint a UAE-licensed production company as your partner.
- Get the script approved (scripted projects only). Submit the full script, with shooting dates and locations. Note that no changes are allowed after you submit, and the DFTC can decline a script.
- Submit the permit application. Upload your synopsis or script, the shooting schedule, crew and equipment lists, passport and visa copies, insurance, and any no-objection letters from private owners.
- Pay the fees online. Pay by card on the portal, or in cash at the DFTC office in Dubai Media City.
- Receive your permit and keep a copy on set at all times.
The documents that trip people up most are the insurance and the location letters, so sort those first. A licensed local partner usually has the insurance in place already, which removes a whole layer of stress.
How long does a filming permit take in Dubai?
A standard permit takes about 2 to 5 working days, but complex shoots take much longer. Sensitive locations, like airports, mosques, and government buildings, can take up to 10 working days. If your project needs script approval, that alone can take up to 25 working days. The official minimum is to apply one business day before your shoot, with a noon cut-off, but that minimum only works for the simplest jobs.
If your production needs several layers of approval at once, the timelines stack up rather than overlap neatly. Here is a realistic worst case for a complex shoot that needs ground filming, a drone, and a script cleared:
- Script approval: up to 25 working days
- Drone registration and operation approval (GCAA): around 14 working days
- Ground filming permit: 2 to 5 working days
- Sensitive-location clearance, if needed: up to 10 working days
For a shoot like that, do not think in days. Budget 4 to 6 weeks and start early. The single most common planning mistake is treating the "one business day before" minimum as the real timeline for every job.
Filming with a drone in Dubai
Drone filming needs three separate approvals, not one. You need the drone and operator registered with the GCAA, flight approval from the DCAA, and the DFTC filming permit for the footage. The DFTC location fee for an aerial shoot is AED 0, but that free fee covers only the filming, not the flying.
The GCAA publishes clear fees:
- Commercial drone registration: from AED 250 (under 5 kg), up to AED 1,250 for heavier drones
- Remote pilot licence: AED 100
- Operator certificate: AED 5,000 a year
- Operation approval: AED 1,000 per operation
- Risk assessment review: AED 500
You also need valid liability insurance. The regulation does not publish a single fixed amount; instead, the cover is sized to your specific operation, so larger or riskier flights need more. One important point: recreational and hobby drone flying has been suspended in Dubai, so in practice only approved commercial operators can fly a drone for filming. Flying without the right approvals is illegal and can bring fines of AED 20,000 or more, plus confiscation of the drone.
Where you cannot just point a camera
Some places need special clearance, and some are simply off-limits. Government buildings, military sites, and royal properties are generally closed to filming. Airports, mosques, and other sensitive sites need extra approvals that take longer than a normal permit.
A few specifics worth knowing:
- Dubai International Airport: needs written permission from Dubai Airports and Dubai Police, plus security passes for airside work and more notice than a normal shoot.
- Mosques: need approval from Islamic Affairs.
- DIFC, Dubai Media City, and other free zones: need their own location pass on top of the DFTC permit.
- Roads and the Dubai Metro: need RTA approval.
There is one rule that catches visitors off guard: you cannot film identifiable people without their consent. Filming someone without permission is illegal under UAE privacy and cybercrime law, and it can bring heavy fines even if you hold a valid filming permit. Real court cases have ended in fines of AED 30,000 for filming a person without consent. Get clear consent before filming anyone, and keep bystanders out of your frame.
Content rules apply too. Your shoot must respect Islamic beliefs, UAE values, and national identity. Wardrobe must be modest. Anything that portrays the country's economy, politics, or institutions in a negative light is not allowed.
"I already filmed without a permit." What now?
There is no official way to buy a permit after a shoot, so you need to be careful about publishing. If you have already filmed commercial footage in Dubai without a permit, publishing it still carries risk, especially if it shows recognisable landmarks or people filmed without consent. Enforcement does not stop at the airport gate; it follows the published video.
The sensible steps are simple. Speak to a UAE-licensed production company before you publish anything, so you understand your real exposure. If the project matters, re-shoot the key scenes properly with a permit. Do not assume that because the shoot is over, the risk is gone. The fine for filming without permission is AED 25,000, and that applies to the act of filming, not just to getting caught in the moment.
Real client stories
These are real situations from shoots we have supported. Names and a few details have been changed for privacy.
Sara's beauty brand launch (visiting UK founder). Sara flew in to shoot a launch video at a Marina hotel and assumed her UK production company could just apply. It cannot. We stepped in as the UAE-licensed applicant, filed the permit, and arranged the hotel's no-objection letter. "I had no idea a foreign company can't apply directly," she says. "Getting a local partner on day one saved the whole trip."
Mohammed's restaurant group (Emirati owner). Mohammed wanted a set of social videos across three of his venues. Instead of three applications, we filed one DFTC application listing all three locations and several shoot days, so he paid the AED 520 fee once. "I thought every location meant a new fee," he says. "Plan the whole month in one application and it is far cheaper."
Daniel's travel series (international crew, drone). Daniel's team needed ground filming plus drone shots over the desert and a cleared script. We started the script approval and GCAA drone registration in parallel on week one. The shoot still took five weeks to clear. "The drone and script approvals are the long poles," he says. "Start them before anything else."
How SKIMBOX helps with your Dubai shoot
We are a UAE-licensed media production partner, which means we can be the official applicant on your DFTC permit, sponsor crew visas, carry the right insurance, and handle the location clearances that slow shoots down. For a visiting brand or production, that turns a confusing multi-week process into one point of contact. If you want a clear, itemised plan for your shoot, see our media production services, or contact us.
Planning the budget for the video itself, not just the permit? Our video production cost guide breaks down crew, gear, and post-production prices, and our guide to choosing a video production company covers how to vet a partner.
References
[1] Dubai Film and TV Commission (DFTC), Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism - How to film in Dubai, permit process, fees, and applicant rules. filmdubai.gov.ae [2] Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA) - Aerial filming permits and Dubai Civil Aviation Regulations for unmanned aircraft (drones). dcaa.gov.ae [3] General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), UAE - Drone registration, pilot licence, and operator fees (Information Bulletin 2006-14). gcaa.gov.ae [4] UAE Media Council - National media content standards and script-approval guidance. uaemc.gov.ae [5] Dubai Airports - Filming and photography approvals at Dubai International Airport. media.dubaiairports.ae [6] DIFC - Photoshoot and filming approval process inside DIFC. difc.com [7] Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), Dubai - Filming approvals for roads and the Dubai Metro. rta.ae [8] The UAE Government Portal - Entry permits, work and business visas (GDRFA and ICP). u.ae [9] SKIMBOX - Internal experience acting as a UAE-licensed production partner on Dubai shoots, including permit filing, crew visas, and location clearances, 2026. skimbox.co
