The two permissions you need
Dubai's short-term rental framework is administered by the Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), which absorbed the older DTCM brand. Any property let for less than one year requires a holiday home permit. There are two routes: an Operator licence (for companies or agents managing units on behalf of owners) and an Individual owner permit (for owners who manage their own apartment).
- DET holiday home permit — initial fee AED 320 to AED 1,070; annual fee AED 1,500 to AED 5,000 depending on unit size
- Refundable security deposit on the DET portal
- Building NOC from Emaar Community Management confirming the unit is approved for holiday-home use
- Comprehensive insurance for the permit period
- Tourism Dirham fee collected per night and remitted to DET
- Guest registration on the DET system within 3 hours of check-in
How this applies at Burj Royale specifically
Emaar Community Management is the OA operator for Burj Royale, and Emaar buildings in Downtown Dubai have generally permitted short-term rental subject to NOC issuance and unit approval. The NOC is unit-specific — your neighbour's permit doesn't cover your unit. Fees and current OA policy can change; always confirm in writing with ECM before listing. If the OA at any point restricts new short-term permits (some OAs cap the percentage of units that can operate as holiday homes), existing permits typically continue to be honoured.
Practical timeline and costs
A first-time individual owner permit at a typical 1-bedroom usually takes 2-4 weeks end to end: NOC from ECM (1-2 weeks), DET application and inspection (1-2 weeks), then listing live. Budget around AED 4,000 to AED 7,000 in first-year setup costs (permit + insurance + initial inspection + listing photography), then ongoing DET annual renewals plus per-night Tourism Dirham. Operator licences (used by professional management companies) carry higher upfront fees but allow multiple units under one entity.
Penalties for non-compliance
Operating without a permit can result in fines from AED 5,000 to AED 200,000. Listings on Airbnb and Booking.com are routinely cross-checked against the DET registry. Non-compliance also voids any insurance claim arising from a guest stay, which is the costlier risk in practice.