UAE music licensing fees: Restaurants and cafes to pay from Dh1,500, shops from Dh1,700 annually.
Annual fees for restaurants and cafes playing copyrighted music will start at Dh1,500, while shops will pay from Dh1,700, under new UAE charges taking effect on December 1, 2026.
For restaurants and cafes, establishments with up to 50 seats will pay Dh1,500 a year. The fee rises to Dh2,700 for venues with 51 to 100 seats and Dh4,800 for those with 101 to 200 seats. Larger establishments will pay an additional Dh20 per seat beyond 201, with the annual fee capped at Dh6,000.
Higher fees will apply to restaurants and cafes with DJs and entertainment or nightclub activities. These venues will pay Dh2,500 for up to 50 seats, Dh3,500 for 51 to 100 seats and Dh6,500 for 101 to 200 seats. An additional Dh20 per seat will apply beyond 201 seats, with the annual fee capped at Dh8,000.
The tariff schedule was issued by the Ministry of Economy and Tourism as part of its “Collective Management in Music Guide”, aimed at regulating the UAE’s music market and raising awareness of the framework protecting the rights of authors, creators, music production companies, composers, songwriters, singers, musicians, sound recording producers and music publishers.
Shops and commercial complexes
Shops and commercial complexes that play background music will be charged based on floor area rather than seating capacity.
Establishments covering up to 300 square metres will pay Dh1,700 annually, rising to Dh3,400 for premises measuring 301 to 700 square metres. An additional Dh60 will apply for every 25 square metres beyond that, with the annual fee capped at Dh20,000.
Large shopping malls fall under a separate category, with charges based on shared common areas rather than individual retail units. The fee is Dh625 for the first 100 square metres, plus Dh50 for every additional 25 square metres, subject to a maximum annual charge of Dh50,000.
Wider fee structure
The restaurant, cafe and retail tariffs are part of a broader fee structure covering fitness centres, hotels, radio and television broadcasters, and premium airlines.
Fitness centres will pay Dh1,700 for premises of up to 300 square metres, plus Dh5 for each additional square metre, with the annual fee capped at Dh6,000.
Hotels and floating hotels will be charged per room based on their star rating. Rates range from Dh50 per room for one- and two-star properties to Dh150 per room for four- and five-star hotels, with the highest room-count category capped at Dh25,000 annually.
Radio stations will pay between 1% and 3% of annual income, depending on whether their programming is general or predominantly musical, subject to a minimum fee of Dh1,700. Television channels will pay between 0.25% and 1%, also with a Dh1,700 minimum.
Premium airlines offering in-flight entertainment will be charged according to passenger seat numbers, with annual fees capped at Dh45,000.
Regulatory framework
The tariff schedule forms part of a wider regulatory framework governing licensed collective management organisations (CMOs). These organisations collect and distribute royalties on behalf of composers, songwriters, performers, producers and publishers who assign their rights to them.
Under the guide, which is based on Federal Decree-Law No. 38 of 2021 on Copyright and Related Rights and Cabinet Resolution No. 47 of 2022, licensed CMOs must obtain a one-year permit from the ministry, renewable annually. They cannot change the ministry-approved pricing structure without prior written approval.
Government entities, educational and academic institutions, national occasions and non-commercial private celebrations are exempt from the fees.
The framework also establishes a Cultural Fund, financed through a 10% allocation from the 25% share collected before revenues are distributed to CMO members. The fund will be overseen by a joint committee comprising representatives from the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Economy and Tourism and independent experts.
It will provide financial, technical and artistic support to musicians and help promote Emirati music regionally and internationally.
The ministry will retain supervisory authority over the system, including conducting field inspections, reviewing CMO financial records, handling complaints from rights holders and users, and imposing administrative penalties or revoking permits in cases of non-compliance.
