UAE music licensing fees from 1 December 2026
From 1 December 2026, businesses in the UAE that play music in public, including hotels, restaurants, cafés, gyms, shops and malls, pay an annual licence fee. It is collected by two organisations authorised by the Ministry of Economy and Tourism: the Emirates Music Rights Association (EMRA) and Music Nation. Hotels pay AED 50 to 150 per room a year, capped at AED 25,000.
Summary of published reports, checked on 25 September 2026. This is general information, not legal advice. Figures come from the sources listed at the end.
What changes on 1 December 2026
Playing music to customers is a public performance, and in most countries the business pays for it through a collective management organisation that passes the money to songwriters, performers and producers. The UAE framework rests on Federal Decree-Law No. 38 of 2021 on Copyright and Neighbouring Rights. The Ministry of Economy and Tourism has authorised two organisations, EMRA and Music Nation, to issue licences and collect annual fees from 1 December 2026. A personal Spotify or Apple Music subscription does not cover playing music in a business.
How much businesses pay
Fees depend on the type of business, its size and how the music is used. Live music and DJ sets cost more than background music. The figures below are the published background-music rates.
| Business | Annual fee | Maximum a year |
|---|---|---|
| Hotels, 1–2 star | AED 50 per room | AED 25,000 |
| Hotels, 4–5 star | AED 150 per room | |
| Restaurants and cafés | AED 1,500 to 4,800, by number of seats | AED 6,000 (201+ seats) |
| Gyms and fitness centres | AED 1,700 up to 300 m², then AED 5 per extra m² | AED 6,000 |
| Shops | AED 1,700 to 3,400, by floor area | — |
| Retail and commercial complexes | by size | AED 20,000 |
| Shopping centres | by size | AED 50,000 |
A five-star hotel with 167 rooms or more reaches the AED 25,000 cap. The reports do not list a separate rate for spas; a spa inside a hotel is likely to fall under the hotel's licence, and a standalone spa should ask EMRA or Music Nation which category applies.
What about royalty-free or generated music?
The licence covers music that is protected by copyright and managed by the two organisations. Music that is not in their repertoire is a separate question, and the published guides answer it only in part. The law firm DLA Piper notes that music generated entirely by AI cannot currently be licensed under the framework, because such works do not qualify for copyright protection in the UAE. Other guides warn that "royalty-free" does not by itself mean a business may play the music in public: what matters is the licence you actually hold.
In practice, if a venue plays music from a provider that is not EMRA or Music Nation, it should ask that provider for written terms that state the right to play the music in a commercial space, and check with EMRA, Music Nation or a lawyer whether any fee still applies. The responsibility sits with the venue, not with the music supplier.
What venues can do before December
Make a list of every place music plays: lobby, restaurants, spa, gym, pool, lifts, hold music on the phone. Note where each stream comes from, whether it is a personal streaming account, a business music service or a playlist on a laptop, and what licence covers it. Then decide per zone whether to license it through EMRA and Music Nation or to switch the zone to a source with clear commercial terms.
SAMA Sound (samahome.pro) makes generative sound for hotels, spas and wellness spaces, licensed per zone by FIKRA SMART PROJECT MANAGEMENT LLC in Dubai. To see how it would work for your venue and what the terms say, write to care@samahome.pro.
Sources
- Gulf News, "How much will UAE businesses pay to play music from December: fees explained", checked 25.09.2026
- DLA Piper, "UAE introduces new music licensing regime", July 2026
- EventFAQS Middle East, "What every commercial venue in the UAE needs to know about the new music licensing framework"
- MusicGrid, "UAE Music Licensing Rules 2026" (a music agency's guide)
Last updated 25 September 2026. Fees may change; check with EMRA or Music Nation before budgeting.