UAE introduces new music licensing fees: What restaurants, hotels and malls need to know

Dubai: Restaurants, cafés, hotels, shopping malls, fitness centres and airlines across the UAE will come under a new music licensing fee framework from December 2026, following the launch of rules governing the commercial use of music.

The Ministry of Economy and Tourism said on Tuesday that the Collective Management Guide for Music will also cover floating hotels, radio stations, television channels, concerts and similar events where the use of music is linked to copyright and related rights.

Fee brackets will vary according to the nature of the music use and the size of the economic activity, although the Ministry did not provide individual fee amounts in its announcement.

The framework was issued under Ministerial Resolution No. 136 of 2026 and is intended to standardise licensing criteria while setting out how payments linked to music rights will be collected and distributed.

Fees begin in December

Implementation will begin at the start of December, with the Emirates Music Rights Association and Music Nation responsible for collecting the fees and managing the associated rights.

Both organisations have received permits from the Ministry to conduct collective management activities in music, including the collection and distribution of payments to creators and rights holders in the UAE.

Licences will be issued for one year and can be renewed in accordance with the applicable rules and conditions.

The Ministry said the framework is intended to make the legal use of music clearer for businesses while improving the protection of composers, songwriters, singers, musicians, record producers and music publishers.

Who will not have to pay

Several categories and uses will be exempt from the fees.

Educational and academic institutions, government entities, music used during national occasions and personal celebrations or events of a non-commercial nature will be exempt under the framework.

The Ministry may also add further categories or uses to the exemption list through subsequent decisions.

10% of collections to support music sector

The guide also establishes a Cultural Support Fund for Music, which will receive 10% of the total amounts collected under the framework.

The fund will provide financial, technical and artistic support for music composition, production, distribution and live performances, while also supporting emerging talent and the wider music industry.

It will be overseen by the Ministry of Economy and Tourism and managed through a joint committee involving representatives from the Ministry and the Ministry of Culture.

The Emirates Music Rights Association and Music Nation will establish a separate bank account for the fund, with the allocated amounts deposited and managed in accordance with the approved framework.

The framework will also give the Ministry oversight of entities authorised to conduct collective management activities, including the power to carry out field inspections and review relevant records, documents and financial and technical systems.

Complaints from rights holders, users and other affected parties can also be submitted to the Ministry, which may seek an amicable settlement or take regulatory action where required.

Bin Touq said the guide would improve the management of copyright and related rights while bringing greater consistency to the way the music sector is regulated.

“The Ministry’s launch of the Collective Management Guide for Music represents an important step towards developing an integrated governance framework for copyright and related rights in the UAE, enhancing the efficiency of rights management in line with international best practices, strengthening the principles of transparency and fairness in their distribution, and improving the regulation of the music sector in a way that supports its growth and prosperity. This is in line with relevant legislation and international agreements and further enhances the UAE’s position as a leading global hub for the creative economy and intellectual property protection.”