The UAE Ministry of Economy and Tourism has licensed two music collecting societies and set fees for music used in businesses, collected from December 2026.
| Who | What for | |
|---|---|---|
| EMRA | Emirates Music Rights Association | Music collective management; licensed April 2025 |
| Music Nation | Music Nation | Music collective management; licensed June 2025 |
| Ministry | Ministry of Economy and Tourism | Licenses and supervises the societies; sets the fee guide |
Ministerial Resolution No. 136 of 2026 adopts a Collective Management in Music Guide, announced on 11 August 2026. It covers music used in restaurants and cafés, shopping malls, fitness centers, hotels and floating hotels, airlines, radio, TV and concerts, and names EMRA and Music Nation as the two entities collecting the fees. The license is valid for one year.
Educational and academic institutions, government entities, national occasions and noncommercial personal celebrations are exempt. Whether a venue needs a license from both societies is not stated officially.
The Ministry says fees depend on the nature of use and the scale of the economic activity, and 10% of collections go to a Cultural Support Fund for Music. Collection starts at the beginning of December 2026.
The official tariff annex was not found for this guide, so no fee amounts are given here. Ask EMRA or Music Nation for the figure for your sector.
Consumer plans of Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube are licensed for personal, noncommercial use under their own terms, so a private account is not a license to play music to customers. The Ministry exempts only noncommercial personal celebrations, not commercial premises.
Under Federal Decree Law No. 38 of 2021 only the author or right holder may authorize public performance (article 7), phonogram producers have exclusive rights including communication to the public (article 18), and right holders may delegate management to a licensed body (articles 32 and 34). No extended collective licensing, presumption of representation or mandatory collective management was found in the Decree Law.
However, the Ministry describes the new fees as required from the relevant categories of businesses, and the Guide itself was not read for this guide, so whether a venue playing only directly licensed music outside both societies is exempt is not verified.
The Ministry supervises the societies through inspections, record reviews and complaints, and courts may order a public performance stopped and its revenue seized (article 35). Penalty amounts for venues were not found.
Dr.DIO Studio makes its own electronic and ambient music, no Dr.DIO track is registered with any collecting society, and the Business plan ($14.99 a month per venue, 14 days free) gives the venue a direct public playback license and a certificate for Dr.DIO music.
UAE copyright law makes joining a society voluntary and lets the right holder authorize public performance directly, which supports a direct license such as Dr.DIO's. But the new Ministry fee guide applies to categories of businesses, and whether it charges a venue that plays only music outside EMRA and Music Nation is unclear.
Before December 2026, ask EMRA or Music Nation in writing, with the Dr.DIO certificate and track list, whether a fee applies to Dr.DIO music.
Any other music in the venue, such as radio, TV, live music or other playlists, still needs the usual licenses.
This page explains the general rules as published by the societies and laws listed above, checked in October 2026. It is not legal advice; fees and rules change, so confirm with the society before you decide.
From December 2026, cafés and restaurants using music fall under the Ministry's music guide, with fees collected by EMRA or Music Nation.
EMRA, licensed in April 2025, and Music Nation, licensed in June 2025, both supervised by the Ministry of Economy and Tourism.
It depends on the use and the size of the business. The official tariff was not found for this guide; ask the societies.
Collection starts at the beginning of December 2026, with a license valid for one year.
No. Personal plans are for personal, noncommercial use, and the Ministry exempts only noncommercial personal celebrations.
The law supports direct licensing, but whether the new fee guide exempts it is unclear. Ask in writing.
