Law No. 4 of 2026 sets 10 obligations for building owners, bans mixed family and individual housing in one unit and excludes Sheikh Zayed and Jumeirah streets from individual shared accommodation
Dubai: Dubai Municipality has revealed a set of requirements and conditions for regulating the occupancy and management of shared housing in the emirate, in accordance with Law No. (4) of 2026 on regulating the occupancy and management of shared housing in Dubai, which came into effect last August, with owners and establishments given a one-year grace period to adjust their situations.
The regulations specify 10 obligations on owners of buildings, villas, engineering consulting offices and contracting companies, the most prominent of which is not to use any building or villa for shared housing except in areas authorised by the Municipality and the competent authorities, and to allocate each housing unit to one category of shared housing, either for families or for individuals, without combining the two categories in one unit.
The regulations recently issued by the Municipality exclude lands located on vital streets of a tourist and commercial nature, including Baniyas, Sheikh Zayed, Jumeirah and Al Wasl streets, from allowing individuals to live there, so that shared housing in them is limited to families only.
Adjusting the situation
In detail, Dubai Municipality issued Circular No. (1-3-1) of 2026 regarding the regulation of occupancy and management of shared housing in the Emirate of Dubai, in application of Law No. (4) of 2026, specifying 10 obligations on building owners, engineering consulting offices and contracting companies, within the framework of providing a suitable residential environment for different community groups, which contributes to enhancing the quality of life and consolidating Dubai’s global position.
The most prominent commitments stipulated the need to adjust the status of buildings or villas currently used for shared housing, in accordance with the provisions of the law, within one year from the date of its entry into force, and in accordance with the planning and construction specifications and standards.
The Municipality confirmed that the grace period for regularisation does not include building violations and changes of use violations, which must be removed to prevent risks to lives and property, stressing the need to obtain a building permit for shared housing, whether for new construction or to make modifications to existing buildings and villas for the purpose of converting them into shared housing.
Residence permits
The Municipality has mandated that applications for licensing, completion, and shared housing permits be submitted through the services available on the Dubai Buildings Platform, while fulfilling the requirements and conditions related to shared housing through the engineering office assigned by the owner.
The engineering office is responsible for including in the license application all plans and data related to the use of buildings or villas for shared accommodation, including building numbers, apartments, rooms, their areas, categories of residents, and occupancy rates.
The joint occupancy permit for buildings or villas is issued immediately upon issuance of the completion certificate, including the necessary data for the Land and Property Department, based on which lease contracts are issued to the residents.
The Municipality also stipulated that the entire residential building or villa be allocated for shared accommodation, and not just a part of it for this purpose, and that shared accommodation in the same building or villa be limited to one category, either individuals or families, without combining them.
Specific areas only
According to the guide to the technical requirements and conditions for shared housing attached to the circular, which is complementary to the Dubai Building Code and does not replace it, the use of shared housing is regulated within specific and approved areas according to a planning scheme issued by the municipality, which identifies the areas eligible to accommodate this type of use based on planning studies and urban analysis, in order to ensure a balance between the needs of the real estate market and the preservation of the quality of the residential environment.
The guide excluded lands located on vital streets of a tourist and commercial nature, including Baniyas, Sheikh Zayed, Jumeirah and Al Wasl streets, from allowing individual housing, so that the use of shared housing in them is limited to families.
The guide specified five requirements for residential units and occupancy rooms, most notably that the space allocated to each occupant in the bedroom should not be less than five square metres, and allowing the occupancy of a single residential unit by more than one family within the family housing category, provided that a separate bedroom is allocated to each family with an independent internal bathroom.
It also allowed the occupancy of a single bedroom by more than one occupant in individual housing, according to the maximum allowed limit and the approved health and technical requirements, and the reallocation of the living room within the unit for residential uses.
Facilities and services
The guide requires the provision of facilities and services in shared residential buildings that are appropriate to the category of housing and the occupancy pattern. It permits, in buildings designated for individual housing, the provision of shared kitchens on each floor of new buildings, provided that their area and equipment are appropriate to the number of occupants.
In the case of shared accommodation within residential units (apartments), kitchens may be provided within the unit, provided that the kitchen area is not less than one square meter per occupant, while adhering to the requirements of public health and safety in accordance with the Dubai Building Code.
The guidelines stipulate that health facilities should be provided in proportion to the number of occupants of the unit, so that a complete bathroom, including a sink, toilet and shower, is provided for every four occupants at most. This applies to the housing of individuals and families.
If the sanitary facilities are designed as separate units, a toilet must be provided for a maximum of four occupants, and a shower for every six occupants. This system is limited to individual residences.
It also stipulated the provision of multi-purpose halls in shared residential buildings designated for individuals, commensurate with the number of occupants, and dedicated to eating and entertainment, with the necessary furniture and equipment, in addition to laundry and drying facilities commensurate with the number of residents.
Car and bicycle parking
The guide exempted shared accommodation from the requirements to provide the minimum number of parking spaces according to the approved regulations, while obligating the property owner or operator to provide a suitable area for minibuses to board and disembark within the road right-of-way, after obtaining the approval of the Roads and Transport Authority, and in accordance with the requirements of the Dubai Code.
The property owner is also obligated to provide bicycle parking spaces of no less than 10% of the total number of building occupants, with the possibility of providing them within the road right-of-way after obtaining the approval of the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) and the competent authorities.
The regulations permit the rental of private residential villas or villas located within approved areas where shared housing is permitted, in accordance with the approved planning and construction regulations.
Approved fees
The Municipality confirmed that the provisions apply to new buildings, as well as existing buildings that undergo modifications or changes for the purpose of providing shared housing, within the permitted areas and in accordance with the approved planning and construction requirements.
It explained that the fees stipulated in the provisions of Regulation No. (10) of 2006 regarding requests to amend the planning and building regulations in the Emirate of Dubai, and Regulation No. (3) of 2007, shall be collected for requests to modify the building or any part of it into a real estate unit designated for shared housing.
Law No. (4) of 2026 concerning the regulation of occupancy and management of shared housing in Dubai aims to regulate the management and occupancy of real estate units allocated for this type of housing, in a way that guarantees the rights of owners and residents, and provides a suitable housing environment for different community groups.
It also aims to reduce overcrowding and random congestion in residential areas and neighbourhoods, the security risks and challenges and the resulting negative repercussions, reduce the spread of random shared housing, ensure fairness in renting units designated for shared housing, preserve the civilised and aesthetic appearance of the emirate, and reduce the negative manifestations resulting from the unregulated use of buildings, houses and real estate units.
Source: Emirates 24|7