One country, separate permit systems
There is no single UAE filming permit. Each emirate issues its own, and a production that films in Dubai in the morning and Abu Dhabi in the afternoon needs both (Zaini Media, Hoodlum). On top of the local permit, the federal Media Law fines filming without a permit or required script approval AED 10,000, then AED 40,000 on a repeat (Cabinet Resolution 42/2025, row 1).
Our Dubai filming permit guide covers Dubai in detail. This page compares the others.
Side by side
| Abu Dhabi | Sharjah | Dubai | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who | Creative Media Authority (CMA), incl. Abu Dhabi Film Commission | Sharjah Film Commission (SHAMS) assists; Sharjah Media Council sets fees | Dubai Media Council; the Dubai Films and Games Commission succeeds the DFTC (Decree 67/2024) |
| Process | Content approval first, then ground, aerial or marine permit; local licensed production partner | Facilitated "one window" via the Commission | Online application; DFTC portal |
| Official fee | AED 500 per filming day (CMA) | Set under Executive Council Decision 18/2026; we could not read the schedule | AED 520 per application + AED 2,500 government location fee (Khaleej Times) |
| Official time | Up to 15 working days | About 3–4 days (SHAMS citing the Commission) | No official SLA; agencies cite 3–5 working days |
| Cash rebate | 35%, up to 50% points-based (IMDb News) | 5–15% + 5% top-up, via a SHAMS company (SFC) | No cash rebate |
| Agency-quoted extras | AED 500 script approval (Filming Portal UAE) | AED 2,500 permit + AED 1,500 admin (Hoodlum, low confidence) | Location-owner fees up to AED 25,000/day |
Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah, Ajman and Umm Al Quwain run their own routes through local media or government offices; agencies quote 3 to 7 working days. We found no official fee pages to cite.
Sharjah's rebate in numbers
From the Sharjah Film Commission, on production and post-production cost, claimed through a local company registered under SHAMS (Sharjah Media City):
| Share of the project shot in Sharjah | Cash rebate |
|---|---|
| 30–50% | 5% |
| 60–80% | 10% |
| 100% | 15% |
| Promotes Sharjah, its locations and culture | +5% top-up |
The Commission reviews each project and can award or reject the rebate.
Worked example: a one-day brand commercial, three emirates
A brand films a one-day commercial on public locations with a local crew. Production budget AED 60,000, all spent locally. Permit costs from the official fees above; rebates assume the project qualifies, which isn't guaranteed.
| Abu Dhabi | Sharjah (100% in Sharjah) | Dubai | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Permit fees (official) | AED 500 (1 day) | Not published; agencies quote ~AED 4,000 | AED 520 + 2,500 = AED 3,020 |
| Cash rebate if eligible | 35% = AED 21,000 | 15% (+5%) = AED 9,000–12,000 | 0 |
| Lead time to plan for | Up to 15 working days | ~3–4 days | 3–5 working days |
The rebates change the maths only for productions that qualify and can wait for payment; small social shoots rarely clear the admin. For a single reel, the deciding factors are lead time and location.
What nobody tells you
- Rebates aren't instant cash. They are typically paid after the project, against verified qualifying spend. Budget the shoot as if the money comes later.
- The cheapest permit can be the slowest. Abu Dhabi's AED 500 a day looks cheap until you count up to 15 working days of review plus content approval.
- Sharjah rewards local structure. The rebate goes through a SHAMS-registered company. (Our own studio is licensed in SHAMS, which we mention because it's relevant, not as a guarantee of any rebate.)
- Landmarks bring their own owners. Louvre Abu Dhabi, Qasr Al Watan, Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Sharjah's museums and Dubai's malls each have an owner approval on top of the permit (Zaini Media).
- Drones are federal plus local. In Abu Dhabi a drone needs a CMA no-objection plus GCAA approval; see our drone rules guide.
- Dubai's name change is in progress. Many pages and agencies still say "DFTC"; the function sits under the Dubai Media Council since Decree 67/2024.
Vladimir Chernyshev, GM: for brand content we'd pick the emirate by the look and the calendar first, and by the rebate only for projects big enough to justify the paperwork.
Related: filming at Dubai landmarks, photographing people, video production cost in Dubai.
