UAE Introduces New Music Licensing Fees for Businesses From December 2026
Restaurants, cafés, hotels, shopping malls, fitness centres, and airlines across the UAE will face a new music licensing framework from December 2026 as the government moves to standardise the commercial use of copyrighted music.
The Ministry of Economy and Tourism has issued the Collective Management Guide for Music under Ministerial Resolution No. 136 of 2026. The framework establishes licensing requirements, collection procedures, and rights-management rules for businesses and organisations that use music commercially.
The new system also covers floating hotels, radio stations, television channels, concerts, and other events in which the use of music involves copyright and related rights. However, the Ministry has not yet announced individual fee amounts, which will vary according to the nature of the music use and the size of the business or activity.
How the UAE’s New Music Licensing Framework Will Work
Implementation will begin in December 2026, with the Emirates Music Rights Association and Music Nation responsible for collecting licensing fees and managing associated rights.
Both organisations have received permits from the Ministry to conduct collective management activities, including collecting and distributing payments to composers, songwriters, performers, musicians, record producers, and other rights holders.
Under the framework, music licences will generally remain valid for one year and may be renewed in accordance with the applicable rules and conditions. Moreover, the system gives businesses a clearer structure for legally using music while creating a more standardised mechanism for compensating creators.
The Ministry will also oversee authorised collective management organisations. Its powers will include field inspections and reviews of relevant records, documents, financial systems, and technical systems.
Meanwhile, rights holders, businesses, and other affected parties will be able to submit complaints to the Ministry. Where appropriate, authorities may pursue an amicable settlement or take regulatory action.
The framework is designed to improve transparency in how music rights are managed and payments are distributed. It also brings commercial music use into a more structured regulatory system as the UAE’s hospitality, retail, entertainment, and creative industries continue to expand.
Which Businesses Are Exempt From the Music Fees?
The framework does not apply universally. Educational and academic institutions, government entities, and music used during national occasions are among the exempt categories.
Personal celebrations and other non-commercial events will also be exempt under the new rules. Furthermore, the Ministry retains the ability to add additional categories or uses to the exemption list through subsequent decisions.
For commercial venues, however, the new framework could introduce another compliance requirement. Restaurants, hotels, shopping centres, gyms, airlines, and event organisers will need to understand whether their use of recorded or performed music falls within the licensing requirements once implementation begins.
The framework, therefore, goes beyond simply introducing fees. It establishes a formal system for licensing commercial music use, collecting payments, and compensating creators and rights holders.
UAE Creates Music Sector Support Fund
One of the most significant elements of the framework is the creation of a Cultural Support Fund for Music. The fund will receive 10% of the total amounts collected under the licensing framework.
The initiative will provide financial, technical, and artistic support for music composition, production, distribution, and live performances. It will also support emerging artists and contribute to the development of the wider UAE music industry.
The Ministry of Economy and Tourism will oversee the fund, while a joint committee involving representatives from the Ministry and the Ministry of Culture will manage it.
The Emirates Music Rights Association and Music Nation will establish a dedicated bank account for the fund. Allocated amounts will then be deposited and managed in accordance with the approved framework.
Minister of Economy and Tourism Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri said: “The UAE places great importance on enhancing the competitiveness of the music and creative industries and strengthening their position as vital sectors supporting the growth of the national economy. In line with the country’s vision of the important role these industries play in advancing economic diversification, we continue our efforts to provide an enabling environment for talented individuals and innovators, protect their rights, and advance the legislative and regulatory framework for the creative economy to higher levels, in line with the objectives of the We the UAE 2031 vision”
Bin Touq also said the Collective Management Guide represents a step toward a more integrated system for managing copyright and related rights.
“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.”
The new framework places greater emphasis on both commercial compliance and creator protection. For businesses, the immediate priority will be understanding the applicable licensing requirements and fee structure before implementation begins in December.
For the UAE’s creative economy, however, the framework represents a broader development. By formalising music licensing and directing a portion of collections toward cultural support, the government is linking intellectual property protection to investment in the country’s music ecosystem and the continued development of its broader creative industries.