Beyond the works, a Dubai renovation carries fees for the authority permit, the developer or building NOC, access permits, deposits and waste. Published tariffs are modest: Dubai Municipality charges AED 200 to alter a villa and AED 150 to demolish one, and DDA charges AED 1 per sq ft for a modification permit. Most developer fees and deposits are not published, so ask before you sign.
Which fees does a Dubai renovation carry?
Up to six groups of fees, depending on the work and where your home is. The table lists each fee as its publisher states it. Where a fee is not published, the row says so: ask the developer or authority before you sign a contract.
| Fee | Amount | Who sets it |
|---|---|---|
| Authority permits: Dubai Municipality (most of the mainland) | ||
| Alterations to a villa or private house | AED 200 | Local Order No. 3 of 1999, Schedule 6 |
| Additions to a residential building | AED 100 | Local Order No. 3 of 1999, Schedule 6 |
| Complete change of an approved design | AED 0.30 per sq ft | Local Order No. 3 of 1999, Schedule 6 |
| New private residential building | AED 0.30 per sq ft of building area | Local Order No. 3 of 1999, Schedule 2 |
| Demolition of a villa | AED 150 per building | Local Order No. 3 of 1999, Schedule 7 |
| Demolition of a fence | AED 100 | Local Order No. 3 of 1999, Schedule 7 |
| Authority permits: Dubai Development Authority (TECOM areas) | ||
| Building modification permit | AED 1.00 per sq ft of added or affected built-up area; renewal AED 200 per 3 months | DDA |
| Fit-out permit | AED 0.90 per sq ft, minimum AED 200, maximum AED 10,000 | DDA |
| Demolition permit | AED 1,000 per unit per floor | DDA |
| Knowledge Dirham and Innovation Dirham | AED 10 + AED 10 per transaction | DDA |
| Authority permits: Trakhees (Nakheel and special zones) | ||
| Modification permit | Not published in the client procedure; ask Trakhees or your consultant | Trakhees (PCFC) |
| Developer and building NOCs | ||
| Emaar soft landscaping NOC (Reem community FAQ) | AED 100 | Emaar Community Management |
| Emaar home modification NOC, other works | Not published; ask the developer (800 EMAAR) | Emaar Community Management |
| Nakheel modification NOC | Not published; ask the developer | Nakheel |
| Meraas minor modification NOC | No charge | Meraas |
| Meraas major modification NOC | An administrative fee; amount not published | Meraas |
| Dubai Holding communities (Dubai Properties) | Not published on a page we could open; ask the developer | Dubai Holding Community Management |
| Access permits and deposits | ||
| Nakheel contractor access, work needing a Nakheel and Trakhees NOC | AED 52.50 per person; daily permits free | Nakheel |
| Refundable damage deposit, master developers | Not published; ask the developer | Emaar, Nakheel, Meraas pages checked |
| Refundable deposit, building management | Commonly AED 2,000 – 5,000 (reported, not a tariff) | Property Finder |
| Civil Defence and DEWA | ||
| Civil Defence drawing approval | Not published on a page we could open; ask your consultant | Dubai Civil Defence |
| DEWA approval for electrical changes | Typically AED 500 – 1,000 (reported, not a tariff) | Property Finder |
| Waste | ||
| Landfill, construction and demolition waste | AED 20 per tonne (from 2020) | Executive Council Resolution No. 58 of 2017 |
| Permit to collect and transport construction waste | AED 1,000 per activity per year, paid by the transporter | Executive Council Resolution No. 58 of 2017 |
Dubai Municipality fees are from the schedules of Local Order No. 3 of 1999 as published on the Dubai Legislation Portal. dubizzle's permit guide, updated 23 September 2026, reports the same 30 fils per sq ft for interior floor area. The Building Permit System shows the fee due for your plot; confirm it there. Amounts exclude 5% VAT where it applies.
How much do permits cost all in?
Published estimates put all-in permit costs at about AED 1,500 to 12,000 for most homes, excluding consultant and contractor fees. The tariffs above are only part of it: drawings, resubmissions and utility clearances add to the bill. Property Finder publishes these 2025 estimates:
| Scope | Permit costs, estimated (AED) |
|---|---|
| Apartment, interior only | 1,500 – 2,500 |
| Apartment with MEP changes | 2,500 – 4,000 |
| Villa, minor scope | 3,000 – 6,000 |
| Complete villa renovation | 7,000 – 12,000 |
- Apartment, interior only: AED 1,500 to 2,500
- Apartment with MEP changes: AED 2,500 to 4,000
- Villa, minor scope: AED 3,000 to 6,000
- Complete villa renovation: AED 7,000 to 12,000
Which of these does a quote usually leave out?
Ask every contractor, in writing, which fees and deposits their price includes. These are the lines most often missing:
- The permit and NOC fees. Who applies, who pays, and whether resubmissions are included.
- The refundable deposit. Who pays it and who gets it back. If the contractor pays, ask what happens if damage to shared areas is deducted.
- Access permits. Nakheel charges per person for some works; a large crew multiplies it.
- Waste. Skips, transport and the landfill fee. A licensed transporter holds its own permit.
- Consultant fees. Drawings and submissions by an engineering consultant, needed for structural, MEP and layout changes.
- VAT. 5% on the works and on most fees billed through the contractor.
Check a quote line by line with the free quote checker, or put two or three side by side with compare quotes.
Who applies and who pays?
The owner applies for the developer NOC in most communities; the contractor or consultant applies for the authority permit. DDA lists the contractor as the applicant for its modification, fit-out and demolition permits. Whoever applies, the cost ends up with the owner, either directly or in the contract price. For the order of approvals, see villa renovation approvals and do you need a permit?. Painting interiors and exteriors needs no maintenance permit from Dubai Municipality.
Community by community: Emaar NOC · Nakheel NOC · approvals by community (dataset). For the works themselves, see villa and apartment renovation costs.
Questions
What hidden costs come with a renovation in Dubai?
The authority permit, the developer or building NOC, a refundable damage deposit, contractor access permits, utility clearances and waste disposal. Most are small next to the works, but they are rarely priced in a quote unless you ask.
How much is a Dubai Municipality permit for villa alterations?
The schedules of Local Order No. 3 of 1999 set AED 200 for alterations to a villa and AED 100 for additions to a residential building. A complete redesign is charged at AED 0.30 per sq ft. Check the fee due for your plot in the Building Permit System.
Do I pay a fee for an Emaar or Nakheel NOC?
Emaar publishes AED 100 for a soft landscaping NOC in its Reem community; other modification fees are not on its FAQ pages. Nakheel does not publish a modification NOC fee, but charges AED 52.50 per person for access permits on work that needs a Nakheel and Trakhees NOC.
How much is the refundable deposit for renovation works?
No master developer we checked publishes one. Property Finder reports building management deposits of commonly AED 2,000 to 5,000, refunded if the shared areas are undamaged. Ask your community or building management before you book a contractor.
What does it cost to dispose of renovation waste in Dubai?
Dubai sets a landfill fee of AED 20 per tonne for construction and demolition waste. Licensed waste transporters also pay AED 1,000 a year for their permit. Your contractor normally arranges this and builds it into the price.
Keep going
Sources
- Dubai Legislation Portal: Local Order No. 3 of 1999 Regulating Construction Works, Schedules 2, 6 and 7 (building, modification and demolition permit fees) and Article 12 (deposits set by separate resolution), opened 3 November 2026
- Dubai Legislation Portal: Executive Council Resolution No. 58 of 2017 approving the fees for waste disposal (landfill fee for construction and demolition waste; transport permit fee), opened 3 November 2026
- Dubai Development Authority: Building modification permit (AED 1.00 per sq ft, renewal, contractor applies), opened 3 November 2026
- Dubai Development Authority: Fit-out permit (AED 0.90 per sq ft, minimum and maximum), opened 3 November 2026
- Dubai Development Authority: Demolition permit (AED 1,000 per unit per floor, 5 working days), opened 3 November 2026
- Trakhees (PCFC): Client procedure for obtaining modification permits, revision 2, September 2024 (fees calculated in the system; no amounts published), opened 3 November 2026
- Emaar Community Management: Home modifications FAQ, Reem (soft landscaping NOC at AED 100), opened 3 November 2026
- Emaar Community Management: Home modifications FAQ, The Valley (alterations need Emaar approval; no fee or deposit published), opened 3 November 2026
- Nakheel: Contact us and customer FAQs (modification NOC from Urban Planning; access permits AED 52.50 per person; daily permits free), opened 3 November 2026
- Meraas: FAQs (minor modifications without charge; major modification NOC administrative fee, 10 working days), opened 3 November 2026
- Property Finder: Vital Dubai building code and permits for home renovation (building management deposits AED 2,000 to 5,000; 2025 permit cost estimates by scope), opened 3 November 2026
- Property Finder: Cost comparison, apartment vs villa renovation in Dubai (25 March 2026) (DEWA electrical approval typically AED 500 to 1,000), opened 3 November 2026
- dubizzle: Request to permit modifications/additions for buildings in Dubai (updated 23 September 2026) (30 fils per sq ft interior floor area), opened 3 November 2026
- Dubai Media Office: Dubai Municipality launches new service (13 August 2023) (painting interiors and exteriors no longer needs a maintenance permit), opened 3 November 2026
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Rules change and vary by community and authority: confirm with the authority or your consultant before you start work.