Major reductions in Dubai Government fees

The fees for as many as 88 government services in Dubai will be either reduced or cancelled.

His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Dubai Executive Council has approved the decision.

The move aims to ease financial pressures faced by businesses and further raise Dubai’s attractiveness as a business and investment hub.

The waivers and reductions relate to fees for services provided by Dubai Land Department, Dubai Maritime City Authority, Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), Dubai Municipality, Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism), Dubai Courts, Department of Economic Development (Dubai Economy) and Dubai Health Authority (DHA).

The decision is part of a series of initiatives undertaken by the government to stimulate economic growth in the emirate as well as promote competitiveness, lower living costs, improve the business environment and support investors.

. @HamdanMohammed issues Resolution on waivers and reductions of fees for a total of 88 government services https://t.co/RnXTWeHNVj

— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) July 29, 2021

Dubai Maritime City Authority will waive some fees related to various types of residency visas including processing of residency visas for applicants outside the country, issuance of employment residency visas, urgent renewals of residency visas and residency visa transfers from a government entity to the Authority, among others.

Dubai Municipality will waive a number of fees related to permits for labour supplies rooms, re-issuance of cheques, urgent medical certificates and renewal of occupational health card, among others.

Fees that will be waived by Dubai Tourism include those for tourism permits and replacement of lost permits, tourism permits for people under 16 years, and permits for fashion shows, among others.

Fees waived by RTA include those for issuing non-objection letters for transfer of traffic file, permits for closing roads for major construction works and fees related to recreational bikes, among others.

Dubai Land Department will waive fees related to the replacement of broker cards for real estate agents, and amendment of information on real estate brokers, among others.

Dubai Courts will waive fees for obtaining certified copies of rulings of civil cases.

The Executive Council Resolution No. (19) of 2021 also reduces fees charged by some government entities.

Dubai Economy will reduce fees related to issuing and renewing licenses of business centres, and issuance of licenses for providing government services, among others.

Dubai Maritime City Authority will reduce fees related to issuance and renewal of annual representative office licenses and replacement of lost certificates and licenses, among others.

Meanwhile, DHA has reduced the fees for medical fitness certificates for maritime activities.

The Resolution also authorises heads of government entities to take decisions to reduce or waive any payments other than fees imposed for its services and products, subject to prior approval from the Department of Finance in Dubai.

Cancellation or reduction of such payments has to be formalised by the enactment of a legislation and its publication in the Official Gazette.

Executive Council Resolution No. (19) of 2021 is effective from the date of its publication in the Official Gazette. The Resolution annuls any other legislation that may contradict it.