What facilities must shared housing have in Dubai?
Shared housing facilities in Dubai must include a kitchen, a bathroom, a dining area, a recreation area and laundry facilities, under the DM rules.
The short answer
The DM circular (reported by Khaleej Times on 8 October 2026) requires appropriate kitchen, bathroom, dining, recreation and laundry facilities in shared housing. These are shown on the layout drawings submitted for the permit, together with the bedrooms at 5 m² per person. Civil Defence (DCD) approval covers the fire and life safety side. We check the existing layout and propose changes where a facility is missing.
Official sources: Dubai Municipality · Dubai Civil Defence · Khaleej Times report on the DM circular
Shared housing facilities: what you need to know
- Kitchen: Appropriate for the number of occupants.
- Bathrooms: Appropriate for the occupants.
- Dining and recreation: Shared areas, not only bedrooms.
- Laundry: A laundry facility is required.
What to send us
- Title deed (owner), or tenancy contract with owner NOC (tenant)
- Emirates ID or passport
- Affection plan or site plan
- Existing drawings, if available; we can survey
- Photos of the rooms and facilities
- Trade licence, if a company owns or operates the property
Who does what
From check to permit
The order of the DCD and DM steps can vary; we confirm it for your property.
| Step | Approval route | Guides |
|---|---|---|
| Check the area and category You and us | Confirm the property is in an allowed area, and choose individual or family housing. | Allowed areas |
| Owner NOC (tenants) Owner | A tenant applies with a NOC from the owner. The owner NOC is enough; no other NOC is needed. | Tenants |
| Survey and layout drawings Structural Solutions | Rooms of at least 5 m² per person, plus kitchen, bathroom, dining, recreation and laundry. | Layout drawings |
| Structural check Structural Solutions | Partitions and any added loads are checked by our engineers. | — |
| Civil Defence (DCD) Structural Solutions → DCD | Fire and life safety approval for the shared accommodation. | DCD approval |
| Shared accommodation permit Structural Solutions → Dubai Municipality | The permit to operate the property as shared accommodation. | The permit |
How it works
How it works
1. Check
Area, category and occupancy for your property.
2. Drawings
Survey and layout drawings to the DM rules.
3. Approvals
DCD approval and the DM shared accommodation permit.
4. Operate
Rent the property as permitted shared accommodation.
Questions
More questions about shared housing facilities
Can a bedroom double as recreation space?
The circular lists recreation as a separate facility.
Do I need a laundry room?
Laundry facilities are required.
Who checks the facilities?
Dubai Municipality, on the drawings and inspection.
Can you redesign the layout?
Yes, we propose the layout changes.
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