Shared housing approval for property managers in Dubai
Shared housing approval for property managers and real estate agents: we check, survey and permit every shared unit in your portfolio so your landlords stay within the Dubai Municipality rules.
What we do
Property managers often look after many shared flats and villas for different owners. We review the portfolio against the 39 allowed areas and the main-road rule, survey each unit, set legal occupancy, prepare the layout and fire safety drawings, and obtain DCD approval and the DM permit for each property, with the owner's title deed or the tenancy contract and owner NOC.
Official sources: Dubai Municipality · Dubai Civil Defence · Khaleej Times report on the DM circular
Shared housing approval for property managers: what is included
- Portfolio review: every unit checked against the DM list
- Priorities: units that cannot qualify flagged first
- Surveys: each unit measured and photographed
- Drawings: layout and DCD fire safety drawings per unit
- Permits: DCD approval and the DM permit per unit
- Owner documents: we tell you what each owner must provide
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
Questions about shared housing approval for property managers
Can a property manager apply on behalf of owners?
We work with the owner's documents: the title deed, or the tenancy contract with the owner NOC.
Can you check a whole portfolio?
Yes. We review every unit and tell you which can be permitted and which cannot.
What about units outside the 39 areas?
They cannot be shared housing; they should be rented as single units or to one family.
What is the deadline for existing shared units?
8 September 2027, under the DM circular.
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