Fit-out and renovation approvals in Dubai

Dubai has several bodies that regulate building work, and each covers its own areas. On top of that, master developers and building management companies have their own rules for what owners may change. A small repaint might need nothing beyond a building's contractor pass; a kitchen remodel in a tower might need the building's NOC; a villa extension or a commercial fit-out might need a developer NOC, an authority permit and a fire and life safety approval. The right list is worked out from two things: the location of the property and the scope of the work. We do that at the start of every project and then apply for each approval ourselves.

The descriptions below are taken from each body's own website. Which of them apply to your project depends on the community and the scope.

These are the questions we answer at the site visit.

• Where the property isThe community or free zone determines which authority and which developer or management company are involved.
• Villa, apartment or commercial unitTowers and commercial units add building management and, often, fire and life safety requirements.
• Structural changesRemoving walls, adding floor area or extending a villa is treated very differently from finishes.
• External changesFacade colours, extensions, pergolas and pools affect how the community looks and are usually controlled.
• ServicesChanges to fire alarms, sprinklers, air-conditioning, water or drainage can bring in further reviews.

Each authority, developer and building sets its own fees, document lists and processing times, and they change. We do not quote them here. Once we know the location and scope, we tell you which approvals your project needs and what we will need from you.