Dubai sets shared housing rules under Law No. 4 of 2026, gives owners one year to comply

Dubai Municipality has set out the requirements and conditions for regulating the occupancy and management of shared housing in the emirate, under Law No. 4 of 2026, which came into effect in August. Owners and establishments have been given a one-year grace period to adjust their situations, according to Emirates 24|7 and Gulf News. [ 1 , 2 ]

The requirements were detailed in Dubai Municipality Circular No. 1-3-1 of 2026, which sets out 10 obligations for building and villa owners, engineering consultancy offices and contracting companies. Each housing unit must be allocated to one category of shared housing, either families or individuals, without combining the two. Bedrooms must provide at least five square metres of space per occupant, and a complete bathroom must be available for every four residents. In shared family accommodation, each family must have a separate bedroom with its own private bathroom, Gulf News reported. [ 1 , 2 ]

Shared accommodation for individuals is barred on major roads with a tourism or commercial character, including Baniyas Road, Sheikh Zayed Road, Jumeirah Road and Al Wasl Road; shared housing in those locations is limited to families. Gulf News also reported that the grace period does not cover building violations or unauthorised changes of use, which it said must be removed to protect lives and property, and that a building permit is required for shared accommodation, whether for new construction or for modifications to existing buildings and villas. [ 1 , 2 ]

The National reported that Dubai has earmarked more than 40 areas for shared housing, most of them outside major tourist hubs, including Al Souq Al Kabeer, Al Ras, Al Warqa 1, Al Barsha 1, Al Muraqqabat and Al Rigga, with additional areas possibly approved in the future. It said the emirate is grappling with a major population rise, with more than 200,000 people moving there this year despite the impact of the war in Iran. [ 3 ]

The National described the concern behind the rules as apartments designed for a limited number of residents being turned into much more crowded arrangements, with a two-bedroom flat divided into multiple rooms and people sleeping in living areas or on balconies, putting pressure on kitchens, bathrooms, ventilation and electrical systems. Unauthorised partitions can also affect fire safety and escape routes, it said, noting that a fire in June last year in a residential block in Dubai Marina that was home to more than 3,800 people exposed fire traps in illegally partitioned homes. Ahmed Elnaggar, founder of the legal firm Elnaggar & Partners, said the law identifies six types of property that may be approved for shared accommodation: residential apartments, stand-alone houses, residential complexes, mixed-use buildings, adjoining houses and multi-storey buildings. [ 3 ]