Shop Sign Rules & Permits
in Dubai and Abu Dhabi

Both emirates control how shop signs look. In Dubai the key rules are one trade name per shopfront, horizontal signs only, and Arabic above English. In Abu Dhabi the DMT Commercial Signage Regulations decide where a sign can go and how big it can be. The shop owner applies for approval; the sign company builds what is approved.

This guide summarises the official rules so you can brief your sign maker correctly. It is not legal advice.

Dubai's Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) issues trade-name signage permits and inspects shopfronts. The rules follow the Outdoor Advertising Manual (2024) from the RTA and Dubai Municipality with Mada Media.

• One trade name only per establishment; extra adverts or names on the shopfront are not allowed.
• Horizontal signs, not vertical.
• Arabic above English.
• Size in proportion to the shopfront, without excessive height, width or thickness.
• Projection from one side only.
• Static content: no video or moving images.
• Brightness within permitted levels, and no bright white backgrounds.
• No signs on balconies or on facades of offices, clinics and shops above the ground floor.

In Dubai Development Authority free zones, the permit comes from DDA through its Advertising Single Window. DDA lists these annual fees:

Plus AED 10 Knowledge Dirham and AED 10 Innovation Dirham per transaction. Estimated processing time: 4 working days. Typical documents include the trade licence, a photo of the facade, a coloured scaled drawing with dimensions and materials, a mock-up on the building, and the landlord's NOC.

Abu Dhabi's Department of Municipalities and Transport (DMT) sets the type, size and position of commercial signs in its Commercial Signage Regulations (Version 5, 2022). Key ground-floor rules:

• Put the sign on the fascia if it is 80 cm high or more; otherwise use the parapet.
• If both are under 80 cm: 3D letters without background on the parapet, or cut lettering or sticker on the fascia.
• Projecting signs: maximum 25 cm total thickness, no more than 15 cm from the wall.
• Colonnade signs: maximum 1 m high, bottom at least 2.4 m above ground.
• All cables and lighting inside the sign; no exposed bulbs. Only 3D signs without background and banners may be lit from outside.
• Phone numbers or websites: no more than 10% of the sign, and 2D only.
• No third-party product adverts, and signs must not cover architectural features or block views into the shop.

Promotional advertising (offers, campaigns, billboards) also needs a permit from the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED).

1. Check whether you are in Dubai mainland, a Dubai free zone, or Abu Dhabi, so you know which rules apply.
2. Measure the fascia height and the shopfront width.
3. Ask your sign maker for a scaled drawing and a mock-up on a photo of your facade.
4. Get the landlord's NOC and apply for the permit.
5. Order production only after approval, then install.

JR Group makes and installs signs in Dubai and Abu Dhabi from AED 555 per m², ready in 3–4 working days after design approval. See our signage services or compare 3D sign materials.

Do I need a permit for my shop sign?

Yes. In Dubai mainland, trade-name signs are permitted and inspected by the Department of Economy and Tourism (DET); in Dubai free zones under the Dubai Development Authority the permit comes from DDA. In Abu Dhabi, commercial signs must follow the DMT Commercial Signage Regulations. The business owner applies; the sign maker builds to the approved design.

Can my sign be vertical in Dubai?

No. Under the shopfront framework reported in May 2026, Dubai shop signs must be horizontal, with Arabic above English and one trade name per shopfront.

How much is a shop sign permit in a Dubai free zone?

The Dubai Development Authority lists an annual fee of AED 500 for ground-floor shop signage and AED 1,000 for a window sticker, plus AED 20 in service charges, with an estimated 4 working days to process.

Does JR Group apply for the permit?

No. JR Group designs, makes and installs the sign, and can provide the scaled drawing and mock-up that permit applications usually need. The business owner submits the application.

• Dubai Media Office: shopfront advertising framework (12 May 2026)
• Gulf News: one trade name only, Dubai tightens shopfront signage rules
• Dubai Development Authority: advertising permit (free zones)
• Abu Dhabi DMT: Commercial Signage Regulations, Version 5 (2022)
• ADDED: permits for advertising and promotional campaigns

Checked on 8 October 2026. Rules change; confirm with the authority before you order a sign.