Dubai Public Safety Law No. (2) of 2026: A New Era of Owner Liability and Compliance

Elhassan Abdelrazek
May 8
3 min read

Dubai Issues New Public Safety Law: Key Implications for Owners and Operators

Dubai has enacted Law No. (2) of 2026 on Public Safety, which will come into force on 1 June 2026. The Law replaces and repeals Local Order No. (11) of 2003 on Public Health and Community Safety, together with any conflicting provisions in other legislation.

Purpose and Scope

The Law establishes a unified public safety framework aligned with international standards. Its application is broad: it covers public places, entertainment venues, public and private event sites, and all occupied buildings across the Emirate, including free zones and the DIFC. Industrial, professional, and craft buildings, airports, military and security facilities, transport means, and buildings still under construction (other than areas accessible to the public) fall outside its scope.

Obligations on Owners and Operators

The Law imposes detailed operational, technical, and administrative duties on owners, operators, and service providers. These include:

obtaining permits from the Environment, Health and Safety Institution (EHS Institution) before operating entertainment venues or making material changes to existing facilities;
appointing qualified and accredited Public Safety Supervisors and ensuring they receive periodic training;
implementing occupancy controls, emergency and evacuation plans, and comprehensive public safety management plans;
conducting periodic technical inspections through entities approved by Dubai Municipality and maintaining valid inspection certificates;
preparing and submitting formal risk assessments and a detailed risk assessment study to the EHS Institution;
reporting incidents within prescribed timeframes;
providing clear and prominent safe‑use instructions for all equipment; and
ensuring accessibility for children, elderly persons, and persons with disabilities.

Residential Buildings and Homes

For residential buildings and private homes, the Law mandates:

installation of fire detection systems;
structural safety measures, including handrails and fall‑protection barriers;
safety controls for swimming pools, solar systems, and domestic gas installations; and
availability of first‑aid facilities.

Products and Market Controls

All products intended for public use, whether recreational, educational, or otherwise, must carry a conformity certificate and include bilingual (Arabic and English) safe use and maintenance instructions. The EHS Institution may test, seize, withdraw, or destroy non‑compliant products at the owner’s expense.

Obligations on the Public

For the first time, the Law codifies duties on members of the public. Individuals must follow safety instructions and signage, cooperate with safety supervisors and authorities, comply with evacuation procedures, observe permitted swimming times at beaches, supervise children, and avoid entering worker‑only areas.

Prohibited Conduct

The Law prohibits handling explosives, fireworks, toxic or flammable materials without authorisation; placing hazardous materials in waste containers; tampering with manholes, sewage or rainwater drainage systems; and trading products that do not meet prescribed safety standards or that lack bilingual instructions.

Liability

Article 25 places liability for damages arising from non‑compliance squarely on the owner. Dubai Municipality and other concerned authorities are expressly absolved of liability where an owner has failed to meet the Law’s requirements.

Penalties and Enforcement

Violations attract fines ranging from AED 500 to AED 1,000,000. Repeat violations within one year may result in doubled fines of up to AED 2,000,000. Authorities may also close facilities, seize or destroy non‑compliant products, and recover rectification costs together with a 25% administrative surcharge. Designated officials hold judicial enforcement powers and may involve the police. Drone‑assisted monitoring is expressly permitted.

Affected parties may file a written appeal within 10 working days of notification. Appeals are determined within 30 days, and the committee’s decision is final.

Transitional Period

Entities subject to the Law have a two‑year grace period from 1 June 2026 to regularise compliance. This may be extended once, for a further two years, by decision of the Chairman of the Executive Council upon recommendation of the Director General of Dubai Municipality.

Recommended Next Steps

Organisations operating facilities in Dubai should:

commission a compliance audit of all facilities and operations against the Law’s requirements;
review and update contracts with operators, service providers, and tenants to incorporate safety obligations and indemnities;
reassess public liability insurance in light of the exclusive owner‑liability regime; and
implement safety management systems, appoint Public Safety Supervisors, and initiate staff training programmes.