Dubai Municipality housing fees, site plans and Makani

Question 1

Municipality housing fee versus the DEWA bill

Accepted Answer

Dubai Municipality's housing fee is collected through the monthly DEWA bill. For rented homes it is 5% of annual rent; for owned homes it is 5% of the estimated annual rental value using RERA's index. The service states that it applies to residential units occupied by non-UAE nationals and that UAE nationals are exempt. Ownership alone does not make a non-citizen exempt. Commercial properties use a different classification; if wrongly labelled residential, first correct the account type with DEWA, then request municipal fee correction.

Question 2

Correcting duplicate or incorrect housing fees

Accepted Answer

Submit housing-fee correction through Dubai Municipality, its app or DubaiNow, rather than through DEWA. Tenants provide the DEWA and Ejari details; DIFC tenants also supply their tenancy contract. Owners provide DEWA and property details. An approved correction can be credited to the DEWA account. For two meters serving the same home under one title or tenancy, where the additional meter is for technical supply reasons, the service says the fee is charged on one meter. Request correction if both are charged. Approval depends on municipal review; contact HousingFees@dm.gov.ae for follow-up.

Question 3

Land site plans, missing plots and correcting map details

Accepted Answer

Dubai Municipality's land site plan shows plot boundaries, dimensions and planning information such as land use, permitted floors and setbacks. Individuals can apply through the listed municipal channels; companies and government entities provide the owner's NOC. DubaiNow applications are available to landowners. If documents must be added, amend the application through the Dubai Municipality website. For a plot missing from DubaiNow or incorrect map details, contact land_info@dm.gov.ae with the plot/error details and the owner's identity evidence requested by the service. This is a planning/site-plan service; inheritance registration must be completed through Dubai Land Department, with the route depending on whether the plot is granted or private land. Who to contact: Dubai Municipality survey information team; DLD for inheritance registration

Question 4

Makani: locating a building entrance

Accepted Answer

Makani is Dubai's smart addressing and geo-tagging system. Its location codes identify building entrances. Dubai Municipality is the official source of Makani data. A Makani location helps identify where a place is; it is different from the plot's planning information or a property-ownership record. Use the official Makani service for the location rather than asking this chat to guess a building's code.

Question 5

Plot or building status certificates for housing and grant applications

Accepted Answer

Dubai Municipality issues a To Whom It May Concern certificate describing whether specified land is empty or has an existing or unfinished building, for submission to the entities listed by the service. Citizens and residents can apply through the listed municipal channels; a representative needs owner authorisation. Some cases require inspection to confirm the site's status. Pay after the required review and receive the certificate electronically. This service does not provide a copy of a building completion certificate. For a plot missing from the owner's account, contact land_info@dm.gov.ae with the plot and ownership-identification information requested by the service.

Question 6

New survey control points and rejected requests

Accepted Answer

Contractors and developers can request new survey control points where no suitable existing points are near the project. Provide the master plan, company information, plot and geographic details, and the project's purpose through the municipal service or Build in Dubai. After payment, field work establishes the points and a report is issued. The service can reject a new-point request when existing control points are close enough; ask for existing geodetic data rather than assuming every site needs newly established points.

Question 7

Allocating land for public services: DEWA and mosque requests

Accepted Answer

Government, semi-government and service authorities can seek land or corridors for public facilities through Dubai Municipality. Supply an official request explaining the service and need, with site drawings and coordinates where available, plus relevant NOCs when other allocations or private property are affected. Each location is assessed separately. A resident seeking an electrical substation site or relocation should contact DEWA: the service says DEWA submits that application. Someone wishing to donate a mosque should go through the Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department (IACAD), which submits the mosque land request. This is not a direct private-land purchase service.

Question 8

GeoDubai map and geospatial-data requests

Accepted Answer

Government and semi-government bodies, universities and colleges can request maps or geospatial data through GeoDubai for a clear work or study purpose. Provide the area's coordinates or plan where available, the required manager approval or government assignment, and a university letter for a student request. Register with the official work email and respond to any amendments. Track the application under My Requests; approved files are available through the completed-request details. The service's use policy requires prior municipal permission before publishing the supplied data or giving it to a third party. A download approval is therefore not unrestricted redistribution permission.

Question 9

Right-of-way coordinates and verifying survey points

Accepted Answer

Dubai Municipality can supply a digital plan of right-of-way (ROW) coordinates for a project. Provide the assignment letter and project site plan through the municipal service or Build in Dubai, await approval and pay for the plan. Incomplete documents, a planning freeze or an unplanned area can cause rejection. Coordinates are supplied digitally in DGN format. After the points are fixed on site, eligible infrastructure contractors request the separate verification certificate. Receiving coordinate data is not the same as having the installed points verified; utility-line verification and ROW requests can be made together or separately.

Question 10

Obtaining a copy of an approved construction master plan

Accepted Answer

Developers, authorised consultants and eligible government entities can request a PDF copy of an approved construction-project master plan or approved changes through Dubai Municipality or Build in Dubai. Submit an official request from the developer, owner or authorised consultant, await the decision and complete payment. The copy reflects the approved plan and may not include later modifications or impacts adopted after that approval. Check the current planning position separately if later changes matter; requesting a copy does not approve a new development or amendment.

Question 11

Survey-work NOCs and protected survey points

Accepted Answer

Before works affect municipal ground-control points or survey stations, apply for the survey-work NOC through the municipal service or Build in Dubai. Supply the project master plan and a plan identifying the affected stations, complete payment and attend the site visit. Removing points first can lead to rejection and penalties. Do not assume points or stations can simply be moved: the authority decides whether a change is permissible and whether an alternative station meeting its standards is required. Obtain the approved NOC and comply with its conditions before the affected work.

Question 12

Land demarcation and boundary reports

Accepted Answer

Land demarcation identifies the plot's approved boundaries and their position on site. Submit the plot number, report purpose and applicant details through the listed channels, including Build in Dubai or Dubai Now. After approval and payment, the service schedules a survey visit and sends a link to change or cancel the appointment. The applicant must attend the site visit. The surveyor fixes or checks boundary points and issues an electronic report with coordinate and boundary-position information. A demarcation report has a limited validity period; it does not itself change ownership or grant a building permit.

Question 13

Commercial municipal fee corrections and licence-renewal blocks

Accepted Answer

Businesses can ask Dubai Municipality to review municipal charges shown in DET trade-licence payments. Select the relevant category, such as market fees, employee accommodation, hotels or private-property/investment land, and enter the required current information. A review does not guarantee a reduction. Market fees and public-cleanliness fees differ: the FAQ says market fees apply to one licence where multiple licences share premises, whereas cleanliness fees are activity-based per licence. For the described licence-renewal block involving tenancy data, choose Market Fees then Complete Procedure and provide the annual rent and Ejari number in remarks. Employee-accommodation adjustments require the specified Dubai housing evidence; shared accommodation or housing outside Dubai does not qualify for that reduction. Company registration and a company user account are required. Contact Revenues@dm.gov.ae for the case-specific review.

Question 14

Purchasing adjacent complementary land and Sikka jurisdiction

Accepted Answer

Citizens and residents can ask Dubai Municipality to purchase and combine qualifying leftover land adjoining their plot where it cannot serve public purposes or be separately allocated under planning standards. Submit a site plan identifying the area. The Executive Planning Department assesses the request; neighbour and service-authority NOCs may be required after initial planning approval. Pay the notified valuation fee and purchase amount within the applicable deadlines, then request the updated site plan after completion. The valuation is time-limited; expiry requires a new application and valuation at the then-current price. The FAQ directs Sikka and right-of-way supervision to RTA. Adjacency alone does not give a right to acquire a public passage or neighbouring land.

Question 15

Geodetic data, control points and permitted reuse

Accepted Answer

Contractors and government or semi-government entities can request geodetic information such as control-point coordinates, elevation data, coordinate conversion, real-time survey subscriptions and RINEX data. Supply company and project details, the site plan and the required location or control-point information through the listed municipal channels. Pay after approval and receive the report. Use the information only for the declared project purpose; the conditions prohibit copying or third-party use and require prior approval for export outside the UAE. Obtain current data for each project and check supplied control points, reporting discrepancies promptly. Access to data does not permit removal of ground control points; that needs a separate permit.

Question 16

Ground-level verification before the building gate-level request

Accepted Answer

Building consultants request ground-level verification through Build in Dubai or the municipal portal using a survey plan, plot number and field readings. The service supplies the relevant nearby control-point information for the consultant's on-site measurements. The route differs when suitable control-point elevations are unavailable; follow the municipal instructions for GPS, geodetic data or coordinate conversion rather than choosing an elevation yourself. Upload the required field readings and plan for review. Rejection requires a new application and fresh grid-levelling readings. The ground-level certificate supports the later building entrance gate-level request and is not itself a land-boundary demarcation or gate-level approval.

Question 17

Access to municipal geospatial databases

Accepted Answer

Government and semi-government entities can request access to the municipal geographical databases and shared files for a defined work project. Use the official work email, explain the business need and attach approval from the relevant entity director through the municipal website. The Municipality reviews the request and sends the approved user details by email. Database access and electronic integration are controlled arrangements involving the data-holding department; they are not unrestricted public downloads. Prior municipal permission is required before giving the geospatial data to a third party. This account-access service is distinct from requesting a particular map or subscribing to the GeoSpatial Viewer.

Question 18

GeoSpatial Viewer accounts and additional permissions

Accepted Answer

GeoDubai's web-based GeoSpatial Viewer provides approved access to official Dubai maps and geospatial information. Use an official work email, state the work purpose and provide the required manager approval; the document list also specifies university evidence for student requests. The listed eligible organisations include government bodies and developers or consultants with the required agreement, so confirm eligibility for other cases. Existing users request Additional Permissions rather than a second new account; access depends on approval from the departments holding the data. Do not share credentials. The username cannot be changed through this service. Account-access and password assistance is available at Geodubai@dm.gov.ae; track the request using its emailed application number.

Question 19

Utility-route coordinates and on-site verification certificates

Accepted Answer

Eligible infrastructure contractors use the municipal utility-line verification service after obtaining the route-coordinate plan and fixing the coordinates on site. Provide the route and the number and location of the points to be checked, then pay after acceptance and schedule the site visit. A municipal survey employee checks the route and the certificate is issued after verification. The FAQ permits applying for the coordinate and verification services together or separately, but receiving coordinates alone is not an on-site verification certificate. Missing planning-area information or a frozen or unplanned location can cause rejection. This survey service is separate from each utility provider's connection permission.

Question 20

Building gate levels beside unpaved roads

Accepted Answer

Building consultants request the entrance gate level through Build in Dubai using site photographs and a topographic survey report. The service is relevant to plots beside unpaved roads and issues a document specifying the approved gate level in relation to the other site levels. Its conditions require the level to be determined before a new-building or fence permit is issued. Use the approved site-specific value rather than estimating it from a neighbouring building. This gate-level determination follows the relevant survey evidence and is distinct from a ground-level verification report or a plot-boundary demarcation.