Dubai shopfront sign rules in 2026: what your signboard must follow

If you are opening a shop in Dubai, or replacing an old sign, the rules for what goes over your door are tighter than many owners expect. In May 2026 Dubai restated its shopfront signage framework. This post explains what it says, and what to decide before you order.

The rules below are as stated by the Dubai Media Office on 12 May 2026. Rules change, so check the current position with us before you order.

What the rules say

• One trade name. Each commercial establishment may display one trade name only. More than one advertisement or trade name on the shopfront is not allowed.
• Horizontal, not vertical. Signs must be horizontal. Arabic goes above English.
• Projection from one side only.
• Size. The sign must suit the height and width of the shopfront, without excessive size or thickness.
• Lighting. Brightness must stay within permitted levels. Bright white backgrounds are not allowed.
• Static content. Moving or changing content, including video, is not allowed.
• Not above the ground floor. Trade-name signs are not allowed on balconies, or on the outside of offices, clinics and outlets above the ground floor.

The Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) issues trade-name signage permits and inspects shopfronts. The rules come from the Outdoor Advertising Manual, introduced in 2024 by the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) and Dubai Municipality, in coordination with Mada Media.

What this means when you choose a sign

Pick one name and one layout. Decide the trade name, the Arabic and the English before the design starts. They must fit one horizontal sign.

Choose lighting that stays inside the limits. A sign that is too bright, or has a bright white face, may be refused. Tell us the lighting you have in mind and we will say whether it is likely to pass.

Skip animation. A screen or a moving light effect is not allowed on a shopfront sign.

Check the floor. If your outlet is above the ground floor, a trade-name sign on the outside of the building is not allowed.

The sign types we make

We fabricate signs in-house:

• acrylic and stainless 3D letters
• LED channel letters, face-lit or halo-lit
• illuminated signboards and light boxes
• neon and flex-face signs
• office wayfinding

Each one can follow the rules above. The choice is about look, budget and the wall you are fixing it to. Look at a sample of acrylic and stainless side by side before you decide.

Approval

We prepare the documents and manage the permit process, so the sign is installed legally. Lit signs also need a separate clearance from DEWA in Dubai.

How long it takes

Most shopfront signs are fabricated and installed within one to two weeks of approved artwork, depending on size and finish. We give a timeline when we quote.

If you have branches

We make signs for many locations to one standard and one schedule, so they match. We also repair and refurbish existing signs: lighting, replacement panels and tired fronts.

Not sure whether your sign follows the rules? Send us a photo of the shopfront and the size and we will tell you what we would build.

Related service: signage and 3D letters.