The right authority, first time

It depends on where your plot sits, not what you're building. Dubai Municipality (DM) governs most mainland plots. The Dubai Development Authority (DDA) governs the design districts and several free-zone communities. Trakhees (under PCFC) governs the ports and the Jebel Ali / Palm jurisdictions. We confirm the governing authority for your plot before any drawing is issued, then submit to that desk as your Architect of Record.

The timeline depends on the authority, the completeness of the submission, and how many review cycles it takes to clear comments. The biggest variable is rejections — incomplete or non-compliant drawings trigger re-submission and reset the clock. We design around what each desk checks for, which keeps most projects to a first-submission clearance.

An Architect of Record is the licensed consultancy that takes responsibility for your submission to the authority and signs off the design. If you're building, modifying, or fitting out in Dubai, the authority requires a registered consultancy of record. We act as your AOR end-to-end — from the first drawing through to the stamped approval and completion certificate.

A building permit covers new construction and structural work. A fit-out permit covers interior works inside an existing, already-permitted shell — retail, F&B, and office fit-outs. Fit-outs still need authority sign-off and, where fire or occupancy is affected, a Civil Defence NOC. We handle both tracks. Read the fit-out permit guide.

A Dubai Civil Defence NOC is required where fire safety and life safety are engaged — most commercial, industrial, and assembly projects, and many fit-outs. It runs alongside the main authority approval, not instead of it. We coordinate the DCD submission with the DM/DDA/Trakhees track so the two don't fall out of step.

The authorities require submissions to come through a registered consultancy of record, and the drawings must meet code and the desk's review standards. Self-submitted or non-compliant files are where most delays start. Engaging a consultancy that knows each desk is what keeps a project to first-submission clearance.

Typically a site plan, the NOC letter, an appointment letter, and previously approved drawings if available — enough to confirm the governing authority and scope the submission. We tell you exactly what's needed for your specific authority before you commit.

Yes. We carry the project through to the building completion certificate — the document that confirms the works are approved and the building can be used or occupied — not just the initial permit. See the completion certificate guide.