Dubai guide
CCTV Requirements for Dubai Businesses: Who Must Follow SIRA Rules
Not every Dubai business is treated the same. Dubai's security-industry law lists the sectors and compounds that must meet SIRA's security specifications. This guide explains the list and what it does not tell you.
Please note: Emirtech is based in Abu Dhabi and is ADMCC-approved for security systems. It does not hold a SIRA licence; Dubai CCTV is installed by SIRA-approved partners, with Emirtech coordinating. This guide explains Dubai's rules for information only, as we understand them; always confirm with SIRA.
Which Dubai businesses must meet SIRA security requirements?
As we read Dubai's Implementing Bylaw (Resolution No. 1 of 2018), the "vital sectors" that must meet the security specifications in SIRA's Preventive System Manual include hotels, financial and monetary institutions, shopping and entertainment centres, restaurants, warehouses, fuel stations, places of worship and labour accommodation, among others. Compounds of residential or office units, including towers and villa compounds, are covered as "major compounds". The article we read does not itself give camera numbers, resolution or retention periods, so confirm the current manual with SIRA and a SIRA-licensed contractor.
CCTV requirements in Dubai: key facts
| Who sets the rules | SIRA, under Dubai Law No. 12 of 2016 and its Implementing Bylaw (Resolution No. 1 of 2018). |
|---|---|
| Premises covered | The Bylaw lists "vital sectors" (for example hotels, financial institutions, shopping centres, restaurants, warehouses, labour accommodation, places of worship) and "major compounds" (residential or office compounds, including towers and villa compounds). |
| Where the specifications are | In SIRA's Preventive System Manual. We could not read the manual, so this page quotes no retention, resolution or camera-count figures; figures on other websites vary and conflict. |
| Older guides | The 2018 Bylaw replaced the earlier bylaw under Law No. 24 of 2008, so guides that cite the 2008 annex may be out of date. |
| Penalties | Dubai law sets substantial fines for violations. The amount depends on the violation; confirm with SIRA. |
| Who is writing this? | Emirtech Technology, an Abu Dhabi installer (M44, Mussafah Industrial Area) since 2018, ADMCC-approved for security systems. Emirtech does not hold a SIRA licence; Dubai CCTV is installed by SIRA-approved partners, with Emirtech coordinating. |
| Please note | General information as we understand it from public sources, not legal advice. Rules and specifications are set by SIRA and can change; confirm with SIRA. |
| Last reviewed | 15 October 2026 |
Which premises are listed
Article 24 of the Implementing Bylaw (Resolution No. 1 of 2018) names the vital sectors. As we read it, the list includes:
- Hotels and similar establishments
- Financial and monetary institutions, and makers and sellers of precious metals and gemstones
- Shopping and entertainment centres, shopping malls and large department stores
- Restaurants and nightclubs
- Warehouses and fuel stations
- Places of worship
- Labour accommodation
- Vehicle rental agencies and some other listed outlets
The law also covers "major compounds" (compounds of residential or office units, including buildings, towers and villa compounds) and public events.
What the rules do not tell you
The article requires these premises to comply with the programmes, systems and technical specifications in SIRA's Preventive System Manual. It does not itself say how many cameras, what resolution or how long to keep footage. Numbers you may see elsewhere (retention periods, resolutions, ratings) come from installer websites and conflict with each other, so we do not repeat them. Ask SIRA, or a SIRA-licensed contractor, for the current manual and the process that applies to your premises.
What to do next
- Work out whether your premises fall into a listed sector or compound.
- Ask SIRA which specifications and process apply.
- Appoint a SIRA-licensed contractor (Emirtech coordinates SIRA-approved partners) and verify the licence (see how to check a CCTV company's SIRA licence).
- Ask for a written, itemised quotation that states which specifications the design follows.
Answers
Frequently Asked Questions
Does every business in Dubai need SIRA-compliant CCTV?
Does a villa need SIRA-compliant CCTV?
How long must CCTV footage be kept in Dubai?
Are Abu Dhabi's rules the same?
Does Emirtech install CCTV in Dubai?
Planning CCTV in Abu Dhabi or Al Ain?
Get a free site survey and a written, itemised quotation from an ADMCC-approved installer.