Dubai is tightening up how its outdoor advertising reads and looks. Dubai Municipality has launched the Advertising Content Regulation Guidelines for the Emirate of Dubai, a single set of standards for the content and design of ads seen across the city. Announced on 17 October, the framework aims to lift the quality of advertising while keeping it in step with Dubai’s visual and cultural identity.
What Do The Guidelines Cover?
The standards apply to written content, images, logos, animations, promotional displays and interactive elements, along with the use of landmarks and symbols in ads. They also address content clarity, design quality, consumer protection, public safety and respect for local values. In other words, this is not only about where a billboard goes, but about what it says and shows.
Who Has To Follow Them?
The guidelines are meant for advertising agencies, brands, businesses, government and semi-government entities, and service providers involved in outdoor advertising. Dubai Municipality says the guidelines are intended for use from the earliest design stage, helping creative teams understand the requirements before a campaign takes shape. They work alongside the municipality’s advertising content approval service, which covers messages, logos and products displayed on billboards managed by Dubai Municipality or the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA).
Why Now?
The new document adds to the rules already in place rather than replacing them, and it focuses specifically on content and creative execution. The municipality says it accounts for advances in digital technology and artificial intelligence, as well as a growing range of advertising formats and platforms. Bader Anwahi, CEO of the Public Facilities Agency at Dubai Municipality, said outdoor advertising is part of everyday life in the city. Also, the standards need to be updated with changing technology as well as protecting the quality of public spaces.
A Year Of Rule Changes
If Dubai’s streetscape rules seem to keep evolving, that’s because they do. The Outdoor Advertising Manual, introduced in 2024 by the RTA and Dubai Municipality, already covers placement, lighting and dimensions. In May this year, shopfront signage rules were tightened, limiting each outlet to a single trade name and prohibiting animated content. The latest guidelines now also address the creative side.
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Where To Read Them
Businesses and members of the public can call Dubai Municipality’s call centre on 800900 to view the guidelines or ask questions. If you work in marketing or run a shopfront, it’s worth contacting them before your next campaign goes to print.
Cover Image Courtesy: CanvaPro/ delihayat from Getty Images Signature
FAQs
What are Dubai’s new outdoor advertising guidelines?
They are the Advertising Content Regulation Guidelines for the Emirate of Dubai, launched by Dubai Municipality on 17 October. They set unified standards for the content and design of outdoor ads.
Who do the guidelines apply to?
They are aimed at advertising agencies, brands, businesses, government and semi-government entities, and service providers involved in outdoor advertising.
