Are you someone who is planning to travel to Dubai, and are wondering about the alcohol laws in the country? Well, then you are in the right place as we are here to tell you about the rules and regulations surrounding drink consumption in the emirate. It should be noted that although UAE is a Muslim country, alcohol is allowed in Dubai. There are however certain laws and guidelines that you must follow in order to avoid any sort of legal or cultural complications.
Dubai Drinking Laws
It should be noted that UAE has zero tolerance towards drunken driving according to a report by Dubai-online. Having said this, it should be noted that the legal drinking age is 21 years and older in Dubai. Moreover, the age requirement also applies not just to residents, but tourists as well! So, if you plan to visit bars, clubs, and restaurants that serve alcoholic beverages, you will have to present an ID to confirm your age.
Coming to all the places where you can get drinks in Dubai, it should be noted that hotels, clubs, and entertainment hubs that have alcohol licences, can serve drinks to patrons who are of legal, drinking age. Although it should be noted that some hotels cater to Muslims so they might be dry and therefore you will want to check on the hotel’s website to indicate whether they offer licensed bars and restaurants or not.
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What About Licenses?
However, you can drink at licensed venues or places like bars, clubs, and restaurants, without obtaining an alcohol license. Not to mention, you also have a choice of drinking in the privacy of your hotel rooms. For this, you will however require an alcohol license and you can purchase the alcohol for this from shops. Moreover, getting this license is free and easy. It should be noted that drinking in public places like beaches, parks, or the street is forbidden. This means the consumption of alcoholic beverages has been limited only to the licence establishments in the emirate. So, if you are a tourist visiting Dubai, you can apply for an instant 30-day alcohol license that allows you to purchase drinks from liquor stores during your stay.
While if you are a resident living in Dubai, you will already be aware that since January 2023 liquor licences are now free. However, you will have to produce your Emirates ID for this. At this point, it should be noted that the drinking laws of Dubai apply similarly for both men and women without any distinction.
Finally, travellers can bring only limited alcohol to Dubai. Yes, the allowance for one person is 4 litres of wine and spirits or two cartons of beer that contains 24 cans each not exceeding 355 ML working. So on a concluding note, if you are aged 21 or above, an expat or a tourist, you can legally drink alcohol in Dubai.
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