Cold Calling Laws in the UAE

Which rules cover cold calling in the UAE?

Cabinet Resolution 56 of 2024 sets the rules for telemarketing, and Cabinet Resolution 57 of 2024 sets the penalties. They were published on 28 June 2024 and took effect on 27 August 2024. They cover marketing calls to landlines and mobiles, marketing text messages and marketing messages on social media apps.

The rules apply to every company operating in the UAE that does telemarketing, including free zone companies, and to individuals who market their products or services by phone.

Is cold calling legal in Dubai?

Yes, under the same rules. The 2024 resolutions are federal, so they apply in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and the other emirates alike.

What the 2024 rules require

• Make marketing calls only between 9am and 6pm.
• Don't call numbers on the Do Not Call Registry (DNCR), which the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA) runs.
• Get prior approval from the competent authority before telemarketing.
• Call from local numbers registered under your commercial licence.
• Say who you are and why you're calling at the start of every call.
• Train callers on ethical conduct and on using the DNCR, and keep records of marketing calls.
• Don't share or trade people's personal data without their consent.

Do the rules cover B2B calls?

The rules are written around calls to consumers, and how far they reach business-to-business calls isn't settled. The safe course is to treat B2B calls as covered: keep to 9am to 6pm UAE time, check numbers against the DNCR, and stop at the first request not to be called. Take advice from a UAE lawyer before a large campaign.

The resolutions are aimed at companies and individuals in the UAE. If you call UAE businesses from abroad, following the same hours and the DNCR is the safest approach.

Fines for breaking the rules

Companies that call numbers on the DNCR face a fine of AED 50,000 for a first violation, AED 75,000 for a second and AED 150,000 for a third and any after that. Other sanctions include warnings, suspension of telemarketing and cancellation of business licences. Individuals face fines and suspension of their phone service, rising with repeat offences.

Can you call a lead in the UAE who asked you to?

No exemption found: check the DNCR · Not applicable

• The sources we checked don't describe an exemption for people who asked to be called, so check every number against the TDRA's Do Not Call Registry.
• Marketing calls must still be made between 9am and 6pm, from local numbers registered under the company's commercial licence.

Source: Clyde & Co: UAE tightens telemarketing regulations · Do not call exemptions by country

What has changed in the UAE?

• 27 August 2024

  Cabinet Resolutions 56 and 57 of 2024 took effect: marketing calls only between 9am and 6pm, no calls to numbers on the Do Not Call Registry, and fines of up to AED 150,000.