This guide explains customer rights in dubai and the remedies available under consumer protection legislation. Customer rights in Dubai come from Federal Law No. 15 of 2020 on Consumer Protection, as amended by Federal Decree-Law No. 5 of 2023, and its executive regulation, Cabinet Resolution No. 66 of 2023. The law applies to all goods and services in the UAE, including free zones, and to e-commerce where the provider is registered in the UAE (Article 3). In Dubai, complaints go to the Department of Economy and Tourism through its Consumer Rights platform.
Read the law and the executive regulation on the UAE legislation portal.
Quick Answer
Customer rights in Dubai include clear prices, proper invoices, warranty protections, remedies for defective goods and services, and protection against unlawful contractual terms. Depending on the circumstances, a consumer may be entitled to repair, replacement, refund or compensation under UAE consumer protection legislation.
Keep the invoice, warranty, product photographs and correspondence. Raise the issue with the seller in writing, then use Dubai’s Consumer Rights complaint platform where necessary. Not every purchase can be returned simply because the buyer changes their mind, and different remedies have different conditions and deadlines.
Customer rights in Dubai explained
Each right below comes from the law or the regulation, and the table gives the article.
| Right | What the law says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| A clear price | The price must be written on the goods or displayed where the service is offered. A seller cannot add an amount for paying by credit card, or charge more than the announced price | Law Arts 8, 19; Reg Arts 5, 32 |
| An invoice | You get a detailed invoice in Arabic, which can include another language, with the seller’s details, the item, the price, the warranty period, the delivery date and the serial number. The seller must also give you a document showing any warranty | Law Art 8; Reg Arts 6, 11 |
| Repair, replacement or refund for a defect | Where the defect is the provider’s responsibility, you choose between returning the goods for a refund, replacing them, or repairing them at no cost | Law Art 12; Reg Art 27 |
| A loan item during a long repair | If a repair takes more than 7 days, the provider must give you a similar item to use at no cost, unless it agrees another way to compensate you | Reg Art 17; Law Art 16 |
| A new item for a recurring defect | The same flaw three times in the first year entitles you to a replacement or refund. During the warranty, two failed repair attempts, or three for a vehicle, or repairs of more than 15 days each, entitle you to a new item or its value | Law Art 13; Reg Art 28 |
| Goods with no warranty | The provider must take the goods back and refund the price if the defect appears within 30 days, whether apparent or hidden | Reg Art 25 |
| A guaranteed repair | The repair and the replaced parts are guaranteed for at least 15 days from delivery, and you must approve the cost and the time before the work | Reg Art 26 |
| Services done properly | The provider must re-perform a defective service at no cost. If it refuses or fails, you can recover the full price. If a repair damages your item, the provider bears the cost | Reg Arts 13, 29 |
| A discount shortly after you buy | If a discount starts within a week of your purchase and the provider did not tell you, you can recover the price difference within 30 days of purchase | Reg Art 31 |
| Compensation for harm | You can claim compensation for personal or material damage from the goods or service, and an agreement to the contrary is void. Misuse is excluded | Law Art 24 |
| Protection from unfair terms | A term that exempts the provider from its obligations under the law is void, such as a term that refuses any refund or waives your rights | Law Art 21; Reg Art 34 |
| Honest online sellers | E-commerce providers registered in the UAE must give their details, specifications, return terms and information in Arabic, and answer for defects in goods sold through their platform by third parties | Law Art 25; Reg Art 40 |
The remedies above apply to defective goods and services, and to goods that are not as promised. They are not a right to return something because you changed your mind.
For help organizing evidence of a defect and related loss, see our guide to choosing a defective product lawyer in the UAE.
Seller Refusing a Refund or Replacement in Dubai?
Discuss the purchase, defect, warranty and seller’s response with Leaders Advocates. Ask what remedy may apply under UAE consumer protection law and what evidence you should preserve.
What the law does not give
Some assumptions about consumer rights are not in the law.
- A general right to return an item because you changed your mind. The law has no such provision, and a refund for a non-defective item follows the retailer’s policy.
- A fixed warranty period written into the law. The Minister sets warranty periods and terms by resolution (Article 14), and the warranty runs for the duration set by the manufacturer or the commercial agent (Reg Article 19).
- A guaranteed return of any item that carries a “no returns” sign. The law restricts that notice. A seller can use it only where you accepted a known defect on the invoice, the goods cannot be returned by their nature, they are perishable or made to your specification, or they are books, newspapers or magazines, and even then not where the goods are defective (Reg Article 34).
Time limits in the law
Short periods control most remedies.
| Matter | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Repair time before an alternative item is due | More than 7 days | Reg Art 17 |
| Guarantee of a repair | At least 15 days from delivery | Reg Art 26 |
| Return and refund for goods with no warranty | A defect appearing within 30 days | Reg Art 25 |
| Price difference after an undisclosed discount | 30 days from the purchase | Reg Art 31 |
| Spare parts | 7 days for parts in regular demand, 14 days for others, and 30 days from an agent for goods not sold by the local agent | Reg Art 14 |
| A provider’s appeal against a penalty | 15 working days from notice, and a decision within 30 days | Law Art 35 |
How to complain in Dubai
Complain in writing first, then to the authority.
- Raise the problem with the seller in writing, and keep the invoice, the warranty document, photographs and messages.
- If the seller does not resolve it, file a complaint with the Department of Economy and Tourism, through the Consumer Rights platform, the Dubai Consumer app or the call centre on 600 54 55 55.
- State your name and address, the seller’s name and address and activity, the type of violation, and attach the evidence. The authority can refuse a complaint that does not contain this data (Reg Article 35).
- The authority studies the complaint and replies within the period it sets. It can test the goods in a laboratory, and the provider pays the cost if the goods are found invalid (Law Article 23).
- If the harm is serious, claim compensation through the courts (Law Article 24).
Need Help With a Consumer Complaint in Dubai?
Review the seller’s response, purchase invoice, warranty terms and supporting evidence with Leaders Advocates. Ask about the appropriate complaint route and any separate compensation claim.
What happens to the seller
A breach carries administrative and criminal penalties. The Ministry or the competent authority can impose a notice, a fine that doubles on repetition, closure or suspension for 24 hours to 90 days, and cancellation of the licence (Reg Article 41 and Annex 1).
| Violation | Administrative fine | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Failing to repair, replace or refund for a defect | AED 250,000 | Law Art 12; Reg Annex 2 |
| Failing to provide an alternative item during a repair | AED 500,000 | Reg Art 27; Annex 2 |
| Failing to give a replacement or value after a recurring defect | AED 500,000 | Reg Art 28; Annex 2 |
| Misleading advertising or price announcements | AED 250,000 and AED 100,000 | Law Arts 8, 17; Annex 2 |
| A term that harms the consumer | AED 250,000 | Law Art 21; Annex 2 |
| An invoice not in Arabic | AED 100,000 | Law Art 8; Annex 2 |
Violations of Articles 7, 10, 11, 12, 15, 16, 17 and 21 can also lead to up to two years’ imprisonment and a fine of AED 10,000 to AED 2,000,000, doubled for a repeat offence. Violations of Articles 18, 19, 20 and 26 carry up to six months and AED 3,000 to AED 200,000 (Law Articles 29 and 30).
If a seller has refused you a remedy, you can send us the documents on WhatsApp or through the Contact Us page.
Facing Losses From a Defective Product or Service?
Speak with Leaders Advocates about evidence of defective goods, misleading conduct, refused refunds or damage caused by a service. Ask whether a consumer complaint or compensation claim may be appropriate.
Questions about customer rights
If the purchase involves suspected fake goods, read about counterfeit goods and buyer remedies in the UAE.
Relevant Legal Services
For disputes involving defective goods, refused refunds, consumer contracts, compensation and litigation, explore our civil lawyers in Dubai, contract lawyers in Dubai and litigation lawyers in Dubai. The appropriate legal action depends on the purchase, available evidence, applicable consumer protection provisions and relief sought.
Related Legal Guidance
Need Legal Help With Customer Rights in Dubai?
To discuss a consumer dispute, speak to our lawyers on WhatsApp or use the Contact Us page. Our civil, contract and litigation services can help assess the purchase records, legal remedies and next steps.
