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Coverage · United Arab Emirates

United Arab Emirates

Federal law is only the beginning. DIFC and ADGM run their own data protection regimes that displace the federal PDPL inside the zones, and Dubai activity can trigger emirate-level requirements from the DHA, DTCM, RERA and Trakheesi. The Radar never applies federal PDPL to a DIFC entity by default.

Federal UAE (PDPL, e-commerce, consumer protection) → emirate / free zone (Dubai, DIFC, ADGM, Abu Dhabi, DHCC) → sector authorities.

United Arab Emirates UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

Sub-jurisdictions, live from the matrix

Law counts shown for the hotel (hospitality) example; every cell opens the full verbatim stack.

All / federal 10 LAWS Dubai 12 LAWS DIFC 12 LAWS ADGM 12 LAWS Abu Dhabi 10 LAWS DHCC 10 LAWS

The instruments that do the damage

UAE PDPL

Federal data protection law: notices, purposes, cross-border transfer rules and data-subject rights for onshore entities.

FEDERAL DECREE-LAW 45/2021
DIFC DP Law

A GDPR-style regime with its own commissioner and enforcement inside the DIFC; ADGM mirrors with its own regulations.

DIFC LAW 5/2020
Trakheesi & RERA

Dubai property marketing requires valid advertising permits; listings without permit numbers are checkable, and checked.

DLD / RERA
Health advertising permits

DHA-licensed providers need medical-advertising approval; content rules extend to social embeds on your site.

DHA

Enforcement climate, cited

3
distinct data protection regimes (Federal, DIFC, ADGM) that must never be conflated on one website
STATUTORY STRUCTURE
6
UAE sub-jurisdictions in the matrix: federal, Dubai, DIFC, ADGM, Abu Dhabi, DHCC
ATTACHMENT MATRIX v2026-08
,
UAE regulators publish enforcement selectively; we cite what is published and never invent figures
METHOD NOTE
REGULATORS IN SCOPE
UAE Data OfficeDIFC Commissioner of Data ProtectionADGM ODPDHA / DOH / MOHAPDTCMRERA / DLD

Free-zone determination is evidence-led: registered address, licence references and regulator statements on your own site decide which regime attaches, and the result is shown with its evidence.

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Applicability depends on confirmed facts about your business (establishment, targeting, reach) and supported scope. Figures are cited to their sources and periods; items marked for approval are re-verified before publication.