If your marketing plan includes creators or influencers in the UAE, there is a step you cannot skip anymore. The UAE Media Council introduced an Advertiser Permit in July 2025, and creators had until 31 January 2026 to obtain one, as reported by The National. It covers anyone posting promotional content on social media, whether they are paid or not.
This is mainly a rule for creators, but it affects the businesses that hire them. Running a campaign through someone without a valid permit is a risk you do not need to take.
The basics, as reported
- The permit is issued by the UAE Media Council and applied for through its website.
- It was announced as free for the first three years for UAE citizens and residents.
- Visiting creators get shorter permits and must register through a licensed agency.
- The permit number must be shown clearly on the creator's account.
- People promoting only their own business, or a company they own, are exempt.
Rules like these get updated, so check the Media Council's own guidance before you sign anything. Nothing here is legal advice, and for larger campaigns it is worth asking a lawyer.
What to check before you book a creator
Ask for the permit number and check it is shown on the account you will be paying them to post from. Put the permit requirement into your contract, along with who is responsible if it lapses during the campaign. For visiting creators, confirm which licensed agency they are registered through.
It also makes sense to keep a simple record of every creator you work with, their permit details and the dates of each campaign. If questions ever come up, you will have the answers in one place.
A good moment to rethink creator spend
Many brands have treated creator posts as an extra with loose tracking. Now that each partnership has some admin attached, it is worth judging creators the same way as any other channel. Give each one a tracked link or code, and compare the enquiries and sales they bring against what they cost.
Google also told advertisers this year that adding creator content to YouTube campaigns tends to lift results. Whether that holds for you is easy to test once the tracking is in place.
