Check that the influencer holds a valid Advertiser Permit. The UAE Media Council requires companies to contract only with permit holders listed in its public database, and to sign a written agreement with each advertiser that can be given to the Council on request.
NXTSTAR helps brands put that check into their campaign process, and helps the creators they want to work with get licensed and permitted.
Last reviewed: by the NXTSTAR team.
Rules are set by the authority and can change. Confirm the current position before you apply.
The checklist before a campaign
- Look the creator up in the Media Council's public database of permit holders.
- Confirm the permit covers the accounts the campaign will run on, and that the permit number is displayed there.
- Sign a written agreement with the creator. Keep it where you can produce it if the Council asks.
- For a visiting creator, confirm the Visitor Advertiser Permit and the approved agency behind it.
- If the product is regulated, such as health, financial or real estate, clear the advertisement with that sector's regulator as well.
Extra duties for agencies
The Council's guide requires advertising and talent management agencies to keep organised records: details of client entities, copies of the advertising content, and the names of the permit holders they contracted. Records are to be kept for three years.
Common gaps we see in campaign briefs
- Barter campaigns run with no written agreement because no money changed hands.
- A creator flown in for a launch with no visitor permit.
- Reliance on a creator's word that they are "licensed", when they hold a trade licence but no permit.
- Staff or founders treated as exempt when they promote a company they do not own.
What NXTSTAR does, and what we do not
We set up licences and permits for the creators on your roster who are missing them, and we can walk your marketing team through the checks.
We do not draft your influencer contracts or give legal opinions on a campaign. Use a lawyer for that.
Common questions
Is the brand responsible if the influencer has no permit?
The Council puts a duty on companies to contract only with permit holders in its public database, so the check is the company's responsibility as well as the creator's.
Do we need a contract for a gifted-product campaign?
Yes. The guide requires a written agreement with the advertiser, and gifted campaigns are advertising.
Our founder promotes the brand personally. Is a permit needed?
An individual promoting a company they own on their own account is exempt under the guide. An employee or ambassador is a different case.
How much does it cost?
We do not publish prices. Ask us for a written quote for your situation.
Sources
The rules on this page come from the authority's own published material, checked on 6 October 2026.
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