UAE E-Commerce Law: Federal Decree-Law 14/2023 for Online Sellers

The UAE has its own ecommerce law: Federal Decree-Law 14/2023 on Modern Technology-Based Trade. It has applied since September 2023.

For sellers, that's good news. The rules are short, clear and the same in all seven emirates. Follow them and your store earns the trust shoppers give to the big names.

Below, we go through it article by article, with a worked example and a launch checklist. It's part of our UAE regulations guides.

What is the UAE e-commerce law?

Decree-Law 14/2023 sets the rules for "trading by modern technological means". In plain terms, that's buying and selling goods, services and data online.

It sits alongside two other laws:

• The Consumer Protection Law (Federal Law 15/2020) covers every sale, online or offline. Our UAE consumer protection guide explains it.
• The PDPL (Federal Decree-Law 45/2021) covers personal data.

The e-commerce law adds the online layer: licences, fee disclosure, e-invoices, reviews, complaints and the fines for breaking them.

Who does the law cover?

Almost everyone selling online to UAE shoppers. Article 2 covers trade through websites, platforms, apps and social media, including physical goods bought online.

Here's who falls inside:

• UAE stores: mainland companies selling online, from Shopify brands to WhatsApp shops.
• Stores abroad: anyone trading with the UAE, including goods "received from outside" the country.
• Platforms and service firms: marketplaces, logistics providers and payment gateways serving that trade.
• Free zone companies, when they sell outside their zone, or when the zone has no ecommerce rules of its own.

Licensed banks and insurers are the main exclusion.

What about stores registered abroad?

This is where the two laws differ. The u.ae portal says the Consumer Protection Law doesn't cover sales between UAE shoppers and stores registered abroad.

The e-commerce law does reach them, through that "received from outside" wording. So a store in London or Shenzhen shipping to Dubai should follow it.

Are marketplaces liable for their sellers?

Yes. Article 2 names platforms directly, and the consumer law makes a UAE platform answer for its third-party sellers' products. That's why noon and Amazon.ae write these rules into their seller policies and suspend listings that break them.

What must your store show and do?

Article 5 lists the trader's duties, and Article 6 lists the shopper's rights. Put together, they become a to-do list for your store:

The Arabic product information, VAT-inclusive prices and warranty rules come from the consumer law, not this one. They're covered in our consumer protection guide.

How do digital contracts and invoices work?

Your checkout terms are a digital contract. The law asks you to publish them on the store before the shopper pays, along with prices and fees.

Three rules shape that contract:

1. Publish it: The terms, prices, delivery fees and payment fees must all be visible on the store.
2. No arbitration under AED 50,000: Article 9 bans arbitration clauses in digital contracts below that value. Disputes go to the authorities or the courts instead.
3. Electronic invoice: Each sale needs a detailed invoice that isn't only on paper. An emailed PDF or a link in the order email works.

Don't confuse this with the VAT e-invoicing mandate. That one starts with B2B and B2G invoices, and each business needs an accredited service provider (ASP):

Our UAE VAT guide has the details.

When can shoppers return goods?

Only when something's wrong with the order. Article 7 lets shoppers return or replace goods that are defective, incomplete, not as described, too late to be useful or otherwise off-contract. There's no change-of-mind right.

Three groups lose the right: used goods, perishables that last three weeks or less, and single-use media such as books, films and software.

Refund timing, warranties and the ban on "no returns" lines come from the consumer law, covered in our consumer protection guide.

How does the law handle customer data and marketing?

Article 10 points straight to the data-protection law. It also bans sharing or trading consumer data without a legal basis or consent.

Article 6 adds one marketing right: shoppers can accept or refuse marketing by calls, email and social media. Article 5 makes you follow any authority conditions on promotions and data exchange.

For your store, that means:

• an unsubscribe link in every email and an opt-out keyword on WhatsApp and SMS;
• no buying or selling of customer lists;
• a privacy notice that names your courier, gateway and email tools.

The consent, cookie and transfer rules are in our UAE PDPL guide.

What are the fines under Cabinet Decision 200/2025?

Article 19 left the penalties to the Cabinet. It set them in Cabinet Decision 200/2025, in force since 28 November 2025.

Here's how they work:

• Range. Fines run from AED 500 to AED 100,000 per breach.
• Hidden fees. Undisclosed logistics or payment fees cost AED 500–20,000.
• Warning first. Most first breaches bring a written warning and 15 days to fix.
• Payment. A fine must be paid within 30 days of notice.
• Closure. Temporary or permanent closure is possible only from the third offence.

So a careful seller who fixes things quickly is unlikely to pay anything. Consumer-law fines start at AED 100,000, so get the basics right on both.

How does licensing fit in?

Article 5 starts with a licence. You need one that covers ecommerce from your emirate's economic department or your free zone, plus special approvals for regulated goods.

Free zones are the twist. The law covers a free zone company that sells outside its zone. Online delivery to UAE consumers is common, with the zone's written confirmation. Ask your zone for that letter before launch.

Free zone ecommerce licences start from about AED 6,000 including a visa. Compare the options in our guide to UAE ecommerce licences.

Worked example: a Hong Kong gadget store selling to Dubai

Take a Hong Kong-registered Shopify store selling phone accessories to UAE shoppers. It ships DDP (delivered duty paid) from a Hong Kong warehouse.

Here's how it lines up with the law:

1. Scope: The consumer law may not reach it, but the e-commerce law does, because the goods come from outside.
2. Prices and fees: A charger shows "AED 89, free delivery, duties and VAT included". The AED 10 cash-on-delivery fee shows in the cart, so a COD shopper sees AED 99 before confirming.
3. Terms: The Arabic and English terms page has no arbitration clause, since every order is far below AED 50,000.
4. Invoice: Each order email carries a detailed PDF invoice.
5. Returns: A faulty charger is replaced free. One that's been used and works fine is excluded.
6. Data and complaints: Email and WhatsApp offers carry an opt-out, and a WhatsApp support line replies within a working day.

Now say a theme update hides the COD fee until the doorstep. That's an undisclosed payment fee, in the AED 500–20,000 band.

The likely first step is a written warning. Fixing the cart within 15 days ends the matter at AED 0.

UAE e-commerce law checklist

Tick these off before launch and recheck them before every big sale.

Notes for marketplace sellers

• Noon and Amazon.ae handle checkout, invoices and the returns flow for you.
• You still own the listing: true specs, honest photos and a real "was" price.
• Expect strict enforcement, because the platform answers for what you list.
• Start with selling on noon UAE.

Notes for stores registered abroad

• The e-commerce law applies even when the consumer law doesn't.
• Ship DDP so no duty or fee surprises the shopper at the door.
• Your courier and payment gateway are covered too, so pick UAE-experienced partners.

Notes for social and WhatsApp sellers

• Instagram, TikTok and WhatsApp shops are in scope, so get a licence first.
• Post prices and delivery fees in the chat or catalogue before taking payment.
• Paid creator posts need a UAE advertiser permit. See the advertiser permit guide.