DEWA Approval & NOC Dubai 2026: The Complete Guide
DEWA approval is required for any new electrical connection, load upgrade, new water meter, or fit-out affecting the building's power distribution — running as a parallel track alongside your DM, Trakhees, or DDA permit, not as an afterthought. This guide covers when DEWA approval is triggered, the load calculation and drawing requirements, real fees, and the Building NOC timeline.
Dar Al Naseeb Engineering Consultants
Licensed Engineering Consultants · Dubai, UAE · Est. 2012
When Is DEWA Approval Required?
- Any new electrical connection for a new building or unit
- Load upgrades — adding equipment, machinery, or systems that increase the connected electrical load beyond what's currently approved
- New water meter installation or water connection changes
- Fit-outs that modify the distribution board, add new circuits, or change the building's power distribution layout
- Solar installations connecting to the DEWA grid
A fit-out that only touches partitions and finishes without altering the electrical distribution board generally does not trigger a separate DEWA review — but any MEP scope beyond that should be assumed to require one until confirmed otherwise.
Who Can Apply — and What the Application Needs
DEWA applications must be submitted by a DEWA-registered contractor or consultant — not directly by the property owner in most cases. Required documentation typically includes:
- Landlord NOC and tenancy documents (Ejari)
- Company trade licence and consultant/contractor registration credentials
- Full MEP drawings — electrical, plumbing, and HVAC as applicable
- Load distribution schedule for all distribution boards, prepared by a licensed engineer
Once submitted, the application is issued a unique reference number and can be tracked through DEWA's e-Services portal.
Load Calculations — Where Most Applications Get Held Up
DEWA's technical review checks the submitted load schedule and AutoCAD drawings against its own strict technical standards — a load calculation that doesn't match the actual equipment and circuit schedule shown in the MEP drawings is a common cause of a stalled review. This matters especially for fit-outs adding heavy equipment (commercial kitchen equipment, gym equipment, server rooms, or industrial machinery), where the connected load can exceed what the existing distribution board and incoming supply were sized for — requiring a load upgrade application before the fit-out itself can be approved.
Fees and Timeline
- Villa electricity/water connection: AED 4,000 refundable security deposit plus AED 155 supply activation fee
- Building NOC eService: free of charge
- Fit-out power connection to shops and offices: free of cost
- Building NOC (Electricity/Water NOC for a building permit): typically issued within 7 working days for a complete application
The refundable deposit for villa connections is returned when the connection is closed or transferred, provided there are no outstanding charges.
Free Assessment
Get Your DEWA Load Calculation and NOC Handled in Parallel — Free Assessment
Dar Al Naseeb manages DEWA NOC applications and load calculations alongside your DM, Trakhees, and Civil Defense approvals, so DEWA never becomes the track that holds up an otherwise-ready project.