Non-Muslim houses of worship in the UAE can be fined up to Dh750,000 ($204,220) and have their activities suspended under regulations that list 24 breaches, including overseas affiliations and illegal donations.
The Cabinet decision, which took effect on October 15, does not add new restrictions for non-Muslim places of worship. Instead, it sets out the administrative penalties for breaching Federal Law No. 9 of 2023 and its 2024 implementing regulation.
The authorities can issue a warning or impose a fine or suspension for a breach without going to court, with penalties increasing for repeat offences or where a breach is not put right within the period allowed.
Before a penalty is imposed, the place of worship will be notified of the breach and given time to respond. A failure to respond will be treated as proof of breach.
The highest fines for places of worship are for those with links abroad and those involved in unauthorised fundraising. Establishing any formal or informal relationship, in any capacity, with the diplomatic or official institutions of any state can incur a penalty of Dh250,000 on the first occasion, increasing to Dh750,000 on the third.
Donations or grants received from outside the UAE, or the collection or advertising of donations through any medium, including social media, carries a penalty of Dh100,000 for the first offence, Dh250,000 for the second and Dh500,000 for the third.
A fine of Dh100,000 can be imposed for carrying out worship or rituals outside the premises, or for using a house of worship for any purpose other than those set out in its status.
Committing a fourth offence in most categories results in a suspension of all activities for up to three months, which can be renewed.
Any ritual that harms the person performing it or others, or threatens the safety of worshippers or employees, is dealt with more severely. Authorities can impose a Dh100,000 fine for a first offence, then suspend its activities if the rule is breached again.
Operating without renewing a licence will incur a warning for a first offence, with fines of Dh25,000 and Dh50,000 for repeat breaches. A worship place will be given 60 days to renew its licence.
Operating without the board appointing a supervisor results in a warning, then fines of Dh5,000 and Dh10,000. Venues have 30 days to make an appointment.
Failing to hold an annual meeting on time results in a warning, then fines of Dh15,000 and Dh30,000, with 30 days to rectify the breach. Amending statutes without the approval of authorities will result in a warning, then fines of Dh10,000 and Dh25,000, with 30 days to rectify the situation.
Changing the board's chairman or members without approval carries a penalty of Dh25,000 for the first offence, Dh50,000 for the second and Dh100,000 for the third. There is a 30-day period to rectify the situation.
The place of worship will be served a warning for changing its supervisor without approval, followed by fines of Dh5,000 and Dh10,000 for repeat offences.
A place of worship that collects or receives donations, gifts, subsidies, bequests, or grants from a person or entity outside the UAE is subject to a fine of Dh100,000 in the first instance, then Dh250,000 and Dh500,000 for subsequent breaches.
Sending aid, support, or funds outside the UAE without the approval of the authorities carries a penalty of Dh50,000, then Dh100,000, and then Dh250,000.
Operating without an account at a national bank in the UAE will result in a warning, then fines of Dh10,000 and Dh20,000. Houses of worship will have 10 days to open one.
Spending cash before depositing it in an approved bank account will result in a warning, then fines of Dh50,000 and Dh100,000. A fourth breach can lead to the suspension of its activities for up to three months, renewable. It has seven days to rectify the situation.
Failure to provide the authorities with bank details within 10 days of opening an account, or neglecting to inform the authorities of a change in banks, will result in a warning, then fines of Dh5,000 and Dh10,000, with 10 days to comply.
Failing to spend the money for the purposes for which the house of worship was established will incur a fine of Dh25,000, then Dh50,000 and Dh150,000.
Failure to submit annual budgets and financial statements within three months of the end of the financial year is to result in a warning, then fines of Dh10,000 and Dh25,000. Venues will have 15 days to submit them.
Failure to maintain records, books, programmes, and electronic systems covering all activities at a house of worship will result in a warning, then fines of Dh50,000 and Dh100,000. There is a 30-day period to come into compliance. Destroying records or books without the authority's approval carries a penalty of Dh25,000, then Dh50,000 and Dh100,000.
Failing to provide data and information requested by the authorities results in a penalty of Dh25,000, then Dh50,000 and Dh100,000, with 15 days to comply. Failure to co-operate with the authority's staff results in a fine of Dh50,000, then Dh100,000 and Dh250,000.
If a house of worship is used for purposes outside its statutes, it will incur a fine of Dh100,000, then Dh200,000 and Dh400,000, with 30 days to resolve the matter.
Any act of worship, religious observance or ritual performed outside the premises is subject to fines of Dh100,000, Dh200,000 and Dh400,000. Any conferences, seminars, gatherings, or events held without approval, or that go beyond the approved scope, will result in a warning and then fines of Dh15,000 and Dh30,000.
Penalties can be challenged within 15 days of notification. The authorities have 30 working days to rule on a challenge, and no response counts as a rejection.
The authority can uphold the penalty, replace it with a lighter one or cancel it. Its decision is final, although the house of worship may still go to court.
Fines must be paid within 30 days of the penalty decision becoming final. Fines imposed by a local authority are paid into the local government treasury; those imposed by the Ministry of Community Empowerment are collected under a mechanism set by the Ministry of Finance.
