A salon, pharmacy, gym or food shop in Dubai needs more than a normal fit out, because each has official layout rules with hard numbers. A community pharmacy needs at least 30 m² and a 2.7 m ceiling. Salon hair chairs must stand 1 m apart. Gym corridors need 1.2 m. A supermarket needs at least 2,000 sq ft of food area. Design to these numbers before you pay for joinery, because a failed layout means rebuilding.
Most contractor pages on salon and pharmacy fit out in Dubai repeat the same general advice. This guide collects the numbers from the regulators’ own documents. Always check the latest version with the regulator, since guidelines are revised. For the general shop process, read how to fit out a shop in Dubai.
Salon and beauty centre rules
Dubai Municipality’s technical requirements (version 3, May 2024) set the layout for a no-objection permit. You need that permit for a new company or branch, an added activity, a new location, and also for a change to the furniture layout.
| Item | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Hair chairs | 1 m apart, and 0.5 m from the wall |
| Manicure and pedicure | Separated, with 0.5 m between chairs |
| Facial and waxing rooms | At least 6 m², fixed walls (no curtains or temporary partitions) and their own hand basin |
| Basins | Separate hair-wash and hand-wash basins, with 0.5 m of waterproofing around them |
| Corridors | At least 1.2 m |
| Men and women under one licence | Fully separate sections with separate external entrances and no common areas |
DM’s compliance guideline (version 5, March 2026) adds, as a preference, mechanical ventilation with at least 15 CFM of outdoor air per person, exhaust in higher-pollution zones such as nail care, and storage at least 20 cm off the floor and 50 cm below the ceiling. It also calls for a valid Civil Defence compliance certificate, and DHA approval for non-surgical cosmetic services.
What this means on site: draw your chairs first and let them set the count. A layout planned for ten hair stations can lose one or two once the 1 m rule and the corridors are drawn in. Exhaust for nail stations also needs ceiling depth, so plan it before the ceiling design is finished.
Spa fit out: what to add
Treatment rooms, wet areas and steam rooms bring extra waterproofing, ventilation and drainage on top of the salon rules. Protect wet-area walls with a proper tanking system and flood test before tiling, plan exhaust and fresh air room by room and keep noise out of treatment rooms. DM and DHA rules apply depending on the services you offer, and some cosmetic treatments need DHA approval, so settle the service list before the layout.
Pharmacy rules
For a community or retail pharmacy, the DHA pharmacy guidelines (2021) and its outpatient pharmacy checklist (effective January 2024) set these numbers:
| Item | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Minimum area | 30 m² |
| Ceiling height | At least 2.70 m |
| Location | Ground floor, unless inside a commercial centre or mall |
| Display board | Must match the name on the DHA and DED licence |
| Medicine storage | 15 to 25°C at room temperature, humidity no more than 60% |
| Vaccines | A separate 2 to 8°C refrigerator with backup power |
| Monitoring | Digital thermometers |
| Controlled drugs | Lockable steel cabinets |
| Hand basins | Elbow-action or automatic taps |
Trade name, location and any extension or annex need DHA’s prior approval. What this means on site: check the true ceiling height under bulkheads before signing a lease, because AC ducts can push a unit below 2.70 m. Plan a dedicated AC zone and spare power for the refrigerator and its backup.
Gym and fitness centre rules
From the same DM requirements and its fitness centre guideline (version 4, August 2024):
| Item | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Corridors | At least 1.2 m |
| Hand basin | Separate, with 0.5 m of waterproofing |
| Changing | A changing room with lockers |
| Floors | Shock-absorbing rubber under equipment, smooth and cleanable elsewhere |
| Occupancy | Follows the approved layout |
| Noise | Below 55 dB from 7am to 8pm and below 45 dB from 8pm to 7am, with the noise source stopped from 10pm to 6am in residential areas |
What this means on site: the noise numbers decide whether a gym works in a residential tower at all. Weights and classes transmit through the slab, so get acoustic and structural advice before you sign. Check the floor’s load limit, too. Sources also describe Dubai Sports Council approval as required, which we could not confirm from the council itself, so ask them directly.
Supermarket and food shop rules
DM’s Food Code requires Food Control approval of layouts for new construction or renovation, and prior approval of major changes to layout or process flow. Minor changes, such as shelves in a store room, do not need it.
| Item | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Floors | Durable, impervious, non-slip and coved |
| Walls in open-food areas | Smooth, non-absorbent and light-coloured to at least 2 m |
| Handwashing | A station in each preparation area |
| Lighting | 110 lux in stores and coolers, 220 lux where fresh produce is handled, higher for other tasks |
DM’s food establishment requirements (April 2020) list minimum food areas by activity: supermarket 2,000 sq ft, department store 5,000 sq ft, coffee shop 150 sq ft, roastery 300 sq ft and local sweets preparation 250 sq ft. That document is older, so confirm the current figure. If you cook on site, read restaurant fit out in Dubai for gas and extraction approvals.
Jewellery shops
We found no official public checklist, so we give no numbers. Jewellery security is generally handled by SIRA-certified companies for CCTV and alarms, with design approval before installation and inspection after. Confirm the rules with SIRA and your insurer before you draw showcases. Agree camera positions before the ceiling design, and check with the landlord that the slab can carry the safe and how it is anchored. Published landlord manuals treat safes as heavy equipment needing written approval.
Salon, pharmacy and gym fit out in Dubai: how the numbers change your budget
These rules rarely add much per square foot on their own. What costs money is finding them late: a moved wall after joinery is ordered, a ceiling rebuilt for exhaust, or a lost treatment room that changes your revenue plan. Check the regulator’s numbers before you sign a lease. Our shop fit out cost guide gives retail budget ranges per square foot, and a 3D design shows you the layout with real dimensions.
Order of work for a regulated shop
- Confirm the licence activity and which regulator applies.
- Check the unit against the numbers above: area, height, power and exhaust routes.
- Draw the dimensioned layout, and get the regulator’s and landlord’s approval.
- Choose a licensed contractor, and only then order joinery.
- Build, and keep photos of hidden work such as waterproofing.
- Pass the inspections, and get the licence or permit issued before opening.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum size for a pharmacy in Dubai?
DHA’s pharmacy guidelines set a minimum of 30 m² for a community or retail pharmacy, with a ceiling of at least 2.70 m, on the ground floor unless it is inside a commercial centre or mall.
How far apart must salon chairs be in Dubai?
Dubai Municipality’s requirements set hair chairs 1 m apart and 0.5 m from the wall, and manicure and pedicure chairs 0.5 m apart. Facial and waxing rooms need at least 6 m² and fixed walls.
Do I need approval to change my salon layout?
Yes. Dubai Municipality requires a no-objection permit for a change to the furniture layout, submitted on a one-page dimensioned plan, even when no building permit is involved.
What is the minimum size for a supermarket in Dubai?
DM’s food establishment requirements of April 2020 list 2,000 sq ft of food area for a supermarket. Grocery areas depend on the process. Check the current figure with DM Food Safety, since the document is several years old.
Can a salon serve men and women in Dubai?
Under Dubai Municipality’s requirements, a licence covering both needs fully separate sections with separate external entrances and no common areas. That usually rules out most small single-entrance units.
Checked in November 2026 against the versions named above. Regulators revise these documents, so confirm the latest version before you build.
Opening a salon, pharmacy, gym or food shop?
Send us the unit plan and your activity. We will check it against the regulator’s numbers before you sign, then design and build it under one quotation. See our commercial and retail fit out service or book a free site visit.
