The tutor permit
How to get the private tutor permit in the UAE, step by step
What you are applying for
One federal permit, free, for two years
To give private lessons in Dubai, Abu Dhabi or anywhere else in the UAE, you need a private tutor work permit from the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE). This page walks you through getting it.
MoHRE issues the permit together with the Ministry of Education. It costs nothing, it lasts two years, and you apply online with UAE Pass. It is a federal permit, issued the same way in every emirate, and MoHRE lists two working days to issue it once your documents are complete.
Teaching without it is the other side of the same rule: the official UAE Government portal says that people who offer private tutoring without a permit from MoHRE face fines and penalties under the applicable laws. It does not publish a single fine amount, so neither do we.
How to apply
Six steps, start to finish
- 01
Check that you are in one of the four groups
MoHRE accepts students (university students, and school students aged 15 to 18), people not currently working, employees in other sectors, and teachers at government or private schools. The next section lists what each group attaches.
- 02
Gather the documents every applicant needs
A certificate of good conduct, a medical fitness certificate, valid ID, and a photo on a white background. Applicants who are not UAE nationals also need a valid residence visa.
- 03
Add the document for your group
Students: proof of enrolment and a no-objection letter from a guardian. Not currently working: your latest qualification and, if you have one, an experience certificate. Employed elsewhere: a no-objection letter from your employer. School teachers: a no-objection letter from your school.
- 04
Log in with UAE Pass and submit
On the MoHRE website or app, sign in with UAE Pass, open the private tutor work permit service, and submit the application with your documents.
- 05
Approve the private tutoring charter
MoHRE asks every applicant to approve its private tutoring charter as part of the application.
- 06
Receive the permit
MoHRE lists two working days once the conditions and documents are complete. The permit costs nothing and lasts two years, and MoHRE lists full-time, part-time, temporary, flexible and remote work under it.
Who can apply
The four groups, and what each attaches
- 01
Students
University students, and school students aged 15 to 18. Students add proof that they are enrolled and a no-objection letter from their guardian.
- 02
People not currently working
With their latest qualification and, if they have one, an experience certificate.
- 03
Employees in other sectors
With a no-objection letter from their employer. MoHRE exempts holders of a part-time work permit from the employer’s approval.
- 04
Teachers at government or private schools
With a no-objection letter from their school.
Every applicant also needs a certificate of good conduct, a medical fitness certificate, valid ID, approval of the private tutoring charter and a photo on a white background. Applicants who are not UAE nationals need a valid residence visa.
For parents
Three things to check
- 01
Ask to see the permit
Before the first lesson, ask the tutor for their MoHRE permit and when it was issued. It lasts two years.
- 02
A teacher from your child’s school
A school teacher needs a no-objection letter from their school to get the permit. In Abu Dhabi, the ADEK code of ethics also stops a teacher tutoring a child enrolled at their own school.
- 03
A company that sends the tutor
If a company or platform arranges the lessons, ask whether every tutor it sends holds the permit, and ask to see it. At Durusi, no mentor begins teaching without one.
For tutors
Apply for the permit, then apply to us
No Durusi mentor begins teaching without the permit. University students are one of the groups MoHRE accepts, and it costs nothing. Durusi mentors are university students and graduates who teach the subjects they did best in.
Become a mentorFAQ
The tutor permit, answered
- 01
How do I apply for the tutor permit?
Sign in with UAE Pass on the MoHRE website or app, submit the private tutor work permit application with the documents for your group, and approve the private tutoring charter. MoHRE lists two working days once the documents are complete.
- 02
Is private tutoring legal in Dubai?
Yes, when the tutor holds a private tutor work permit from MoHRE. It is a federal permit, issued the same way in Abu Dhabi and every other emirate.
- 03
How much does the tutor permit cost?
Nothing. MoHRE lists the service with no fees.
- 04
How long does the tutor permit last?
Two years. MoHRE lists two working days to issue it once the documents are complete.
- 05
Can university students get the permit?
Yes. The students group at MoHRE covers university students, and school students aged 15 to 18.
- 06
Can a school teacher tutor privately?
Yes, with the permit and a no-objection letter from their school. In Abu Dhabi, the ADEK code of ethics also stops a teacher tutoring a child enrolled at their own school.
- 07
What happens if a tutor has no permit?
The official UAE Government portal says that people offering private tutoring without a permit from MoHRE face fines and penalties under the applicable laws. It does not give a single fine amount.
- 08
Do Durusi mentors hold the permit?
Yes. No Durusi mentor begins teaching without a private tutor work permit from MoHRE.
Sources: the MoHRE service page “Issuance of a New Work Permit - Private Tutor Licensing”, in English and Arabic, read on 11 September 2026; the Work permits page on u.ae, the official UAE Government portal; and, for Abu Dhabi schools, the ADEK code of ethics.
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