MESSAGING IN UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
🇦🇪 WhatsApp messaging rules in United Arab Emirates.
The rules that matter when you send WhatsApp marketing, sales and service messages to people in United Arab Emirates, in plain English, checked 28 September 2026.
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Illustrative example. Names and details are made up.
The laws.
- Federal Decree-Law No. 45 of 2021 (PDPL)
- DIFC and ADGM data protection laws for businesses in those free zones
THE RULES
What they mean for WhatsApp.
| Rule | What it means for WhatsApp |
|---|---|
| Legal basis | Consent or another legal basis to process personal data. |
| Executive Regulations | Not yet issued as of September 2026. Compliance is due six months after they are. |
| Free zones | Businesses in DIFC or ADGM follow those regimes, which are similar to GDPR. |
| Telemarketing rules | UAE telemarketing rules mainly cover calls and SMS. Their application to WhatsApp is unclear, so get consent. |
RISK
Enforcement.
Penalties under the PDPL await a Cabinet decision.
META
Plus Meta’s rules, everywhere.
- Opt-in: people must agree to receive WhatsApp messages from your business, and the opt-in must name your business.
- Templates: messages you start outside a customer’s 24-hour window must use approved templates.
- Opt-outs: respect requests to stop, made on WhatsApp or anywhere else.
- A human: give people a way to reach a person.
- No sensitive data requests: never ask for full card numbers, bank account numbers or ID numbers in the chat.
IN THE PRODUCT
How ConvoHut helps.
HOW CONVOHUT HELPS
- A compliance review for each market before an automation or campaign goes live, covering consent, an unsubscribe option in the template and your sender details.
- Every contact has a consent status, visible in the inbox next to the conversation.
- Opt-outs stop journeys for that contact and exclude them from future marketing messages.
- Quiet hours by market, so messages aren’t sent in the middle of the night.
- A confirmation step before any campaign is sent, with the Meta cost shown first.
ConvoHut’s checks help you follow the rules. They don’t replace your own legal obligations, and you’re responsible for the consent you collect and the messages you send.
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