UAE Consumer Protection Law for Online Stores: Returns, Refunds, Arabic Invoices and Penalties Explained

UAE consumer protection for online sales comes from Federal Law No. 15 of 2020, as amended by Federal Decree Law No. 5 of 2023. For an online store the practical rules are: give consumers clear information in Arabic, issue an Arabic invoice, do not use unfair contract terms, and repair or replace defective goods free of charge. The penalty for failing to give clear information, for misleading prices, or for not remedying defects can reach two years in prison and AED 2 million. One thing we could not confirm from an official page is a fixed number of days a customer may return a non-defective item bought online. This page says what is confirmed and what is not.

Does UAE consumer protection law apply to your online store?

The UAE government portal says the law covers goods sold through e-commerce platforms registered in the UAE, and that it does not apply to e-commerce activities carried out between customers. So a UAE-licensed store selling to shoppers is in scope, while two private individuals reselling to each other are not.

The Ministry of Economy and Tourism's consumer page says the law is meant to balance the relationship between traders and consumers, including on smart commerce and online shopping platforms, and names Cabinet Resolution No. 66 of 2023 as the executive regulations. The wider rules for online trading are in the UAE e-commerce law explained. If you are not yet licensed, start with what license you need to sell online in the UAE.

What information must you give online shoppers?

According to the portal, businesses must give consumers and UAE authorities details about their licensing entity, plus Arabic information about products, specifications, contract terms, payment and warranty. In practice, put this where a shopper can find it before paying:

• trade name, license number and issuing authority;
• the product description and specifications, in Arabic as well as English;
• the total price, including VAT where applicable, with no hidden charges at checkout;
• delivery terms and payment methods;
• warranty terms;
• your return, exchange and refund policy.

We list this as good practice built on the portal's information duty; the portal does not publish an item-by-item checklist. For labels on the products themselves, see Arabic label requirements.

What must an invoice contain?

The portal says suppliers must give a dated invoice showing the trade name, address, type of goods or service, price and quantity, and that the executive regulation may require other data. It states: "The invoice must be in Arabic and the provider may add any other language".

Tax invoices for VAT have their own content rules. See tax invoice requirements for UAE e-commerce so one document meets both sets.

What rights do consumers have after delivery?

The portal lists these consumer rights:

• fair compensation for damage from defective goods or inadequate services;
• fair and prompt settlement of disputes;
• protection from contract terms that harm them. Terms that harm consumers are prohibited and void, as are clauses that exempt a supplier from its obligations under the law.

The penalty section lists a failure to repair or replace defective products free of charge among the offences. The practical result: if goods arrive defective, you cannot hide behind a "no returns" banner. Any clause that says otherwise is likely to be void.

How many days do customers have to return online purchases?

We do not state a number, because we could not verify one. The official pages we opened (the government portal and the ministry's consumer page) do not give a return window in days. Several law-firm and agency articles quote seven days for online purchases, and others quote refund deadlines, but they disagree, none gave us an article number, and we could not open the executive regulation text.

What to do instead:

1. Set your own return window and print it in Arabic and English on the product page, the checkout and the invoice.
2. Treat your published window as a promise you will be held to.
3. Treat defective goods separately: the portal names repair or replacement free of charge as the duty, so offer that as a minimum; a refund on top is your choice.
4. Ask the Ministry of Economy and Tourism (800 1222) or a UAE lawyer which statutory period applies to your products, and keep the answer in writing.
5. If you also sell on marketplaces, follow their return rules too. See e-commerce returns in the UAE.

What are the penalties?

The portal states that suppliers who fail to provide clear information and labelling, advertise misleading prices or false data, or fail to repair or replace defective products free of charge face imprisonment of up to two years and a fine not exceeding AED 2 million. These are the maximums. The portal does not publish a fine table for each breach, so we cannot tell you what a specific failure costs.

How should you handle refunds on cash on delivery and BNPL orders?

The law does not change because of the payment method, but the mechanics do:

• Cash on delivery. You refund by bank transfer or store credit, so collect the customer's bank details early. See cash on delivery for UAE sellers.
• Tabby. Cancel a payment before fulfilment by closing it, which means Tabby does not release funds and the down payment is returned. After capture, refund through the API; Tabby's API reference says a refund can be full or partial and by default reflects instantly. Details are in the Tabby merchant guide.
• Cards on Shopify. Refund through the same Shopify admin, so the customer is credited to the original method.

How do customers complain, and how do you respond?

The ministry's consumer line is 800 1222. The portal also lists the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism's complaint portal for Dubai businesses. Settle disputes promptly and keep records: order confirmation, invoice, delivery proof, chat messages and photos of the returned item. A written, fair policy and prompt replies are your best protection.

What goes wrong for online sellers?

• English-only invoices.
• "No refund, no exchange" banners.
• Prices shown without fees that appear at checkout.
• Product pages with no licensing entity details.
• Policies that differ between the website, invoice and marketplace.
• Using customer data for marketing without permission; the ministry's page says consumer data may not be used for promotion or marketing, and see UAE data protection for online stores.

FAQ

Is there a 14-day or 7-day return right for online shopping in the UAE? We could not confirm either from an official page. Blogs disagree, and neither the government portal nor the ministry page we opened gives a fixed number of days. Print your own return window and ask the Ministry of Economy and Tourism (800 1222) which statutory period applies to your goods.

Does my invoice have to be in Arabic? Yes. The UAE government portal says the invoice must be in Arabic and that the provider may add any other language. It must show the trade name, address, type of goods or service, price and quantity.

Can I refuse returns of defective products? No. Failing to repair or replace defective products free of charge is listed among the offences, and clauses exempting a supplier from its obligations under the law are void. Offer a free repair or replacement for defects.

What is the penalty for breaking UAE consumer protection rules? For failing to provide clear information and labelling, advertising misleading prices or false data, or failing to repair or replace defective products free of charge, the portal states up to two years in prison and a fine not exceeding AED 2 million.

Does the law apply if my company is outside the UAE? The portal says it covers goods sold through e-commerce platforms registered in the UAE. A business registered outside the UAE falls outside that wording, but you should check your own situation with the ministry or a lawyer, and marketplace rules still apply.

Where do customers complain? The Ministry of Economy and Tourism runs a consumer line on 800 1222, and Dubai customers can also use the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism's complaint portal. Keep a written record of every complaint and your reply.

What is the executive regulation of the consumer protection law? The ministry names Cabinet Resolution No. 66 of 2023 as the executive regulations for Federal Law No. 15 of 2020. It is the document to check for detailed rules on returns and refunds.

What to do next

Write one return and refund policy in Arabic and English, put it on every product page, and reuse it on your invoices. If you also sell on Amazon.ae and noon, Blooprint can manage your noon account management and Amazon.ae account management, keeping marketplace and store policies consistent. Confirm legal points with the ministry or a lawyer.