Dubai Municipality has announced a package of changes to villa construction regulations for Emirati citizens under an initiative called "Home First," aimed at offering more flexible housing options, reducing living costs and reinforcing family stability.
Under the new rules, the mandatory setback distance between a building and its plot boundary has been reduced to 1.5 metres on all sides. With a neighbour's agreement, this setback can be removed entirely along shared boundaries, though windows are still barred from facing directly onto adjoining properties.
Another significant change allows a second floor to cover the full footprint of the ground floor without additional restrictions, with only stairwell enclosures and lift shafts remaining as permitted exceptions. Perhaps the most notable shift permits Emirati homeowners to build a separate, second villa on the same plot for family use. The beneficiary must be at least 18 years old, and the villa is intended to house first-degree relatives or meet other family needs; it can have its own perimeter wall, entrance and utility meters, independent of the main residence.
The updated rules also allow family annexes to be built without standard setback requirements along neighbouring properties, subject to a maximum height of eight metres. Service annexes are capped at two storeys — ground and first floor — and cannot be constructed before the main villa itself is completed.
Dubai Municipality said the changes form part of a broader effort to meet the housing needs of Emirati families and support multiple generations living alongside each other, without forcing each family to bear the cost of a separate, standalone construction project.