DDA Circular 667 sets mandatory fire and life safety requirements for construction activities across Dubai Development Authority areas. Issued in 2026, it makes developers and main contractors responsible for planning, coordinating and documenting fire safety during the build — not just at handover. In DDA areas such as Dubai South, Dubai Silicon Oasis and Expo City, the construction phase now carries the same fire-safety scrutiny as the completed building. Here is what the circular requires and how to comply.
What Circular 667 covers
DDA publishes its circulars in the authority's legal database, and Circular 667 addresses fire and life safety during construction activities specifically. Where most fire-safety rules focus on the completed building — the approved fire and life safety drawings, the suppression systems and the certificate of completion — Circular 667 turns attention to the construction site itself: temporary fire protection, evacuation during the build, hot works, and the coordination that has to happen before critical works begin.
Who it applies to
The circular applies to anyone running construction activity in DDA jurisdiction. In practice that means:
- Developers delivering projects in DDA areas such as Dubai South, Dubai Silicon Oasis and Expo City.
- Main contractors managing the site through the build.
- Site supervision consultants who carry health, safety and environment responsibility on site.
- Specialist trades carrying out hot works or managing flammable materials.
Why construction-phase fire safety gets its own rules
A building permit covers the design; it does not automatically cover the riskiest phase of a project — the period when a structure is partly built, access is changing and temporary services are in use. That gap is why DDA issued a circular specific to construction activities. The requirement is straightforward: fire and life safety must be planned for the build, coordinated before critical works, and documented so the authority can verify it.
What the circular requires in practice
While every project differs, the requirements sit within a familiar fire and life safety framework. In DDA areas you should expect to address:
- A construction-phase fire safety plan agreed before critical works begin.
- Temporary fire protection — extinguishers, hose reels and, where required, temporary alarm systems — kept in working order through the build.
- Clear evacuation routes and assembly points for site workers.
- Safe storage and handling of flammable materials, with hot-work controls in place.
- Inspection and maintenance records kept on site and available to the authority.
How to comply on site
The compliance sequence follows the same shape as the wider approval process:
- Confirm your project is in DDA jurisdiction and review Circular 667 alongside the current circulars database.
- Prepare the construction-phase fire and life safety plan, covering temporary protection, evacuation and hot works.
- Coordinate with the authority before critical works begin and align the plan with the site supervision consultant.
- Implement the measures on site and keep inspection and maintenance records.
- Produce the records on request — during inspections or at completion.
The documents and records DDA expects
Keep the construction-phase records in a single site file so they can be produced quickly:
| Record | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Construction-phase fire safety plan | How temporary protection, evacuation and hot works are managed during the build |
| Site inspection / maintenance logs | Extinguishers, hose reels and temporary systems checked and serviced |
| Hot-work permits and records | Controlled hot works with fire watch in place |
| Evacuation and assembly point plans | Site-specific routes and points shown for workers |
| DCD coordination records | Alignment with the civil defense requirements for the project |
The exact checklist changes with the project and any updates DDA publishes, so confirm the current expectations against the circulars database before mobilising on site.
Indicative timelines and costs
Construction-phase fire safety sits inside the wider DDA approval. The figures below are indicative, drawn from the published processing patterns for DDA and DCD — confirm current numbers before budgeting:
| Item | Indicative figure | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| DDA technical / design review | 3–10 working days | Within the wider DDA approval |
| DCD fire and life safety plan review | 5–15 working days | For the building's FLS design |
| Fire and life safety plan review fee | AED 1,000–5,000 | DCD, tiered by building area and occupancy |
| DDA NOC coordination | 2–5 working days | Per authority NOC coordinated by DDA |
All figures are indicative and subject to change. Verify current fees and timelines against dda.gov.ae and dcd.gov.ae before committing to a programme.
How this fits your wider DDA approval
Construction-phase fire safety is one layer of a project's DDA approval. Before a build starts in DDA jurisdiction, the project needs the DDA building approval itself, and the permanent fire and life safety design is reviewed by Dubai Civil Defense. The DCD fire safety approval documents guide lists what that submission needs. Circular 667 adds the temporary, construction-phase layer on top — the same discipline, applied while the site is active.
What to do now
- Confirm whether your site sits in DDA jurisdiction and pull the latest circulars from the DDA legal database.
- Prepare the construction-phase fire and life safety plan before critical works begin.
- Coordinate the plan with the authority and your site supervision consultant up front.
- Keep temporary fire protection, evacuation routes and hot-work controls live through the build.
- Maintain the records on site so they can be produced at any inspection.
DDA Circular 667 brings the construction phase into the same fire and life safety discipline that governs the completed building. For developers and main contractors in DDA areas, the practical shift is modest: plan fire safety before critical works, coordinate it with the authority, and keep the records on site. Do that, and the construction phase clears the same bar DDA already applies to everything else.
Frequently asked questions
What is DDA Circular 667?
DDA Circular 667 sets fire and life safety requirements for construction activities in Dubai Development Authority areas. It requires developers and main contractors to plan and coordinate fire safety during the build — including temporary protection, evacuation and hot-work controls — before critical works begin.
Who does Circular 667 apply to?
It applies to developers, main contractors, site supervision consultants and specialist trades running construction activity in DDA jurisdiction — areas such as Dubai South, Dubai Silicon Oasis and Expo City.
When do I need to coordinate fire safety with the authority?
Before critical works begin. The construction-phase fire safety plan needs to be agreed and coordinated with the authority and the site supervision consultant up front, rather than after works have started.
What fire safety measures are expected on a construction site?
Temporary fire protection such as extinguishers, hose reels and temporary alarms where required, clear evacuation routes and assembly points, safe storage of flammable materials, hot-work controls, and inspection and maintenance records kept on site.
Does Circular 667 replace DCD fire safety approval?
No — it sits alongside it. DCD approval covers the building's permanent fire and life safety design, while Circular 667 addresses the temporary construction phase. Both apply to projects in DDA areas.
How do I prepare for a Circular 667 inspection?
Keep the construction-phase fire safety plan on site, maintain inspection and maintenance records, keep temporary fire protection in working order, and be ready to show the authority the records when requested.