VPNInfobaseOn the sources we could read, the UAE law on VPNs turns on intent. Article 10 of Federal Decree-Law 34 of 2021 punishes anyone who circumvents an IP address, “through the use of an IP address of others or any other means”, with the intention of committing a crime or preventing its detection, with temporary imprisonment and/or a fine of AED 500,000 to AED 2,000,000. The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) said in 2018 that no regulation stops companies, institutions and banks using VPNs for internal networks. Two law firms add that licensing rules for voice and video calling services still apply. This is a summary of public documents, not legal advice.
What each source says
| Date | Source | Statement | Limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| In force 2 Jan 2022 | Federal Decree-Law 34 of 2021, Article 10 (English text) | “Whoever circumvents an IP Address through the use of an IP address of others or any other means with the intention of committing or to preventing detection of a crime shall be punished with temporary imprisonment and/ or a fine of not less than (AED 500,000) five hundred thousand dirhams or more than (AED 2,000,000) two million dirhams.” | Article 10 does not mention VPNs by name. We read the copy hosted by ADGM; the official portal blocked our reader, so check it there |
| 15 Sep 2018 | TRA, as quoted by Gulf News | “There are no regulations which prevent the use of VPN technology by companies, institutions and banks to access their internal networks”; the law targets “using a false IP address or a third-party address by any other means for the purpose of committing a crime or preventing its discovery” | Statement of 2018, made under the earlier cybercrime law (Federal Law 5 of 2012, per Hadef & Partners); we did not read the original TRA release. It speaks about business use |
| 18 Aug 2019 | Hadef & Partners (law firm) | “Using a VPN itself is not illegal” but becomes illegal when used “for the purpose of committing a crime or preventing discovery of a crime”; voice and video calling is a regulated activity open only to licensed operators (then Etisalat and du) | A firm’s reading in 2019; licensing may have changed |
| 6 Nov 2024 | Awatif Mohammad Shoqi Advocates (law firm) | VPNs “may not be fully illegal” but rules govern their use, and the government prohibits using a VPN to reach restricted content | A firm’s reading; it does not name an article for this |
What this page does not cover
- Individual cases. We read no court decision or enforcement record for personal VPN use, so the page makes no statement on how often or against whom the law is applied. The previous text saying enforcement has been “extremely rare” had no source and was removed.
- Why services are blocked. Earlier text gave a reason for the blocking of calling services without a source; it was removed. Which services are restricted is for the TRA and the licensed operators to state.
- Which VPNs work in the UAE. We have not tested any provider and found no primary source for reliability claims, so none are made. We do not give advice on getting around restrictions.
If you live in or visit the UAE
Ask a lawyer qualified in UAE law before relying on any reading of the rules, including this one, and read the Article 10 text yourself. For provider facts that do not depend on any country’s law, use the VPN audit tracker, who owns your VPN and VPN jurisdiction explained. One provider’s ownership and audit record is in the ExpressVPN review.
Method
Researched from the English text of Article 10 and from dated statements by the regulator (as reported by a newspaper) and two law firms, read on 2 October 2026. The UAE legislation portal blocked our reader. Laws change; reviewed every 90 days. This is a summary of public documents, not legal advice. NordVPN is the one provider we earn commission on (disclosure).