Wosool is Dubai Municipality’s accessibility programme for buildings. New buildings carry the Wosool seal on their building permit and completion certificate. Existing buildings can request a free Wosool building evaluation and, if they pass, receive a certificate at one of two levels: Accessible Building (75% and above) or Accessible UNI (90% and above).
This guide is for building owners, facility managers and operators of malls, schools, nurseries, hotels, clinics and government buildings in Dubai. It explains what Wosool is, how the seal differs from the building evaluation, what Dubai Municipality checks, how the score works, and how to apply, step by step.
Checked against Dubai Municipality sources on 22 October 2026.
Wosool at a glance
Wosool is run by Dubai Municipality, scored against the Dubai Building Code’s accessibility part, and free to request for existing buildings.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What is Wosool? | Dubai Municipality's accessibility seal and building evaluation programme |
| Who runs it? | Dubai Municipality, through engineers from the Building Permits Department |
| Two routes | Wosool seal for new buildings; Wosool building evaluation for existing buildings |
| Official service name | Certificate of Compliance with Accessibility Regulations for Existing Buildings |
| Standard used | Dubai Building Code, Part C: Accessibility |
| Certificate levels | Accessible Building (75% and above), Accessible UNI (90% and above, plus assistive technology) |
| Fee | Free |
| Service time | 7 working days for the initial report, 7 working days for the final report and certificate |
| Documents | None listed by Dubai Municipality |
| Where to apply | Dubai Municipality website or Build in Dubai, with UAE Pass |
| Where it applies | Dubai only. Abu Dhabi uses the Sahel rating |
Source: Dubai Municipality service card and Wosool service page.
What is Wosool?
Wosool is Dubai Municipality’s programme for assessing buildings against universal design and accessibility requirements and certifying the ones that meet them. A team of Dubai Municipality engineers visits a building, evaluates it, writes a report on how well it complies, and issues a certificate based on the score it achieves (Dubai Municipality).
What does Wosool mean?
Wosool (وصول) is the Arabic word for access or arrival. The programme takes its name from the goal of letting everyone reach, enter and use a building independently, including People of Determination, older adults and families with young children.
Where did Wosool come from?
Wosool was introduced alongside the Dubai Universal Design Code, one of the outcomes of the “My Community… A City for Everyone” initiative launched by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum to make Dubai a friendly city for People of Determination (Majid Al Futtaim). The universal design code was published in 2017. In 2021 its building requirements moved into Part C of the Dubai Building Code, which is the standard Wosool uses today (Dubai Building Code objectives).
Wosool in numbers
Wosool certification is still rare in Dubai, which means most existing buildings have not yet been through it.
- 152 facilities held the Wosool certificate as of 14 October 2026 (Emarat Al Youm, via WAM).
- 130 existing buildings had been retrofitted and certified as of October 2025 (Gulf News).
- 726 entities have sent representatives to Dubai Municipality training on inclusive building requirements (Emarat Al Youm).
- 16,000+ facilities with accessibility features appear on Dubai Municipality’s Dubai Accessible map (Gulf News).
Wosool seal vs Wosool building evaluation
Wosool means two different things depending on whether a building is new or already standing. New buildings get the Wosool seal through the permit process. Existing buildings go through the Wosool building evaluation to earn a certificate. Most confusion about Wosool comes from mixing the two up.
What is the Wosool seal?
The Wosool seal is a mark Dubai Municipality adds to building permits and building completion certificates to confirm that a new building meets the accessibility standards for People of Determination. Dubai Municipality announced it in October 2023 and made it a prerequisite for approval: the municipality audits the building before it issues the completion certificate and approves occupancy (Dubai Media Office).
The conditions Dubai Municipality named for the seal include accessible doors, suitable ramps at entrances and exits, accessible toilets and rooms for People of Determination, and designated parking. The consultant and contractor handle the Wosool seal as part of the building permit. The owner does not apply for it separately.
What is the Wosool building evaluation?
The Wosool building evaluation is Dubai Municipality’s free service for assessing buildings that are already built. Its official name is the Certificate of Compliance with Accessibility Regulations for Existing Buildings. Engineers visit the building, assess it against the universal design requirements in the Dubai Building Code, write a detailed report, and issue a certificate if the building reaches the required score (Dubai Municipality service card).
The evaluation has two stages: an initial assessment, which is optional, and a final assessment, which is required to get the certificate.
Wosool seal and Wosool evaluation compared
| Wosool seal | Wosool building evaluation | |
|---|---|---|
| For | New buildings | Existing buildings |
| When | Permit and completion stage | Any time after the building is complete |
| Who acts | Consultant and contractor | Owner or owner's representative |
| What you get | Seal on the permit and completion certificate | Report, then a certificate if approved |
| Cost | Part of the permit process | Free |
| Is it required? | Yes, to get the completion certificate | Not stated as compulsory; accessibility itself is a legal duty |
Is Wosool mandatory?
Wosool is mandatory for new buildings in Dubai, because the Wosool seal is a condition of the completion certificate. For existing buildings, Dubai Municipality does not state that the Wosool certificate itself is compulsory. Accessibility, however, is a legal duty: under Dubai’s 2022 disability rights bylaw, owners of existing buildings must maintain accessibility levels, and authorities must take action against owners who do not.
You may read elsewhere that Wosool is mandatory for every building in Dubai. I have not found a Dubai Municipality source that says so for existing buildings, so I would not plan around that claim either way.
Wosool requirements by building scenario
| Your situation | What applies | What it means in practice |
|---|---|---|
| New building in a Dubai Municipality area | Wosool seal on the permit and completion certificate | Required. No seal, no completion certificate |
| Existing building open to the public | Owners must maintain accessibility under the 2022 bylaw | A legal duty. The Wosool certificate is how Dubai Municipality recognises compliance |
| Existing building being altered or extended | Altered parts and additions are expected to meet current requirements | Use any fit-out or modification to close accessibility gaps |
| Change of use, for example office to clinic | A new use usually comes with a new permit | Check accessibility before applying for the permit. Confirm with Dubai Municipality |
| Heritage or historic building | The 2017 universal design code relaxed requirements that clash with preservation rules | A partial exemption, not a pass. Add as many accessible features as the building allows |
| Private villa | Not a public building | Optional. Useful for families adapting a home for an older parent or a wheelchair user |
| Tenant inside a mall or tower | A venue inside a larger building can be certified, as VOX Cinemas at Mall of the Emirates was | Coordinate with the landlord on shared parking, entrances, lifts and toilets. Confirm with Dubai Municipality |
What the law says about accessibility in Dubai
Dubai Law No. 3 of 2022 defines accessibility as making buildings, roads, transport and places open to the public usable by persons with disabilities, and requires entities to follow inclusive design standards (Law No. 3 of 2022). Violations carry fines of up to AED 100,000, which double for a repeat within a year, and an activity can be suspended for up to six months.
The law’s implementing bylaw makes the Dubai Building Code’s accessibility standards the sole reference for adapting places. It gives Dubai Municipality the job of supervising both new and existing buildings (Executive Council Resolution No. 1 of 2022).
Who can apply for a Wosool building evaluation?
Dubai Municipality lists three groups that can apply for a Wosool building evaluation: schools and nurseries, shopping centres, and government and semi-government bodies and institutions (service card). The building must already exist and must be in Dubai.
Can other buildings apply?
Other buildings may be able to apply, but you should check with Dubai Municipality first. A Dubai Municipality engineer on the Wosool team said in October 2026 that the team visits government buildings, private buildings and residential villas (Al Bayan). Hotels, clinics, offices, cinemas and restaurants are not on the published list, yet VOX Cinemas at Mall of the Emirates received the certificate in July 2026. If your building type is not listed, ask Dubai Municipality before you apply.
Owner, landlord or tenant: who applies?
The building owner’s representative must attend the Wosool site visit, so the owner, or someone acting for the owner, should lead the application. Tenants, such as a clinic in a tower or a store in a mall, should agree the application with the landlord. Shared areas often decide the result, including parking, the main entrance, lifts, corridors and common toilets.
Which buildings cannot apply?
- Buildings still under construction. They follow the Wosool seal route through the permit instead.
- Buildings outside Dubai. In Abu Dhabi, the equivalent is the Sahel accessibility rating.
Where does Wosool apply?
Wosool is a Dubai Municipality service, and Dubai Municipality states that it applies only in the emirate of Dubai. The accessibility rules behind it reach further. Since 2021, the Dubai Building Code has applied across the whole emirate, including special development zones and free zones such as DIFC, for building designs licensed after it took effect (Decree No. 45 of 2021).
| Where your building is | Accessibility rules | Who to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Areas regulated by Dubai Municipality | Dubai Building Code, Part C | Dubai Municipality (Wosool seal and evaluation) |
| Dubai free zones and special development zones | Dubai Building Code for new designs; some zones add their own codes, such as DDA's accessibility code for its clusters | Your zone authority, then Dubai Municipality about Wosool |
| Abu Dhabi | Sahel rating system | Department of Municipalities and Transport |
| Other emirates | Each emirate's own building code | The local municipality |
What rules does Wosool use?
Wosool scores buildings against Part C of the Dubai Building Code, which holds Dubai’s accessibility requirements for buildings. Behind it sit the 2017 Dubai Universal Design Code, Dubai’s 2022 disability rights law, and the UAE’s federal framework.
Dubai Building Code, Part C: Accessibility
Part C is the standard Dubai Municipality uses for the Wosool building evaluation; the service itself is titled “Building Evaluation Based on Dubai Building Code: Accessibility Part C”. When the Dubai Building Code was issued in 2021, Part C took over the universal design code’s building requirements and replaced those parts of it (Dubai Building Code objectives).
The Dubai Universal Design Code (2017)
The Dubai Universal Design Code is where Wosool started. It covered buildings, public spaces, transport and wayfinding, and it set out how existing buildings should be brought up to standard. Owners were to have their buildings assessed, alterations had to meet the code, and no alteration could reduce accessibility (Dubai Universal Design Code, section 3.2). Its building rules now live in Part C.
Dubai Law No. 3 of 2022 and its bylaw
Dubai Law No. 3 of 2022 on the rights of persons with disabilities makes accessibility a legal duty in Dubai. Its implementing bylaw names the Dubai Building Code’s accessible environment standards as the sole reference for adapting places. It puts Dubai Municipality in charge of setting inclusive design requirements and supervising both new and existing buildings.
Federal Law No. 29 of 2006
Federal Law No. 29 of 2006 sets the UAE-wide rights of People of Determination, including access to public places. Dubai’s law and building code set out how those rights apply to buildings in Dubai.
Dubai Municipality’s universal design guide (December 2025)
Dubai Municipality published the Dubai Guide for Built Environment Universal Design in December 2025 and links it from the Wosool page as its current accessibility guidance (Dubai Municipality).
Key standards checked in a Wosool evaluation
In a Wosool evaluation, Dubai Municipality engineers walk a building the way a visitor would. They check every area from the car park to the toilets against Part C of the Dubai Building Code. A Dubai Municipality engineer lists the categories as entrances, pathways, internal and external areas, accessible toilets, furniture, internal corridors, elevators, ramps and stairs (Gulf News). Here is what each area covers.
1. Arrival and accessible parking
Wosool checks that accessible parking bays are marked, sized correctly and placed close to an accessible entrance, and that there is a safe drop-off point. Bays far from the lift lobby or entrance work against the building even when they are the right size.
2. External routes and pathways
The route from parking and drop-off to the entrance must be continuous and step-free, with a firm, slip-resistant surface and dropped kerbs where it crosses traffic. In Dubai, shade and resting points matter more on long outdoor routes than in cooler climates.
3. Entrances and doors
Wosool checks that the main entrance is step-free, that doors are wide enough and light enough to open, and that thresholds are level. Automatic doors are now expected at public buildings under the Dubai Building Code. A single step at the main entrance blocks a wheelchair user before they reach anything else in the building.
4. Ramps, stairs and handrails
Every change in level on a public route needs a ramp or a lift. Ramps are checked for gradient, landings and handrails. Stairs are checked for consistent steps, contrasting nosings, handrails on both sides and warning surfaces at the top. See our guides to ramp slope and accessible stairs.
5. Lifts and platform lifts
A lift should reach every public floor, with controls at a reachable height and both audible and visual signals. Where an existing building has no room for a passenger lift, a wheelchair platform lift or stair lift is often the practical fix.
6. Accessible toilets
Wosool looks at how many accessible toilets there are and where they are, the turning space inside, grab bar positions, and whether an emergency alarm works and reaches someone who can respond. Accessible toilets were among the features Dubai Municipality named when it introduced the Wosool seal. Our handicap toilet guide covers the layout.
7. Internal corridors, reception and furniture
Corridors need clear width and turning space. Reception counters need a lowered section, and seating, queue barriers, kiosks and controls must be reachable from a wheelchair.
8. Signage, wayfinding and tactile guidance
Signage must be high-contrast and placed at readable heights, with Braille on key signs. Tactile walking surface indicators are needed at stairs and hazards, and hearing support at service counters. VOX Cinemas listed wayfinding among the upgrades behind its Wosool certificate (Majid Al Futtaim).
9. Emergency and evacuation
Fire alarms should have visual signals as well as sound. There should be a plan, and where needed equipment such as an evacuation chair, to get wheelchair users out safely.
10. Use-specific areas
Wosool also checks the features specific to a building’s use: wheelchair spaces in cinemas and auditoriums, accessible hotel rooms, pool access, prayer and ablution areas, changing rooms and play areas. VOX Cinemas, for example, added dedicated counter and auditorium spaces.
11. Assistive technology (for Accessible UNI)
Assistive technology is the extra requirement for the top Wosool level, Accessible UNI. Examples include hearing loops, Braille information, tactile maps and sign-language video services, the kind of features DEWA describes at its gold-rated buildings (DEWA).
12. Management and upkeep
A platform lift that is out of service on the day of the visit does not help a wheelchair user, or the score. Maintenance and staff awareness are part of being accessible, not an afterthought.
To check your building item by item, use our Wosool readiness checklist (coming soon).
Wosool certifications and scores
Wosool has two certificate levels. Accessible Building is awarded to an existing building that scores 75% or above. Accessible UNI is awarded at 90% or above, together with additional criteria, which Dubai Municipality lists as providing assistive technology (Dubai Municipality).
Wosool certificate levels
| Level | Minimum score | Extra condition | Often called | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accessible Building | 75% | Meets Wosool requirements | Silver | Most certified buildings |
| Accessible UNI | 90% | Assistive technology | Gold | DEWA, Dubai Police headquarters |
Dubai Municipality engineers use silver and gold informally for the two levels (Gulf News). DEWA describes its award as the Golden Certificate “Accessible UNI”, covering 10 DEWA buildings and facilities evaluated so far (DEWA). There is no Bronze level.
How is the Wosool score calculated?
The Wosool score is the share of Dubai Municipality’s checklist criteria that a building meets. Mandatory requirements make up 24% of the total and are highlighted in the evaluation report (service card). In practice, that makes mandatory items the first thing to fix, because they carry weight in the score and DM flags them separately.
Why most buildings get silver, not gold
Most Wosool-certified buildings hold the Accessible Building level because Accessible UNI needs smart assistive technology on top of a 90% score. A Dubai Municipality engineer put it plainly: “Most of them are silver, because for the gold, we need smart assistive technologies” (Gulf News). DEWA’s buildings show what that looks like: hearing loops, Braille booklets, tactile maps at entrances and a sign-language video service.
What does your Wosool score mean?
| Your result | What it means | What to do next |
|---|---|---|
| Below 75% | No certificate | Fix the mandatory items first, then the lowest-scoring areas, and request the final assessment again |
| 75% or above, with a mandatory item flagged | Ask Dubai Municipality how it affects the result | Treat every mandatory item as must-fix |
| 75% to 89% | Accessible Building | Plan assistive technology if you want Accessible UNI |
| 90% or above, no assistive technology | Score alone does not reach Accessible UNI | Add assistive technology |
| 90% or above, with assistive technology | Accessible UNI | Keep features working and staff trained |
Does the Wosool certificate expire?
Dubai Municipality does not publish a validity period or renewal process for the Wosool certificate. Ask when you apply rather than assuming it lasts forever. For comparison, Abu Dhabi’s Sahel certificate is valid for five years.
The Wosool evaluation process
The Wosool evaluation process has two Dubai Municipality site visits: an optional initial assessment that shows where the gaps are, and a required final assessment that decides the certificate. Between them, the owner fixes the gaps. Each assessment comes back with a report within 7 working days.
- Self-check (optional). Walk the building against the areas above before involving Dubai Municipality.
- Initial assessment (optional). Dubai Municipality engineers visit and send an initial report within 7 working days. Dubai Municipality’s own FAQ confirms the initial assessment is not mandatory (service card).
- Report and gap list. The report shows where the building falls short and highlights the mandatory items. A Dubai Municipality engineer describes handing owners a checklist with the report so they can see their gaps and close them (Gulf News).
- Remediation works. The owner fixes the gaps. Works that need approval, such as new ramps, lifts or rebuilt toilets, go through Dubai Municipality’s normal permit route first.
- Final assessment (required). A second visit. If the building passes, the final report and certificate follow within 7 working days.
- Certificate by email. The certificate arrives at the registered email address. From then on, the job is keeping every feature working.
Who carries out the Wosool assessment?
Engineers from Dubai Municipality’s Building Permits Department carry out Wosool assessments. Dubai Municipality also includes employees who are People of Determination in its field assessments, so features are judged by people who use them as well as by engineers (Al Bayan).
How to prepare for the Wosool site visit
- Make sure the owner’s representative is present. Dubai Municipality requires it.
- Give access to every public area, including parking, toilets, lifts, back-of-house routes used by visitors, and outdoor areas.
- Have staff on hand who can operate lifts, platform lifts and automatic doors.
- Test every accessible feature beforehand: alarms, lifts, door openers, hearing loops.
- Keep as-built drawings available. Dubai Municipality does not list them as a requirement, but they help answer questions on the spot.
Should you skip the initial assessment?
Skip the initial assessment if an independent audit has already found your gaps and you have fixed them. Use it if you do not know where your building stands. It is free, and it shows you Dubai Municipality’s own view before the final visit. Either way, only the final assessment leads to a certificate.
How to apply for a Wosool building evaluation request in Dubai
You apply for a Wosool building evaluation online, through the Dubai Municipality website or Build in Dubai, by logging in with UAE Pass and requesting either an initial or a final assessment. The service is free and Dubai Municipality lists no documents to upload (service card).
Before you apply
- The building must be complete and in Dubai.
- The building permit procedures must be finished.
- Someone must be available to represent the owner at the site visit.
- Decide whether you want an initial assessment first or are ready for the final one.
Step by step
- Go to the Dubai Municipality website or Build in Dubai and log in with your username and password or UAE Pass.
- Open the service “Certificate of Compliance with Accessibility Regulations for Existing Buildings”.
- Enter the applicant’s details and the building’s details, and choose initial or final assessment.
- Wait for Dubai Municipality’s reply: approved, rejected, or to be amended.
- Receive the site visit date by SMS.
- Building Permits Department engineers inspect the building.
- Receive the report within 7 working days. If the final assessment passes, the certificate arrives by registered email.
Wosool fees, documents and timing
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Fee | Free |
| Documents | None listed by Dubai Municipality |
| Initial assessment | 7 working days from application to initial report |
| Final assessment | 7 working days from application to final report and certificate |
| Channels | Dubai Municipality website, Build in Dubai |
Dubai Municipality’s terms and conditions
- The service applies only in the emirate of Dubai.
- The building owner’s representative must attend the site visit.
- The building must already exist.
- An accessible building must score 75% or above.
- The final assessment is mandatory to get the certificate.
- Mandatory requirements make up 24% of the total and are highlighted in the report.
Why a Wosool application can be sent back
Dubai Municipality can reject an application or ask for it to be amended. Typical causes are a building that is not yet complete, permit procedures still open, a building outside Dubai, incorrect building details, or nobody available to attend the visit. Check these before you submit.
What happens after the Wosool visit?
After a Wosool visit, a building either earns a certificate, or gets a report listing what it must fix before the final assessment. A low score is not a penalty from the Wosool service. It is a gap list you can work through and resubmit.
| Outcome | What it means | Next step |
|---|---|---|
| Application rejected | The building or request did not meet a basic condition | Check the building is complete, in Dubai and through permit procedures, then reapply |
| Application to be amended | Details are missing or wrong | Correct them and resubmit |
| Initial report shows gaps | You know what to fix | Fix mandatory items first, then the rest, then request the final assessment |
| Gaps need building works | Some fixes need approval | Get the right permit, complete the works, then request the final assessment |
| Space rules out a lift or long ramp | Common in older buildings | Platform lifts, stair lifts or compact ramp systems may close the gap. Check the approach with Dubai Municipality before buying |
| Final assessment below 75% | No certificate this time | Close the remaining gaps and request the final assessment again |
| Final assessment passes | Accessible Building or Accessible UNI | Keep features maintained and staff trained |
Wosool vs Sahel: Dubai and Abu Dhabi compared
Wosool is Dubai’s accessibility programme. Sahel is Abu Dhabi’s. A building in Abu Dhabi cannot get Wosool, and a building in Dubai does not need Sahel. Owners with buildings in both emirates deal with two different systems.
| Wosool (Dubai) | Sahel (Abu Dhabi) | |
|---|---|---|
| Run by | Dubai Municipality | Department of Municipalities and Transport |
| Standard | Dubai Building Code, Part C | Sahel handbooks, including ADG 41/2024 |
| Levels | Accessible Building, Accessible UNI | Accessible, Adaptable, Inclusive, Exemplar |
| New buildings | Wosool seal on the completion certificate | Sahel rating needed for the building permit |
| Existing buildings | Free evaluation and certificate available now | Planned, no date published |
| Certificate validity | Not published | 5 years |
Full details are in our guide to the Sahel accessibility rating in Abu Dhabi.
Is Wosool worth it for an existing building?
For most public-facing buildings in Dubai, the Wosool evaluation is worth doing because it is free, it gives you Dubai Municipality’s own list of gaps, and it turns a legal duty into a certificate you can show.
- It costs nothing to be assessed: The only costs are the works you choose to carry out.
- You get Dubai Municipality’s view, not a guess: The report tells you exactly what counts and what is mandatory.
- It is evidence. A certificate from Dubai Municipality shows tenants, clients, regulators and visitors that the building has been checked.
- Visitors can plan: People of Determination, older visitors and families with prams can rely on a certified building rather than call ahead to ask.
The honest trade-off: certification takes time from your team and usually some building works, and Dubai Municipality does not state that existing buildings must hold the certificate. If your building is far below 75%, use the initial assessment to get the gap list, and request the final assessment only once the mandatory items are fixed.
How Flex Access helps you prepare for Wosool
Dubai Municipality evaluates buildings and issues the Wosool certificate. Flex Access prepares buildings for that evaluation: we find the gaps, fix them, and keep the fixes working. We do not issue, guarantee or speed up the certificate, and anyone who claims they can should make you cautious.
Already had your initial assessment, or just starting with Wosool?
Businesses usually come to Flex Access at one of two points in the Wosool process.
You already have Dubai Municipality’s initial assessment report. Send it to us. We go through every gap it lists, starting with the mandatory items. We confirm what each one needs on site, then supply and install the solutions so your building is ready for the final assessment.
You are exploring Wosool and do not know where your building stands. We start with a consultation and a walk-through of your building against Part C of the Dubai Building Code. You get a clear picture of the gaps before you apply, whether or not you choose to request Dubai Municipality’s initial assessment.
In both cases, one team covers the requirements a Wosool evaluation looks at:
- Step-free main entrances and automatic doors
- Ramps and handrails
- Properly built stairs with handrails and warning surfaces
- Wheelchair platform lifts, wheelchair elevators and stair lifts
- Accessible bathrooms, grab bars and disabled toilet alarms
- Tactile guidance, Braille and high-contrast signage
- Accessible parking, evacuation chairs, pool access and more
You deal with one supplier from the first report to the final assessment, instead of coordinating several contractors.
A Wosool readiness audit before Dubai Municipality visits
We walk your building the way Dubai Municipality engineers walk it, area by area against Part C of the Dubai Building Code, and give you a prioritised written report with the mandatory items at the top. You go into the evaluation knowing where you stand.
Fixing the gaps
Flex Access supplies and installs the solutions behind most Wosool areas, so one team takes you from the gap list to a building ready for the final assessment.
| Wosool area | Flex Access solutions |
|---|---|
| Level changes, ramps and lifts | Wheelchair platform lifts, stair lifts, custom ramp kits, portable ramps |
| Stairs | Handrails, warning surfaces |
| Wayfinding | Tactile supply and installation, Braille and high-contrast signage |
| Accessible toilets | Accessible bathroom design and installation, disabled toilet alarms |
| Entrances and parking | Automatic pedestrian doors and parking solutions |
| Emergency | Evacuation chairs |
| Pools and play areas | Pool lifts and hoists, inclusive playground equipment |
After the certificate
A certificate means little if the platform lift breaks down the week after. Our repair and maintenance service keeps accessibility equipment working.
Flex Access has worked with teams at RTA, Emirates, Rixos and Hilton, and installed the wheelchair platform lift at VOX Cinemas Yas Mall in Abu Dhabi.
Planning for Wosool? Book a free assessment or message us on WhatsApp, and we will tell you what stands between your building and the certificate.
Frequently asked questions about Wosool
Is Wosool mandatory?
Wosool is mandatory for new buildings through the completion certificate. For existing buildings, Dubai Municipality does not state that the certificate is compulsory, but owners must maintain accessibility under Dubai’s 2022 disability rights law and its bylaw.
How much does a Wosool building evaluation cost?
The Wosool building evaluation is free. Dubai Municipality charges no fee for the initial or final assessment. Any building works needed to close gaps are paid by the owner.
How long does a Wosool evaluation take?
Dubai Municipality aims to issue the initial report within 7 working days of the application, and the final report and certificate within 7 working days of the final assessment application. The time between the two depends on how many gaps the building has to fix.
What score does a building need for Wosool?
A building needs 75% or above for the Accessible Building certificate, and 90% or above plus assistive technology for the Accessible UNI certificate.
What is the difference between Accessible Building and Accessible UNI?
Accessible Building is the first Wosool level, awarded at 75% and above and informally called silver. Accessible UNI is the top level, awarded at 90% and above with assistive technology such as hearing loops or Braille information, and informally called gold.
Is the Wosool initial assessment required?
No. Dubai Municipality confirms the initial assessment is optional. The final assessment is required to receive the certificate.
What documents are needed to apply for Wosool?
Dubai Municipality lists no required documents. You apply online with UAE Pass and enter the applicant’s and the building’s details.
Can a tenant apply for Wosool, or only the owner?
Dubai Municipality requires the building owner’s representative to attend the site visit, so the owner or someone acting for them should lead. A tenant, such as a clinic or a shop in a mall, should coordinate with the landlord and confirm the approach with Dubai Municipality.
Can a villa get a Wosool certificate?
Possibly. Villas are not on Dubai Municipality’s published list of applicants, but a Wosool team engineer said in October 2026 that the team visits residential villas. Ask Dubai Municipality before applying.
Does Wosool apply in free zones or Abu Dhabi?
Wosool applies only in Dubai. Free zones in Dubai follow the Dubai Building Code for new designs, but may have their own approval routes, so check with your zone authority and Dubai Municipality. Abu Dhabi uses the Sahel rating instead.
Does the Wosool certificate expire?
Dubai Municipality does not publish a validity period for the Wosool certificate. Ask about validity and renewal when you apply.
What happens if my building fails the Wosool evaluation?
If a building scores below 75%, it does not receive a certificate, but the report shows which items to fix, with mandatory items highlighted. Close the gaps, then request the final assessment again.
Sources
- Dubai Municipality: Certificate of Compliance with Accessibility Regulations for Existing Buildings (service card)
- Dubai Municipality: Dubai Universal Design Code and Wosool Service
- Dubai Municipality: Dubai Guide for Built Environment Universal Design (December 2025)
- Dubai Media Office: Wosool seal on building completion certificates, 10 October 2023
- Dubai Law No. 3 of 2022 on the rights of persons with disabilities
- Executive Council Resolution No. 1 of 2022, implementing bylaw
- Decree No. 45 of 2021 on the Dubai Building Code (Arabic)
- Objectives of the Dubai Building Code
- Dubai Universal Design Code, section 3.2
- DEWA: Accessibility
- Gulf News: Dubai Municipality unveils map of 16,000 accessible facilities, 6 October 2025
- Emarat Al Youm (WAM): Higher Committee for People of Determination, 14 October 2026
- Al Bayan: Dubai Municipality’s Wosool team, 19 October 2026
- Majid Al Futtaim: VOX Cinemas Mall of the Emirates receives Wosool, 6 July 2026
