Starting July, social media influencers and companies engaged in advertising and providing advertising services without a licence will be penalised, according to the Department of Economic Development-Abu Dhabi.
The penalties would amount up to Dh10,000 and may even lead to the closure of the companies.
The licence fee for individuals is Dh1,250; for companies it is Dh5,000.
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The Department said licences can easily be obtained through the Tamm platform by accessing the ‘Department of Economic Development Services’.
It also said that foreigners from outside the country can obtain a licence provided they have an Emirates ID card or unified number.
The decision is also applicable to government companies.
The department also confirmed that influencers have to obtain government licence despite having permits from the Emirates Media Council.
Earlier, all licensed businesses in the emirate were directed to follow guidelines related to partnerships with social media influencers. Failure to comply will expose violators to closure or fines starting from Dh3,000 and going up to Dh10,000, the the Department of Economic Development said.