Lift and escalator maintenance in Dubai: certification rules, standards and checklists

Updated 17 October 2026. Every rule in this guide links to its official source at the end of the page.

Key facts

• Annual certification: lifts and lifting equipment tested and certified every 12 months by an EIAC-accredited third party (DM-HSD-GU48-ECLA2, 2024).
• Defects: repairs identified by the inspector are carried out immediately; unsafe equipment is taken out of use and reported to Dubai Municipality.
• On site: the compliance certificate is kept at the site and safe working loads are displayed on the equipment.
• Standards: one suite only, ASME A17 or BS EN 81, for design, installation, testing, commissioning and maintenance.
• Escalators: enhanced handrail protection at entries; new units slow down after 3 minutes and stop after 15 minutes without users.
• Standby power: the Dubai Building Code lists elevators and escalators among the loads standby generators must serve in the premises it covers.

Why lifts and escalators need a stricter regime

Dubai Municipality's guideline on lifting equipment opens with a plain statement: the potential danger in the use of cranes, lifts, hoists and other lifting equipment is well known, and the causes of accidents include improper maintenance, missing warning systems, poor upkeep of safety standards, overloading and other unsafe operations. To reduce accidents from equipment failure, it requires periodic testing and certification by a competent person, and it reminds owners that Dubai Local Order No. 61 of 1991 requires the occupier or employer to keep the workplace, plant and equipment safe at all times.

That is why lift and escalator maintenance is different from most building maintenance. Breakdowns are not only an inconvenience: a lift that levels badly trips people, doors that close too fast injure them, and an escalator with worn steps or a drifting handrail can cause falls. In a Dubai tower, a stopped lift also strands residents on high floors, and in a mall a stopped escalator diverts crowds. A documented regime of maintenance plus independent certification is what keeps both safe and running.

Dubai Municipality's annual certification rule

The Technical Guidelines for Examination and Certification of Cranes, Hoists, Lifts and Other Lifting Equipment (DM-HSD-GU48-ECLA2, version 4.0, issued 9 May 2024) apply to all establishments in the Emirate of Dubai where cranes, hoists, lifts and other lifting equipment are used. Their requirements are short and strict:

As guidance, routine maintenance and annual certification are two separate jobs. The maintenance contractor keeps the lift working and safe week by week; the accredited third party independently examines and certifies it once a year. A good maintenance contractor prepares the lift for the inspection, attends it, and closes the findings quickly, because the certificate is only issued once repairs are done.

Who can inspect and certify

The guideline is specific about the inspector. The company or competent person seeking accreditation must hold a trade licence issued by the Dubai Economic Department (as the guideline names it), carry professional liability insurance, and meet any other requirements issued by EIAC. Only technically qualified and experienced persons accredited by EIAC may examine, test and certify. As guidance, building owners should ask for evidence of EIAC accreditation before appointing an inspection body, and keep a copy with the certificate, because a certificate from an unaccredited source does not meet the guideline.

What the certificate must show

The guideline requires the accredited third party to issue a certificate of safety specifying the serial number, technical details, tests done and safe working load for each item of equipment, and any re-rating of the safe working load or other condition for safe operation must be clearly indicated on the certificate. As guidance, building managers should check each certificate against the lift it covers: the serial number on the certificate matching the controller or car plate, the rated load matching the plate in the car, the date within the last 12 months, and any conditions understood and passed to the maintenance contractor.

When the inspector finds a defect

The rule is immediate repair. Repairs identified by the accredited third party are carried out by the owner or occupier immediately, and the certificate is issued only after repairs. Where the equipment is considered unsafe, the owner is advised to stop using it and the inspector reports to the Health and Safety Department. As guidance, the practical sequence is: the inspector's report goes to the maintenance contractor the same day; safety-critical defects are fixed before the lift returns to service; the contractor documents the repair with photos and parts used; and the inspector verifies before the certificate is issued. Delaying repairs to the next routine visit is not an option the guideline leaves open.

Standards: ASME A17 or BS EN 81, never mixed

Part D of the Dubai Building Code covers vertical transportation, which it defines as elevators, escalators and moving walks. It requires vertical transportation to be designed, installed, tested, commissioned and maintained in accordance with one of two suites of standards: the ASME A17 suite or the BS EN 81 suite. One suite must be selected for a project, and the suites must not be used interchangeably. As guidance, maintenance teams should know which suite a building's lifts were designed to, because test procedures, safety device settings and inspection checklists follow that suite; mixing parts or procedures from the other can leave a lift that matches neither.

Firefighting lifts

The code requires elevators used for firefighting to conform to the relevant sections of Chapters 2 and 3 of the UAE Fire and Life Safety Code of Practice, in addition to the chosen suite of standards. As guidance, a firefighting lift's special functions, such as firefighter recall and control, protected power and the lobby arrangements, are tested as part of the building's fire safety regime as well as its lift maintenance, and are coordinated with the fire system contractor, as explained in Power Zone's fire safety maintenance guide.

Escalators and moving walks: safety features

The code requires enhanced handrail protection at the entry to escalators and moving walks, as shown in its Figure D.1. As guidance, the safety devices that keep escalators safe and that a maintenance visit checks include comb plates and their impact switches, step and skirt switches, step-level and missing-step detection, handrail speed monitoring, emergency stop buttons, and the brake. Broken comb teeth, a handrail that runs out of step with the stairs, or a skirt gap that has opened up are reasons to stop a unit until it is repaired, not items for the next visit.

Energy features in new lifts and escalators

As guidance, these features only save energy if they keep working: detectors that fail leave escalators running at full speed all night, and car lights that never switch off waste energy and shorten lamp life. Checking them belongs in the maintenance routine, and they are also quick wins in an energy audit, as described in Power Zone's HVAC energy audit guide.

Lift lobbies, noise and parking

The code also sets rules around lifts that affect maintenance and complaints. Noise from lift hoistways must not be heard in adjacent accommodation; lifts must be separated from enclosed parking areas by an air-conditioned lobby; and doors from apartments or other residential accommodation must not open directly into a lift lobby. It also limits a core to four lifts and a lobby to eight with a conventional control system. As guidance, rising hoistway noise is often a maintenance signal, such as worn guide shoes or rollers, loose fixings or a tired machine, and the air-conditioned lobby between parking and lifts protects the lift and its doors from heat and car park dust, so its door closers and cooling deserve attention too.

Standby power for lifts and escalators

In premises that must have standby safety power, such as malls, hotels, hospitals and main government buildings, the Dubai Building Code lists elevators and escalators among the loads standby generators must serve. As guidance, a generator test is not complete until the lifts have been seen to return to service on generator power, homing or continuing as designed, and escalators restart safely. Power Zone's generator maintenance guide explains how changeover tests are run with the building's essential loads.

What preventive maintenance covers on a lift

As guidance, the specific checks and intervals follow the manufacturer's maintenance instructions and the suite of standards the lift was built to, either BS EN 81 or ASME A17. Each visit should leave a dated record of what was checked, adjusted and found.

What preventive maintenance covers on an escalator

As guidance, escalators in malls and transit-linked buildings run very long hours, so their schedules are usually more frequent than office units, and a full deeper inspection supplements routine visits.

How often lifts and escalators are serviced

As guidance, monthly preventive visits are the common standard for lifts and escalators in active use, with frequencies adjusted to duty, age and the manufacturer's instructions: busy mall escalators and hotel lifts may need more, while a lightly used residential lift may run on the standard monthly cycle. On top of maintenance, Dubai Municipality's guideline requires the annual EIAC-accredited certification. Power Zone's Dubai property maintenance schedule shows how lift tasks fit into a whole-building calendar.

Entrapments and emergencies

As guidance, every building with lifts needs a clear entrapment procedure: the alarm and intercom answered at all times; the maintenance contractor's emergency number displayed in the lift lobby and at the security desk; trained responders who never attempt to open doors or move the car without authorisation; and the contractor dispatched immediately, with Dubai Civil Defence called where people are at risk. After any entrapment, the cause is investigated and recorded, and repeated entrapments on one lift are treated as a defect, not bad luck. Emergency lighting and the alarm in the car are among the items tested on routine visits for exactly this reason.

Common faults and what they mean

These are typical causes, offered as guidance; a qualified technician confirms them on site.

Lifts in villas and small buildings

Private villa lifts and small platform lifts are lifting equipment too. As guidance, they need the same discipline on a smaller scale: a maintenance contract with a competent lift company, regular checks of doors, safety circuits, alarm and emergency lowering, and a record of inspections. Owners should check with an EIAC-accredited inspection body whether their installation falls within the annual certification requirement, because the guideline applies wherever lifts are used in establishments, and a private home used as a holiday home or staffed residence can raise the question. Power Zone's villa maintenance guide covers the rest of the villa's systems.

Accessible lifts

The Dubai Building Code's accessibility part requires at least one accessible lift, or a platform lift, in every building with more than one floor, with limited exemptions such as plant spaces and small two-storey buildings meeting set conditions, and a sign showing the direction to the accessible lift where different means of vertical circulation are provided. It sets cabin sizes:

As guidance, maintenance keeps accessibility working in practice: levelling accurate enough that wheelchairs and walkers do not catch the sill, door timing long enough for people who move slowly, reopening devices that work along the full height of the door, and alarm and intercom functions that people with hearing or speech difficulties can use. A lift that meets the cabin size but stops 2 cm off the floor is not accessible in practice.

Goods lifts, service lifts and other lifting equipment

Dubai Municipality's guideline covers more than passenger lifts. It applies to cranes, hoists, lifts, lifting equipment and gear, and forklifts used in factories, construction sites, hotels and other workplaces, describing lifts as including passenger lifts, goods lifts and platform lifts. The Dubai Building Code also sets minimum numbers of service lifts by building type in Part D. As guidance, goods and service lifts usually work harder than passenger lifts: overloaded cars, trolleys hitting doors and debris in sills cause most of their faults. Their safe working load must be displayed, as the guideline requires, and loading rules enforced by building management.

Construction hoists and lifts during building works

On construction sites, the same annual EIAC-accredited certification applies to hoists and lifting equipment, and Dubai Municipality's construction safety guide sets rules for hoisting operations, such as keeping cranes at least 3 m from power lines, regular inspection of cranes, planned routes for suspended loads and self-closing latches on hooks. As guidance, when a new building's permanent lifts are used during the fit-out stage, they need protection of car interiors and doors, a booking system, and a thorough service and inspection before handover to the owner.

Waiting times and complaints: what maintenance can fix

Part D of the code designs lift numbers and speeds around performance measures such as handling capacity, average waiting time and time to destination, with prescriptive tables by building type and a performance-based method for consultants. As guidance, maintenance cannot add capacity that the design never had, but it can remove the losses that make good designs feel slow: a lift out of service for days, doors that dwell too long or reopen repeatedly, a car that levels badly and causes repeated door cycles, or a group controller that is not dispatching efficiently after a fault. When residents complain about waiting times, checking how many lifts were actually in service and how long doors are dwelling is the first step.

Modernisation: when to upgrade instead of repair

As guidance, lifts and escalators eventually reach a point where repairs become frequent and parts hard to find. Signs that modernisation should be considered include repeated breakdowns on the same components, obsolete controllers or drives, poor levelling that adjustment no longer fixes, rising energy use, and inspection findings that keep returning. Modernisation is also a chance to bring older units closer to the energy features the Dubai Building Code requires in new buildings, such as variable-frequency drives, car lighting that switches off when idle, and escalator speed reduction with detectors. Any modernisation is designed and tested to the same suite of standards the code requires, and certified by an EIAC-accredited inspector before returning to service.

Lifts during moving and fit-out

As guidance, moving days and fit-outs are when lifts get damaged: trolleys hit doors, cars are overloaded, and dust and debris fall into door sills. Buildings that book lifts for moves, protect car walls and floors, limit loads to the rated capacity displayed in the car, and clean sills after works see fewer door faults. Damage found after a move is easier to recover from the person responsible when the lift was inspected before and after.

Hygiene and cleaning in lifts

Lift cars are touched by every resident and visitor. As guidance, buttons, handrails and walls are cleaned often with products suitable for the finishes, without spraying liquid into control panels or door gaps where it can damage electronics and contacts. Car floors are cleaned without flooding the sill, and car ventilation fans are checked during maintenance. Power Zone's deep cleaning guide covers cleaning routines for common areas.

Hotels and holiday homes

Dubai Municipality's guideline names hotels explicitly among the workplaces where lifts and lifting equipment must be tested and certified every 12 months. As guidance, hotels have two extra pressures: guests do not know the building and cannot be expected to cope with a lift out of service, and luggage trolleys and housekeeping carts put heavy wear on doors and cars. A hotel lift regime therefore usually includes more frequent visits on the busiest lifts, rapid response to faults, protection on service lifts, and a clear plan for guests with reduced mobility when a lift is down. In buildings with holiday homes, owners and operators should confirm with the building management that the lifts are certified and maintained, because guests rely on them as much as residents do.

Remote monitoring and the building management system

The Dubai Building Code's building controls section asks for data from building systems to be published using open protocols over encrypted connections, so it can be used without fragile middleware. As guidance, lifts and escalators connected to the building management system or to a remote monitoring service can report faults, entrapments, door cycles, levelling errors and running hours as they happen. That data shortens response times, shows patterns before breakdowns, and gives owners evidence of how well the maintenance contract is performing. When monitoring is added, it should not interfere with the lift's safety circuits, and it should be installed by or with the agreement of the maintenance contractor.

Machine rooms, pits and shafts

As guidance, the spaces around a lift deserve as much care as the lift itself. Machine rooms should be locked, kept clean and free of storage, and kept within the temperature range the equipment is designed for, because controllers and drives in hot rooms fail early. Lift pits should be dry: water from cleaning, roof leaks or groundwater damages buffers, safety switches and cables, and repeated water in a pit is a building defect to trace. Shafts should be free of debris, and access to machine rooms and pits limited to trained technicians. Power Zone's waterproofing guide covers the leaks that most often reach lift pits.

Escalators in malls and busy buildings

As guidance, mall and transit-linked escalators combine very long running hours with crowds, trolleys, prams and luggage, so their regime is built around quick fault response, frequent cleaning of steps and comb plates, and checks of handrails and safety devices on every visit. Out-of-hours deep inspections avoid closing units at peak times, and the energy features the Dubai Building Code requires in new buildings, such as reduced speed after 3 minutes without users and shut-down after 15 minutes, need their detectors kept clean and working, otherwise units run at full speed through quiet hours.

Budgeting for lifts over their life

As guidance, a realistic lift budget has four lines: the routine maintenance contract; the annual EIAC-accredited certification; repairs and parts not included in the contract, which grow as equipment ages; and a reserve for modernisation of controllers, drives and doors when they reach the end of their life. Owners associations in jointly owned buildings plan these lines through service charges, since lifts are common parts under Law No. 6 of 2019. Planning modernisation before failures force it avoids emergency replacement under pressure from residents.

Before buying or renting: questions about the lifts

As guidance, a buyer or tenant in a Dubai tower can ask the building management a few simple questions: Is the current annual certificate from an EIAC-accredited inspector available? Who maintains the lifts, and how quickly do they respond to entrapments? How many lifts were out of service in recent months, and for how long? Is modernisation planned, and how will it be funded? Clear answers usually signal a well-managed building; vague ones are worth noting before signing.

Signs a lift or escalator needs attention now

• The car stops noticeably above or below the floor, or levelling changes from floor to floor.
• Doors close too fast, hit people, reopen repeatedly or make grinding noises.
• New noises, vibration or jerks when starting or stopping.
• The alarm button, intercom or emergency light does not work when tested.
• The certificate in the building is older than 12 months, or nobody can find it.
• On escalators: broken comb teeth, handrails out of step with the steps, unusual noise, or units that never slow down when empty.

As guidance, any of these should be reported to the maintenance contractor the same day, and safety-related items such as door faults, levelling errors and broken comb plates justify taking the unit out of service until it is checked.

Lift safety tips for residents and staff

As guidance, buildings can help their lifts and their residents by displaying a few simple rules: do not force doors or hold them open with objects; respect the rated load shown in the car; keep children supervised; do not use lifts during a fire unless directed, apart from designated firefighting lifts used by Civil Defence; use the alarm button and intercom if trapped and wait for help; and report faults to building management straight away. Clear signage and quick reporting reduce both breakdowns and incidents.

Who is responsible

Records to keep

As guidance, the lift and escalator file for each unit holds the current certificate of safety from the EIAC-accredited third party, kept on site as the guideline requires, previous certificates and inspection reports, the maintenance contract and visit records, defect reports with the dates they were closed, entrapment and breakdown logs, modernisation and major repair records, and the standard suite the unit was built to. Keeping certificates and defect closures together shows at a glance that the guideline's immediate-repair requirement has been met.

What a good maintenance contract includes

• Scheduled preventive visits at a defined frequency for each lift and escalator, following the manufacturer's instructions and the applicable standard suite.
• Emergency call-out and entrapment response times, around the clock.
• Clear scope of parts included or excluded, especially for high-cost items such as ropes, machines and controllers.
• Preparation for and attendance at the annual EIAC-accredited certification, and closing the inspector's findings promptly.
• Written visit records and defect reports ranked by urgency.
• Testing of energy-saving functions, alarms, intercoms and emergency lighting.
• Coordination with fire system tests for firefighting lifts and with generator tests for standby power.

Power Zone's annual maintenance contract guide explains how such contracts fit within a building's wider maintenance obligations.

Questions to ask a lift maintenance company

1. Which makes and lift types do you maintain, and how do you source parts?
2. Which standard suite, BS EN 81 or ASME A17, will your checklists follow for our lifts?
3. How often will you visit each lift and escalator, and what does each visit cover?
4. What are your entrapment and emergency response times, day and night?
5. Will you prepare for and attend the annual EIAC-accredited certification and close the findings?
6. How will you report defects, and how quickly will safety-critical ones be fixed?

Lift and escalator maintenance with Power Zone

Power Zone provides lift maintenance and escalator maintenance in Dubai with its own teams, part of all seven emirates, 20 in-house teams. Lift services cover scheduled preventive visits on traction and hydraulic lifts of the common makes, ride-quality checks, safety system tests of brakes, overspeed governors, interlocks, alarms, intercoms and emergency lighting, lubrication and adjustment, defect reports with photos ranked by urgency, and coordination of statutory inspections. Escalator services cover step, chain and drive inspection, comb plates, handrail drive and tension, safety devices, track cleaning and a per-unit log. Work is quoted after a site survey. See also commercial building maintenance and Power Zone Dubai, or request a site survey.

Frequently asked questions

How often must lifts be certified in Dubai?

Once every 12 months, by a third party accredited by the Emirates International Accreditation Center (EIAC), under Dubai Municipality's guideline DM-HSD-GU48-ECLA2.

Who can certify a lift in Dubai?

Only technically qualified and experienced persons accredited by EIAC, from a company with a Dubai trade licence and professional liability insurance.

What does a Dubai lift safety certificate show?

The equipment's serial number, technical details, tests done and safe working load, plus any re-rating or condition for safe operation.

Where must the lift certificate be kept?

At the site, under Dubai Municipality's guideline, with safe working loads displayed on the equipment.

What happens if the inspector finds the lift unsafe?

The owner is advised to stop using it, a report is sent immediately to Dubai Municipality's Health and Safety Department, and repairs are carried out before certification.

Can lift repairs wait until the next maintenance visit?

No. The guideline requires repairs identified by the accredited third party to be carried out immediately.

Which standards apply to lifts in Dubai?

The Dubai Building Code requires one suite, ASME A17 or BS EN 81, for design, installation, testing, commissioning and maintenance; the suites are not mixed.

What extra rules apply to firefighting lifts?

They must also conform to the relevant sections of Chapters 2 and 3 of the UAE Fire and Life Safety Code of Practice.

What energy features must new escalators have in Dubai?

Reduced speed after a maximum of 3 minutes without activity, shut-down after a maximum of 15 minutes, soft-start, and photocell detectors at top and bottom landings.

What energy features must new lifts have?

VVVF drives on non-hydraulic lifts, efficient car lighting that switches off after a maximum of 5 minutes of inactivity, and a standby condition for off-peak periods.

Must lifts run on generator power?

In premises the Dubai Building Code requires to have standby safety power, elevators and escalators are among the loads standby generators must serve.

Who maintains lifts in a jointly owned building?

Elevators are common parts under Article 7 of Law No. 6 of 2019, maintained by the owners association through its Management Entity.

How often should a lift be serviced?

As guidance, monthly preventive visits are the common standard for lifts in active use, adjusted to duty, age and the manufacturer's instructions.

What should I do if someone is trapped in a lift?

Answer the alarm, reassure them, call the maintenance contractor's emergency line and Civil Defence where people are at risk; never force the doors or move the car without authorisation.

Why does my escalator handrail run slower than the steps?

As guidance, handrail drive wear or tension; it can pull users off balance and should be repaired promptly.

Does every Dubai building need an accessible lift?

The Dubai Building Code requires at least one accessible lift or platform lift in every building with more than one floor, with limited exemptions.

What size must an accessible lift cabin be in Dubai?

At least 1,200 × 1,500 mm for one entrance or two opposing entrances (1,500 × 1,500 recommended), and 1,100 × 2,100 mm for a stretcher cabin.

Do goods lifts and forklifts need certification?

Yes. Dubai Municipality's guideline covers lifts, hoists, lifting gear and forklifts used in workplaces, with annual EIAC-accredited certification.

When should a lift be modernised?

As guidance, when breakdowns repeat on the same components, parts become obsolete, levelling cannot be adjusted, energy use rises or inspection findings keep returning.

Do hotel lifts in Dubai need annual certification?

Yes. Dubai Municipality's guideline names hotels among the workplaces where lifts and lifting equipment are tested and certified every 12 months by an EIAC-accredited third party.

Why does water in a lift pit matter?

As guidance, water damages buffers, safety switches and cables, and repeated water in a pit is a building defect to trace, often a leak.

What should I ask about the lifts before renting in a Dubai tower?

As guidance: whether the annual EIAC-accredited certificate is available, who maintains the lifts and how fast they respond, recent downtime, and any planned modernisation.

What should I do if a lift stops between floors?

As guidance, press the alarm, use the intercom, stay calm and wait for trained responders; never try to open the doors or climb out.

Can I use the lift during a fire?

As guidance, no, unless directed; firefighting lifts are designed for use by Civil Defence under the UAE fire code.

Is lift maintenance the same as lift certification?

No. Maintenance keeps the lift working week by week; certification is the independent annual examination by an EIAC-accredited third party required by Dubai Municipality.

Which law requires employers to keep equipment safe in Dubai?

Dubai Local Order No. 61 of 1991, which Dubai Municipality's lifting equipment guideline cites, requires the occupier or employer to keep the workplace, plant and equipment safe.

Do escalators need detectors?

New escalators and moving walks in Dubai must have photocell activation detectors at top and bottom landings for their energy-saving speed and stop functions.

Can lift parts from different standards be mixed?

As guidance, no: the Dubai Building Code requires one suite of standards, ASME A17 or BS EN 81, and the suites are not used interchangeably.

Must the safe working load be shown in the lift?

Yes. Dubai Municipality's guideline requires safe working loads to be displayed on the equipment.

Does Power Zone maintain lifts and escalators in Dubai?

Yes. Power Zone maintains lifts and escalators in Dubai with its own teams, with written visit records and coordination of statutory inspections.

Sources

1. Dubai Municipality, Technical Guidelines for Examination and Certification of Cranes, Hoists, Lifts and Other Lifting Equipment (DM-HSD-GU48-ECLA2, version 4.0, 9 May 2024)
2. Dubai Building Code, 2021 Edition, Part D Vertical transportation (D.5, D.6, D.7) and Part G G.4.14 standby generators
3. Dubai Legislation Portal, Law No. 6 of 2019 concerning ownership of jointly owned real property (Article 7)
4. Dubai Legislation Portal, Law No. 26 of 2007 regulating the relationship between landlords and tenants
5. Dubai Building Code, 2021 Edition, Part C Accessibility, C.5.9.3 Elevators and Table C.15
6. Dubai Municipality, Safety Guide for Construction Works (2026): material hoisting and rigging