Cabinet Resolution No. (96) of 2024 is the UAE Cabinet's household detergent control scheme, in force since 17 September 2024. It repealed the 2014 scheme, mandates UAE.S GSO 2555 and requires ECAS registration or a Certificate of Conformity from the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT) before sale.
This guide is for regulatory and QA managers at detergent manufacturers, importers and repackers, and for the inspectors and conformity assessment bodies who check them.
Which detergents fall under Cabinet Resolution 96 of 2024?
Only household products. Article 1 of the Cabinet's resolution (CR 96/2024) defines a detergent as any substance or mixture containing soap or a surfactant, used for washing and cleaning, and marketed for household consumer use. Liquid, gel, powder, paste, pieces, blocks and moulded pieces all count.
Article 2 sets three scope lines. The first is every detergent type in the technical regulation listed in Annex (1). The second is big consignments imported for repackaging in the UAE. The third is detergents offered in UAE markets, free zones included, or prepared for export.
Annex (1) names one regulation, UAE.S GSO 2555, General Safety Requirements of Household Detergents. GSO lists GSO 2555:2021 as Edition 1, approved on 1 July 2021 and current. Its scope statement on the GSO store excludes industrial and institutional detergents and products with disinfectant or germicidal properties. Being outside GSO 2555 does not mean outside every rule, so check the product's other regulators.
"Supplier" is defined widely in Article 1. It covers anyone whose activity affects the product, from manufacturer, packager and importer to warehouse, distributor and legal representative, operating through an establishment licensed in the UAE.
What four documents must a supplier provide?
Article 3(1) of CR 96/2024 requires every supplier, at every stage of the supply chain, to give the authorities four technical documents showing conformity with Annex (1). They are:
- a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS)
- an Ingredient Declaration Sheet (IDS)
- the manufacturer's internal analysis certificate, issued under its own quality standards
- the product artwork
The MSDS names ingredients by IUPAC name, CAS number or INCI name, in descending order of weight (Article 3(4)). It gives no exact percentages, only four bands: 10% or more, over 1% and under 10%, over 0.1% and under 1%, and under 0.1%. Competent authorities can see it on request (Article 3(3)).
A public MSDS must also exist without the weight ranges, fragrance and essential-oil ingredients or colouring agents (Article 3(5)). When applying for a Certificate of Conformity, the supplier must meet ISO 9001 and GMP guidelines acceptable to MoIAT (Article 3(8)).
What must the label and ingredient declaration show?
Article 4(1) of CR 96/2024 lists the label content for packs sold in the UAE, including bulk imports repacked here (Article 4(3)). It covers the supplier's name, address and any trademark, and a full production date or batch code. It also covers country of origin, ingredients, net quantity, purpose of use, and usage and storage instructions.
Shelf life is shown as production and expiry date, a period after opening (PAO), or production date plus a suggested use period. Warning phrases must appear in both Arabic and English, and the print must be indelible (Article 4(2)).
Annex (2) sets how ingredients are declared. Eighteen listed ingredients, including phosphates, phosphonates, surfactants, bleaches, EDTA, NTA, zeolites and soap, are declared once they exceed 0.2% by weight. Each goes in one of four ranges: under 5%, 5% to 15%, 15% to 30%, or 30% or more. Enzymes, disinfectants, optical brighteners, perfumes and preservatives are named whatever their concentration.
Allergenic fragrances and preservatives have four declaration routes under Annex (2). They are an IDS given to MoIAT, the label, an IDS on the supplier's website shown on the pack, or an IDS reached by QR code. Fragrance allergens above 0.01% are named under UAE.S/GSO 1943, covered in our GSO 1943 cosmetics guide. Preservatives go in the IDS, with the word "Preservatives" on the pack.
How do the phosphorus limits per dose work?
Article 5(6) of CR 96/2024 bans added phosphate in automatic dishwasher and laundry detergents. It also caps their total phosphate and phosphorus compounds, calculated as phosphorus per dose recommended on the pack.
- automatic dishwasher detergent: 0.3 g of phosphorus per dose
- laundry powder and liquid detergent: 0.5 g of phosphorus per dose
The limit is per dose, not per kilogram, so the laboratory result is read against the dose printed on that pack. Raise the recommended dose and the same formula can move over the limit. These are the only numeric chemical limits in the Resolution itself. GSO 2555 sets the general safety requirements, and its text is sold by GSO.
How do you register in ECAS now the 2014 scheme is repealed?
Article 10 of CR 96/2024 repeals Cabinet Resolution No. (3) of 2014. Check any certificate, technical file or label that still cites the 2014 resolution against the 2024 text. Article 9 gave suppliers 180 days from publication in the Official Gazette on 16 September 2024 to register in ECAS. That window has passed, so non-conforming legacy stock has no transition cover.
Under Article 5 of CR 96/2024, a Certificate of Conformity needs a conformity assessment body that meets Cabinet Resolution No. (35) of 2015. The supplier uses MoIAT's forms, and the product must meet Annex (1), ECAS approved model (B) and UAE.S GSO OIML R87 on quantity in prepackages. Article 6(2) bars outlets from selling a covered detergent without ECAS registration or a certificate.
MoIAT's general ECAS service page for regulated products asks for a UAE trade or industry licence, a test report from an accredited laboratory and an online declaration of conformity continuity. You register on MoIAT's e-services platform, apply, attach the documents and pay. MoIAT then reviews the file and issues the certificate, with a stated service time of one and a half working days.
In October 2026 the page listed AED 600 to submit a request, AED 620 per certificate for technical review and AED 500 to issue the certificate. An establishment assessment adds AED 2,500 per assessor per working day, plus expenses. Check the fees before you apply.
What does an inspector check, and what happens if a product fails?
Under Article 8(4), each emirate's competent authority inspects and analyses products in coordination with MoIAT. This table maps the articles to the evidence an inspector can ask for.
| CR 96/2024 article | Requirement | Evidence to have ready |
|---|---|---|
| Art. 1 and 2 | Household detergent within GSO 2555 | Scope decision per product, including free-zone and export lines |
| Art. 3(1) | Four supplier documents | MSDS, IDS, internal analysis certificate, artwork |
| Art. 3(3) to 3(5) | MSDS naming and bands, public MSDS | Full MSDS in four bands and a public version |
| Art. 3(8) | ISO 9001 and GMP at application | Quality system and GMP evidence |
| Art. 4(1) and 4(2) | Label content and languages | Artwork with Arabic and English warnings and a batch code or date |
| Annex (2) | Ingredient ranges, allergens, preservatives | Declared ranges and the chosen allergen route |
| Art. 5(1) to 5(5) | Certificate of Conformity | ECAS registration or certificate, CAB meeting CR 35/2015, OIML R87 net quantity |
| Art. 5(6) | Phosphorus per dose | Lab result against the printed dose |
| Art. 6(1) and 6(3) | Sampling and presumed responsibility | Batch records for the sampled lot |
MoIAT and competent authorities may take samples (Article 6(1)). The supplier sampled is presumed responsible for a non-conformity unless it proves otherwise within the period the authority sets (Article 6(3)).
Under Article 7, the supplier can be ordered to correct, return or destroy the product. The competent authority can withdraw, seize or destroy it and announce a market withdrawal at the supplier's cost. MoIAT can withdraw or cancel the Certificate of Conformity.
Inspection bodies running these checks can read our guide to ISO/IEC 17020 inspection bodies. Manufacturers working to a retailer scheme can read our IFS HPC Version 3 guide.
How AGS can help
The UAE Detergents Regulatory Control Management System (Cabinet Resolution No. 96 of 2024) is an inspection and product-verification system of 46 documents in editable Microsoft Word and Excel. It includes a Label Verification Form, a Laboratory Test Report Review Form with the phosphorus-per-dose calculation, a Regulatory Sampling procedure and a 2014 vs 2024 Detergents Regulatory Transition Matrix. It does not contain the text of UAE.S GSO 2555 or MoIAT's ECAS application forms.
Frequently asked questions
Do we still need Dubai Municipality product registration?
CR 96/2024 does not mention Dubai Municipality's product registration system, Montaji. Dubai Municipality's 2020 detergent guideline required Montaji registration for detergents sold in Dubai, and later versions have been issued since. Confirm with Dubai Municipality whether your product needs it as well as ECAS.
Does the Resolution set fines?
No. CR 96/2024 sets no fine amounts. Article 7(2) keeps any heavier penalty under other laws.
Can the Annexes change without a new Cabinet resolution?
Yes. Article 8(5) lets the Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology amend the Annexes or adopt other standards. Check the legislation portal before each label or formula review.
Which language version of the Resolution counts?
The Arabic text. The UAE legislation portal states that the Arabic version prevails over its English translation.
AGS provides independent documentation toolkits. The referenced kit is written to support MoIAT requirements and, like this guide, is not affiliated with, endorsed by or approved by the UAE Cabinet, MoIAT, GSO or Dubai Municipality. It is general information, not legal advice. What applies depends on your product type, your emirate and your competent authority.
Reviewed October 2026. Facts checked against the sources current at publication.
