Kuwait KW
Kuwait just replaced its entire drone framework: Decree-Law No. 89 of 2026 took effect on 13 September 2026, requiring registration, airworthiness certification and a permit (with Ministry of Interior security clearance) for essentially all drone ownership, import and operation, backed by criminal penalties. The executive regulations that will spell out the actual procedures and fees are not due until 31 December 2026, so tourists currently have no clear, working process to bring or fly a drone — an unregistered drone is routinely confiscated at the airport, and flying without approval is now a criminal offence, not just a fine.
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You're good to go, just follow the local rules
- Brand-new drone law, procedures not yet published
Decree-Law No. 89 of 2026 (published 13 September 2026) overhauled Kuwait's entire drone regime — registration, import, licensing and airspace use now all require DGCA and Ministry of Interior approval, with criminal penalties (fines up to KD 5,000 and up to 3 years' imprisonment) for violations. The executive regulations detailing how to actually apply are due by 31 December 2026 and are not yet public, so the practical process for a tourist is currently unclear. Check the DGCA site immediately before travelling.
- No registration needed
A 249 g drone with camera doesn't need to be registered in Kuwait.
- Bringing your drone in
No personal duty-free allowance for drones is published. Importing a drone (including carrying one in personal luggage) requires a permit from the DGCA and Ministry of Interior approval under Decree-Law No. 89 of 2026; drones brought in without prior approval are reported to be confiscated at Kuwait International Airport. Import, manufacture, assembly, programming or modification of drones or their components requires a DGCA permit plus Ministry of Interior approval under the 2026 decree-law. No separate telecom/radio type-approval scheme was confirmed, but given the security-clearance requirement it should be assumed strict. Batteries: Standard international air-travel lithium-battery rules are expected to apply (carry-on only); no Kuwait-specific exception was found.
- Before each flight
Decree-Law No. 89 of 2026 (effective 13 September 2026) requires an operating licence/permit from the DGCA, with Ministry of Interior security approval, before any drone flight · Under the pre-2026 framework, drones were grouped into categories A1 (under 300 g) through C, with A1 exempt from registration and heavier/higher-risk categories needing registration and insurance stamps; it is not yet confirmed whether this category system survives under the new decree-law · Fly in fair weather, during daylight only, and within visual line of sight (VLOS)
Flying
- Decree-Law No. 89 of 2026 (effective 13 September 2026) requires an operating licence/permit from the DGCA, with Ministry of Interior security approval, before any drone flight
- Under the pre-2026 framework, drones were grouped into categories A1 (under 300 g) through C, with A1 exempt from registration and heavier/higher-risk categories needing registration and insurance stamps; it is not yet confirmed whether this category system survives under the new decree-law
- Fly in fair weather, during daylight only, and within visual line of sight (VLOS)
- Stay at or below roughly 100 m in uncontrolled airspace
- No flying near oil facilities, airports, military sites or government buildings — these are treated as security-sensitive and enforced by the Ministry of Interior
- Aerial photography/imaging additionally needs separate DGCA/Ministry of Interior security approval
- Operating without the required approval is now a criminal offence: penalties range from up to 6 months imprisonment and KD 300-700 fines for minor breaches, up to 3 years and KD 3,000-5,000 for serious violations (e.g. flying in restricted airspace), with repeat offences within 5 years increased by up to 50%
Commercial use: Commercial operation, aerial imaging, and any manufacturing/assembly/import/modification of drones requires a licence from the DGCA plus Interior Ministry security clearance; commercial entities also need the relevant commercial licence. Existing owners/operators as of the 2026 decree-law have a one-year grace period (to around September 2027) to come into compliance.
Registration & classes
| Registration | Yes (from 300 g) Pre-2026 guidance described registering with the DGCA or an approved service provider and displaying registration marks, with drones under 300 g (category A1) exempt; insurance stamps were described as required for heavier categories (A3, B, C) under that older framework. Decree-Law No. 89 of 2026 (effective 13 September 2026) now requires registration and an airworthiness certificate for drones generally, but the detailed procedure, forms and fees are only due to be published via executive regulations by 31 December 2026 — treat the 300 g threshold and process as provisional until then. |
|---|---|
| Pilot test | Sometimes DGCA pilot/operator licence (drones and light aircraft). Decree-Law No. 89 of 2026 requires pilots and support personnel to hold a licence issued by the DGCA with Interior Ministry approval; the older framework described a licence as needed only for 'advanced operations' by hobbyists, not for casual/visitor flying of small drones. Exact test format and thresholds under the new law are not yet published. |
| Remote ID | Unknown No public information found on an electronic Remote ID broadcast requirement; enforcement is described in terms of physical registration marks and security-approval permits rather than in-flight broadcast identification. |
| Insurance | Depends Sources conflict: one summary describes drone insurance as mandatory for private and commercial flights, while a detailed breakdown states insurance is 'not required but recommended' for hobbyists/tourists and only describes insurance stamps as part of registering heavier pre-2026 categories (A3, B, C). Not confirmed against an official DGCA page; treat as unresolved until the 2026 executive regulations are published. |
| Foreign registration accepted | No Foreign visitors can reportedly obtain a permit, but aerial imaging specifically requires DGCA/Ministry of Interior security approval, and the overall registration/licensing process is being rebuilt under Decree-Law No. 89 of 2026 with executive regulations not due until 31 December 2026. Given the new criminal penalties for unauthorised drone import, manufacture or operation, tourists should contact the DGCA (dg@dgca.gov.kw) before travelling to confirm the current process rather than assuming the pre-2026 guidance still applies. No lead time could be confirmed since the new application process is not yet published. |
Weight classes
| Class | Weight | Rules |
|---|---|---|
| Category A1 (pre-2026 framework) | < 300 g | Previously exempt from registration; status under the new Decree-Law No. 89 of 2026 not yet confirmed. |
| Categories A2/A3/B1/B2/C (pre-2026 framework) | ≥ 300 g | Previously required DGCA registration, displayed registration marks, and insurance stamps for the heavier sub-categories; now additionally subject to the licensing and permit regime under the 2026 decree-law. |
Import & export
- No personal duty-free allowance for drones is published. Importing a drone (including carrying one in personal luggage) requires a permit from the DGCA and Ministry of Interior approval under Decree-Law No. 89 of 2026; drones brought in without prior approval are reported to be confiscated at Kuwait International Airport.
- Import, manufacture, assembly, programming or modification of drones or their components requires a DGCA permit plus Ministry of Interior approval under the 2026 decree-law. No separate telecom/radio type-approval scheme was confirmed, but given the security-clearance requirement it should be assumed strict.
- Batteries: Standard international air-travel lithium-battery rules are expected to apply (carry-on only); no Kuwait-specific exception was found.
- Decree-Law No. 89 of 2026 (effective 13 September 2026) makes unpermitted import a criminal offence, not just a customs matter; executive regulations spelling out the application process are due by 31 December 2026 and were not yet public at time of research.
- Practical reports describe drones being seized at the airport when travellers arrive without prior approval, so a tourist should not plan to simply carry a drone in checked or carry-on luggage.
- No official drone-specific customs duty or VAT rate was confirmed.
Export
- No drone-specific export control information was found; general Kuwait customs rules and the new decree-law's manufacture/modification permit requirements may apply to taking drone hardware out of the country.
Costs
| Operator registration | Unknown Validity: Not yet published — the executive regulations detailing registration procedure, validity period and fees under Decree-Law No. 89 of 2026 are due by 31 December 2026 and were not available at time of research. |
|---|---|
| DGCA pilot/operator licence (drones and light aircraft) | Unknown |
| Import taxes | ? % duty + ? % VAT Usually only for drones you buy abroad and bring in to keep. |
Guides
Bringing or flying a drone in Kuwait as a tourist Visitors
- Check the DGCA directly before you travel
Kuwait's entire drone law changed on 13 September 2026 (Decree-Law No. 89 of 2026); the detailed application procedure is not due until 31 December 2026, so confirm current requirements rather than relying on older guides. Open
- Assume you need a permit before arrival
Registration, an airworthiness certificate and a DGCA/Ministry of Interior permit are now required for essentially all drones; flying or importing one without approval is a criminal offence with fines up to KD 5,000 and up to 3 years' imprisonment.
- Do not expect to just carry it through the airport
Drones without prior import approval are reported to be confiscated at Kuwait International Airport.
- Get security clearance for aerial photography
Any aerial imaging separately requires DGCA/Ministry of Interior security approval, regardless of the drone's size.
- Consider hiring a local licensed operator instead
Given the regulatory uncertainty during 2026, using an already-licensed local operator for aerial photos/video is the lower-risk option for a short visit.
Sources
- DGCA Kuwait — official site · accessed 24 Sept 2026
- Gulf News — Kuwait brings drones under new law with jail terms and fines up to KD 5,000 · accessed 24 Sept 2026
- drone-laws.com — Kuwait Drone Laws 2026 · accessed 24 Sept 2026
How the score is built
- Special situation: Brand-new drone law, procedures not yet published−10
- Operator registration−10
- Pilot test (unknown)−5
- Remote ID−3
- Mandatory insurance−3
- Night flight banned−8
- Low ceiling (100 m)−5
- Visitors need a flight permit−20
- Visitors must register locally−10
- Import permit−40
- Duty + VAT ≈ 15 %−9
- Radio / type certification−12
Every score starts at 100 and loses points for each requirement. How scoring works