The mark
Three tiers of certification.
A single mark, awarded at the level an asset genuinely reaches — from meeting the law, to designing for everyone, to matching the best international standards. Each tier is verified, time-bound and re-audited; none is permanent, because accessibility is a state you maintain, not a plaque you keep.
Tier I
Compliant
Meets the statutory floor of UAE law and the local accessibility codes.
Valid 3 years · annual self-declaration
Tier II
Universal
Compliant, and demonstrably usable by everyone — verified in use.
Valid 3 years · mid-term surveillance audit
Tier III · Gold
Design for All
Matches Dubai's 'Accessible UNI' benchmark and international standards, with accessibility embedded as organisational process.
Valid 3 years · annual surveillance + re-audit
The public Access Registry
Every certified asset is listed publicly with its tier, domains covered, validity and audit date — so a person can know, before they travel, whether a place will work for them.
The mark of assurance
Certified assets may display the Universal Access mark and tier at their entrance and on their digital properties, linked to their registry record for verification.
Surveillance & renewal
Certification is monitored through its validity period and lapses if standards slip. A complaint of inaccessibility can trigger a review at any time.
Who should certify
Government service centres, hospitals and clinics, schools, universities, courts, metro and bus terminals, malls and retail, banks and consumer-service outlets, hotels and tourism venues, mosques and places of worship, public parks and beaches, cultural and sports venues, and any public-facing website, app or kiosk. For new construction, an audit at design stage is far cheaper than remediation after occupancy — and, under the Dubai Universal Design Code, accessible design is a condition of approval, not an optional extra.
Universal Access · UAE
Universal design and accessibility audit & certification for the UAE's public places, services and digital systems.
Convened by
The Institute of Human-Centred Design
United Arab Emirates practice
Other regions
© 2026 Universal Access UAE — a practice of The Institute of Human-Centred Design. An independent audit and advisory service aligned with UAE Federal Law No. 29 of 2006, the National Policy for Empowering People of Determination, the Dubai Universal Design Code and the Abu Dhabi International Accessibility Standards. It complements government certification programmes such as Dubai Municipality's Wosool; it is not a substitute for statutory approval.