Decree-Law 89 of 2026 regulates the use of drones, light sport aircraft, air sports and the activities attached to them. It was issued at Seif Palace on 8 September 2026, published in the official gazette Kuwait Al-Youm in issue 1808 on 13 September 2026, and took effect on the date of publication.
The body that administers it is the Directorate General of Civil Aviation.
Register first, fly second
The authority keeps a register recording each aircraft’s details and any rights over it. An owner must register the aircraft and obtain an airworthiness certificate before using it inside Kuwait. The authority decides which specifications of aircraft must be registered; the executive regulation will set the conditions, procedures, fees and the grounds for striking a registration off.
If any registered detail changes, the owner has seven working days to notify the authority.
Markings
- A drone carries identity and registration markings.
- A light sport aircraft carries identity and registration markings and the national flag.
Licences and permits
Applications go on forms the authority issues. A decision must come within ninety days of the file being complete — otherwise the application counts as refused.
The decree also defines prohibited airspace, where flying is banned outright, and restricted airspace, where it is allowed only on conditions.
Three tiers of penalty
Without prejudice to any heavier penalty in another law:
- Up to six months in prison and a fine of KD 300 to 700, or either one.
- Up to two years and a fine of KD 1,000 to 2,000, or either one.
- Up to three years and a fine of KD 3,000 to 5,000, or either one.
A repeat offence within five years of an earlier judgment lets the court exceed the maximum by up to half again. The penalty doubles if an accident results.
On conviction the court may also cancel or suspend the licence for up to a year, close the premises for up to a year, or confiscate the aircraft and anything seized with it.
Investigation and prosecution sit with the Public Prosecution alone.
If you already own one
Every owner must bring their situation into line with the decree and its executive regulation within one year of the date it took effect — that is, by 13 September 2027.
The executive regulation itself is due from the competent minister by 31 December 2026, and it is the document that will carry the fees and the detailed procedure.
Photo: a drone in flight. Photography by Project Kei, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons.
Source: Decree-Law 89 of 2026, official gazette Kuwait Al-Youm, issue 1808.
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