How to Start a Real Estate Brokerage in Dubai: Licence, RERA Rules and Broker Cards
A real estate brokerage in Dubai needs a trade licence from the Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), a registration on the Dubai Land Department’s Trakheesi system and a practice card for every broker who works there. It is one of the most regulated small-business activities in the emirate, and the rules shape how you market, contract and hire. This guide explains the licence route, the broker card, the daily compliance rules and the costs to plan for.
Key takeaways
- The licence application goes through DET, and the office is then registered on Trakheesi by the Dubai Land Department (DLD) and its regulator, the Real Estate Regulatory Agency (RERA).
- Every broker needs a Real Estate Activity Practice Card, and the card stays valid only while the trade licence is valid.
- Every property advertisement needs a permit issued through Trakheesi, and the permit number must appear on the ad.
- Brokers must use RERA’s smart contracts (A, B and F) and the Dubai REST app, and they may only contact owners on the green list.
- DLD does not publish one all-in price for a brokerage licence, so budget for the licence, the premises, each broker’s card and the exam.
What a Real Estate Brokerage Licence Covers
DLD recognises two broker categories: brokerage for buying and selling properties, and brokerage for leasing properties. Your licence names the activity, so state which one you need when you apply. Offices that do both list both activities.
You cannot trade as a broker before you apply. DLD’s guidance says no individual may practise real estate brokerage before submitting an application for a licence.
Where to License It
Most Dubai brokerages are mainland companies licensed by DET, because their work is local property. Our Dubai mainland business setup page and our guide to mainland, free zone and offshore setup explain how that route works.
DLD’s licence page says a free zone licence can also be used, but it requires a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the licensing authority. A freehold-area licence needs a no-objection letter from the licensing entity. Ask us before you choose a free zone, because the NOC is an extra approval and not every authority issues it.
The Licence Process Step by Step
- Choose the legal form and activity. Most owners choose a limited liability company (LLC) or a sole establishment.
- Apply for the licence through DET. You can also go through Invest in Dubai, which follows similar steps.
- Register on Trakheesi. DLD says the office is registered automatically when its licence is issued, so no separate office registration application is needed.
- Apply for the practice cards. After the licence is approved, each broker applies for a Real Estate Activity Practice Card through Trakheesi.
- Prepare to operate. Download the Dubai REST app, set up smart contracts and arrange advertising permits before you market a single property.
DLD lists the service time for the licence step as one working day, and its FAQ says DET issues the licence in one to two days when the documents are complete. Allow longer for the premises, the visas and the bank account.
The Broker Practice Card
Each person who brokers property for your office needs a practice card. Your company’s licence must be registered on Trakheesi before the card application can be filed.
Who qualifies
DLD’s FAQ lists the eligibility conditions for a broker. The applicant must be over 18, hold a real estate qualification and provide a good conduct certificate issued by Dubai Police and addressed to DLD or RERA. For an expatriate manager, the residency must be on the same licence as the brokerage.
The qualification can be a non-university real estate diploma or a university real estate programme. DLD’s guidance lists exemptions from the exam for people above 55 and for brokers with five consecutive years of service in the same real estate office.
Fees and renewal
DLD lists the card fee at AED 500 and the broker exam at AED 700, plus small knowledge and innovation fees and an ERES service fee. These figures come from DLD pages that sometimes differ, so confirm the current amounts in Trakheesi before you pay.
Renewal runs through Trakheesi with automatic approval. DLD’s FAQ lists a renewal fee of AED 520 and asks for a continuing education certificate, a valid passport and residency for expatriates. Its renewal page lists AED 500, so check the amount at the time you renew. The card is valid only while the trade licence is valid.
Rules You Must Follow Every Day
RERA’s practice guide sets out the rules that apply to every brokerage. They matter from the first day, because a breach can lead to violations and suspension.
Smart contracts
Brokers must use RERA’s smart marketing and sales contracts. Contract A is the agreement to market a property between the seller and the brokerage. Contract B records a buyer’s wish to purchase through the broker, and Contract F is the agreement to sell between the seller and the buyer.
A brokerage contract needs the parties’ details, the property details, the agreed amount, the commission rate and the date the property was registered with DLD. If the parties dispute Contract F, they can apply for an amicable settlement through Trakheesi before they go to court.
Advertising permits
You must obtain a permit through Trakheesi for any real estate advertisement or marketing material. The permit covers newspaper, SMS, outdoor, print, electronic and classified ads, billboards, open days, exhibitions and project launches. The permit number must appear on the ad.
The Dubai REST app and the green list
RERA requires every broker to download the Dubai REST app. It holds broker data, the smart contracts, the green list and details of off-plan projects. Brokers may not contact owners who are not on the green list, and a violation can suspend operations if a client or investor complains.
Off-plan projects
If you market off-plan property, check three things first. The project must be licensed and registered with RERA, it must have an escrow account, and there must be a marketing contract between the developer and your brokerage. Instruct buyers to pay only into the project’s escrow account, and verify the project in the Dubai REST app.
Office and broker classification
RERA classifies offices and brokers under approved standards, and the categories include gold, silver, bronze and general. RERA tells brokers to aim for the gold category and a five-star rating. Your rating affects how clients see you.
Planning Your Team and Office
A brokerage is a people business, so plan the team before you sign a lease. Decide how many brokers you will start with, who will manage the office and who will handle contracts and permits. Each broker needs a card, a visa and a desk, so the headcount drives most of the budget.
Choose premises that match your plan. A small team can start with a serviced office, while a larger one needs a lease that fits its card and visa quota. Because the broker card depends on the licence, a gap in the lease or the licence renewal can stop everyone from practising at once.
Keep a simple compliance routine. Check card expiry dates, log every advertising permit and store signed contracts where your manager can find them. These habits protect your rating and make renewals faster.
Costs to Budget For
DLD’s licence page does not list a separate brokerage fee. The closest category it shows is AED 5,000 a year plus a small knowledge and innovation fee, but that is an inference, so confirm with DET or Trakheesi. Our starting price for a Dubai mainland company is AED 14,626, and your quote will depend on the premises and the number of brokers.
- Trade licence and registration: the annual DET licence fee and Trakheesi registration.
- Premises: a leased office. Read our guide to serviced offices and flexi desks before you decide on space.
- Broker cards and exams: the card, the exam and the continuing education certificate for each broker.
- Visas: our guide to residence visas for company owners explains the owner’s visa, and each employee needs a work visa.
- Marketing permits: advertising permits and any open day or event permit.
- Renewals: the licence and every card renew each year, so build them into your cash flow.
See our guide to Dubai trade licence costs for how the licence fee is built.
Anti-Money-Laundering and Tax
Property is a high-risk sector for money laundering, so brokerages face anti-money-laundering duties. Read our guide on why AML is a critical control point for regulated small businesses before you take your first client.
Your commission income is taxable. Every UAE company must register for Corporate Tax and file a return, and our guide to filing a Corporate Tax return shows how. The sister site companyformationinuae.com adds a company compliance checklist, and its home page lists its other UAE guides.
Common Mistakes
- Advertising before you hold a permit. Every ad needs a Trakheesi permit number.
- Contacting owners who are not on the green list. This triggers violations and can suspend operations.
- Selling off-plan units without checking the project. Confirm the RERA registration, the escrow account and the marketing contract.
- Letting the licence lapse. The broker card is valid only while the trade licence is valid.
- Hiring brokers before their cards are issued. Each broker needs an approved card before they practise.
Next Steps
Tell us whether you plan to broker sales, leasing or both, how many brokers you will hire and where you want the office. We will confirm the licence route, prepare the DET application and guide the Trakheesi and broker card steps. Rules and fees change, so confirm every figure on the official DLD and DET channels before you pay.
Frequently Asked Questions
A trade licence for a real estate brokerage activity, applied for through the Department of Economy and Tourism, followed by registration on the Dubai Land Department's Trakheesi system. Each broker then needs a Real Estate Activity Practice Card.
DLD's licence page says a free zone licence can be used, but it requires a No Objection Certificate from the licensing authority. Most Dubai brokerages use a mainland DET licence, so confirm the route before you apply.
It is the card each broker needs to practise. It is applied for through Trakheesi after the company licence is approved, and it stays valid only while the trade licence is valid.
DLD lists the card at AED 500 and the exam at AED 700, plus small knowledge, innovation and service fees. Renewal is AED 520 in DLD's FAQ and AED 500 on its renewal page, so confirm the amount in Trakheesi.
DLD's FAQ lists an age of at least 18, a real estate qualification and a good conduct certificate from Dubai Police addressed to DLD or RERA. For an expatriate manager, the residency must be on the same licence.
Yes. Every real estate advertisement and marketing material needs a permit issued through Trakheesi, and the permit number must be shown on the ad.
Contract A is the agreement to market a property between the seller and the brokerage, Contract B records a buyer's wish to purchase, and Contract F is the agreement to sell between the seller and the buyer. Brokers must use them.
Yes, if the project is licensed and registered with RERA, has an escrow account and has a marketing contract with your brokerage. Check the project in the Dubai REST app before you market it.
