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Real Estate Regulatory Agency (RERA) Services &
Developer Advisory

Establish, register, and manage your real estate operations, off-plan developments, and brokerage firms under the regulatory supervision of RERA and the Dubai Land Department.

We secure developer certifications, set up project escrow accounts, process Trakheesi marketing permits, and coordinate broker licensing to ensure 100% regulatory compliance.

✔ Real Estate Developer Registration

✔ Off-Plan Project Setup & Oqood

✔ Project Escrow Account Setup

✔ Trakheesi Advertising Permits

✔ Mollak Co-Owned Property Setup

✔ Brokerage & Valuer License Cards

Consult our Real Estate Advisory Team Initiate Developer Registration

Understanding the Regulatory Role of RERA

The Real Estate Regulatory Agency (RERA) is the regulatory arm of the Dubai Land Department (DLD). It oversees the licensing, commercial registration, operational standards, and legal compliance of Dubai’s real estate market.

While Mainland trade licenses for property companies are issued onshore by the Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), RERA exercises exclusive authority over the specific activity approvals. Any commercial entity wishing to engage in real estate brokerage, property management, project development, valuation, or leasing must obtain a specialized RERA license and comply with DLD policies.

RERA is responsible for regulating escrow accounts for off-plan developments, managing homeowners' associations, licensing real estate brokers, and supervising property advertisements to prevent consumer fraud and unauthorized marketing listings.

Who is Affected by RERA Regulations?

RERA’s regulatory mandates apply to all professional market participants in the property sector:

Property Developers Entities constructing residential or commercial projects must register as developers and obtain approvals for off-plan marketing.
Brokerage Firms & Agents Real estate agencies and individual brokers must pass the RERA certification exam annually to hold active Broker Cards.
Property Management & Valuations Companies managing co-owned properties or issuing valuation certificates must register with RERA's specialized directories.
Homeowners & Tenants Landlords and tenants are subject to rent increase indexes and mandatory contract registration via the Ejari platform.

Developer Registration & Project Escrow Compliance

To protect the funds of individual buyers and secure the real estate ecosystem, the UAE government enforces strict controls on project developers under Law No. 8 of 2007:

Escrow Account Requirement: Any developer selling units off-plan must establish a dedicated Escrow Account with an accredited trustee bank. All incoming buyer payments must be deposited directly into this escrow file. The developer cannot withdraw capital for marketing or operations; funds are released solely in proportion to audited construction progress verified by DLD-appointed engineers.

Key compliance requirements include:

Developer Qualification: The corporate partners must prove technical capacity, financial liquidity, and submit bank-backed guarantees.
Pre-Selling Clearance: Launches of off-plan marketing and signing of sales agreements without a RERA-registered escrow account and developer approval are prohibited. Non-compliance results in severe criminal liabilities and corporate freezes.
Technical Reporting: Developers must submit quarterly progress audits detailing site development, financing balance sheets, and construction timelines.

Key RERA Systems & Compliance Channels

RERA manages its regulatory scope through several specialized digital portals. Operating legally in Dubai real estate requires complete integration with these portals:

Oqood (Off-Plan Register) A system designed to register off-plan sales contracts between developers and buyers. Oqood registration prevents multiple sales of the same unit and provides immediate proof of equity ownership before final title deeds are generated.

Trakheesi (Real Estate Permits) The portal responsible for licensing real estate agencies and individual brokers, and issuing advertising permits. Every real estate advertisement (digital, print, or social media) must have a unique Trakheesi permit number displayed.

Mollak (Association Governance) A system regulating service charge collection and management in co-owned properties. Mollak registers owners' associations, tracks escrow files for service charges, and audits property management companies.

Ejari (Lease Registration) The mandatory system for registering commercial and residential tenancy contracts. Ejari registration is required to obtain office trade licenses, sponsor employee visas, or initiate rental disputes in local courts.

The 8-Step Developer & Project Onboarding Workflow

Launching a new property project or brokerage firm onshore in Dubai requires passing through a series of regulatory checkpoints:

Step 1: Mainland Licensing with DET Setting up the onshore corporate entity with a DET trade license selecting real estate development or brokerage activities.

Step 2: DLD Registration Submitting corporate credentials to the Dubai Land Department to register the company as an approved property operator.

Step 3: Land Title Deed Verification Registering the development plot under the company’s name and obtaining clear, dispute-free title deeds.

Step 4: Escrow Account Registration Appointing an approved trustee bank and signing the Project Escrow Account agreement under RERA guidelines.

Step 5: Off-Plan Project Approval Submitting architectural blueprints, structural plans, and cost estimates to RERA for project approval.

Step 6: Trakheesi Marketing Permit Applying for advertising permits for project marketing, including digital campaigns and agent networks.

Step 7: Oqood Buyer Registration Registering individual property sales contracts in the Oqood portal to secure buyer title deposits.

Step 8: Mollak System Activation Registering the homeowner association and service charge accounts upon project completion and handover.

RERA Compliance Violations & Administrative Penalties

Property regulations are strictly enforced. Violating DLD/RERA policies leads to substantial financial fines and potential criminal prosecution:

Illegal Property Advertising: Marketing or advertising real estate (including social media posts and listings) without a valid Trakheesi permit carrying the QR code carries administrative fines up to AED 50,000 per violation.
Escrow Account Breaches: Selling off-plan property units or collecting buyer money without registering a project escrow account is a criminal offence, leading to prison sentences, significant judicial fines, and project freezes.
Ejari Non-Registration: Failing to register a commercial lease on Ejari prevents the tenant from securing trade license renewals, registering employee visas, or filing rental disputes in local courts. Unregistered leases are legally unenforceable.

Practical Guidance for Foreign Investors

To operate successfully in Dubai's real estate market, foreign corporate groups should focus on these strategic directives:

100% Foreign Ownership Under updated Commercial Companies Law guidelines, foreign investors can own 100% of the shares in an onshore real estate brokerage or development company. However, the company must maintain a physical office onshore.

TAQYEEM Valuations Any valuation of real estate assets for financial reporting, capital increases, or bank leverage must be performed by RERA-approved valuation experts (holding a Taqyeem card) to be legally recognized.

Our RERA & Property Compliance Services

We provide full-cycle corporate setup and compliance advisory for property companies:

Developer Registration Support: Coordinating with DET and DLD to qualify companies as registered developers.
Escrow Account Setup Liaison: Pre-clearing bank applications to set up compliant project escrow accounts.
Trakheesi Permit Management: Filing applications for advertising and marketing permits to support real estate digital campaigns.
Brokerage Setup & Licensing: Sponsoring corporate licensing, MOA drafting, and coordinating RERA broker exam training.
Mollak Association Setup: Registering service charge escrow profiles and managing co-owned property structures.

Key Deliverables

Client partners receive the following official RERA and DLD-aligned documents:

Developer Certificate The formal certificate registering the company in the DLD developers registry.

Escrow Agreement The certified contract showing the registration of the project escrow account.

Trakheesi Permit The official permit authorizing property marketing campaigns and agent setups.

Oqood Registrations Certified off-plan sales contracts registered directly in the DLD portal.

Mollak Registration The service charge approval register file set up in the Mollak database.

RERA Broker Cards Physical and digital licenses authorizing individual agents to broker properties.

Ejari Certificates Registered commercial leases proving physical office substance onshore.

Progress Audits RERA-approved technical progress reports auditing site construction.

Why Partner with Us for Property Structuring?

Launching developments requires careful corporate structuring and financial governance. We support you across the entire project lifecycle:

Direct DLD/RERA Channels: Direct application handling to ensure fast pre-approvals.
Trustee Banking Network: Strong connections with major local banks to secure escrow setups.
End-to-End Corporate Setup: We handle the corporate DED/DET registration, licensing, and subsequent RERA credentials under one framework.

Frequently Asked Questions

RERA is the primary regulatory agency governing Dubai's real estate sector. It manages the licensing of brokers, registers developers, audits construction, and regulates off-plan project sales.

Yes. Under Commercial Companies Law updates, foreign investors can own 100% of an onshore real estate development or brokerage firm. The company must be registered with DET and meet DLD capital/minimum requirements.

An escrow account is a bank account registered with a RERA-approved trustee bank where all buyer payments for off-plan units are deposited. Funds are only released to the developer in stages as certified construction milestones are met.

Applicants must hold a valid residency visa under a licensed real estate agency, attend the mandatory training course at the Dubai Real Estate Institute (DREI), and pass the official RERA registration exam.

Trakheesi is RERA's portal for licensing agencies and brokers, and issuing advertising permits. Any firm marketing properties online or offline in Dubai must have a unique Trakheesi permit number for each listing.

The Dubai Land Department (DLD) is the parent government body responsible for land titles and transfers. RERA is the specific regulatory agency operating under the DLD that enforces guidelines and licenses property firms.

Under DLD/RERA rules, if a developer experiences delays, RERA audits the project and can extend timelines, appoint new contractors, or liquidate the project escrow to refund buyers.

Developers and property management companies must submit service charge budget estimates to RERA for audit via Mollak. Service charges cannot be billed to homeowners until approved by RERA.

Yes. An Ejari certificate is a mandatory requirement for Mainland businesses to renew their trade licenses, establish visa files, or initiate tenancy disputes.

Yes, provided you have registered the development project with RERA, set up a certified project escrow account, and obtained the off-plan marketing permit via Trakheesi.

Accelerate Your Real Estate Venture

Partner with our property compliance advisors to register your development, secure your escrow trustee account, and manage your Trakheesi advertising permits.

Get Professional RERA Support

Real Estate Regulatory Agency (RERA) Services & Developer Advisory