Open a real estate brokerage in Dubai with the office approval and broker cards in order. PROXPAT sets up the company, files the DLD activity application and registers your brokers.
Page last updated: . Requirements, government fees and processing times are set by the relevant UAE authority and can change.
Real Estate Brokerage Licence in Dubai
A Dubai real estate brokerage needs two layers of approval. The business needs a trade licence carrying approved real estate activities, cleared by the Dubai Land Department (DLD). Each broker then needs their own professional practice card.
DLD handles the activity approval through its Trakheesi system or the Invest in Dubai platform, with applications linked to the Department of Economy and Tourism licence. The fees and requirements below come from DLD's own service pages.
PROXPAT sets up the company and office, files the DLD real estate licensing application, and prepares each broker's file for the exam and card.
The 21 Real Estate Activities DLD Licenses
Real estate sales and purchase brokerage
Real estate leasing brokerage
Mortgage brokerage
Mortgage consultancy
Real estate consultancy
Real estate development
Real estate registration trustee
Real estate services trustee
Real estate promotion trustee
Public real estate auction organisation
Real estate exhibition organisation
Administrative supervision of owners' associations
Administrative supervision of properties
Real estate valuation
Property inspection
Land surveying
Leasing and management of private property
Leasing and management of third-party property
Buying and selling land and properties
Real estate service centre
Real estate representative office
Most brokerages start with sales and leasing brokerage. Choose activities carefully, because some carry much higher fees or extra conditions. See business activity consultation.
DLD Annual Activity Fees
| Activity group | Annual fee |
|---|---|
| Most activities, including brokerage | AED 5,000 + AED 20 |
| Exhibition organisation, owners' association supervision, valuation | AED 10,000 + AED 20 |
| Leasing and management of third-party property | AED 15,000 + AED 20 |
| Real estate development | AED 25,000 + AED 20 |
| Real estate registration trustee | AED 100,000 + AED 20 |
| Situation | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Office in a freehold area | A no-objection letter from the licensing entity |
| Real estate development | Land ownership verified electronically |
| Third-party property management | A bank guarantee of AED 5 million |
DLD lists a service time of 1 working day and accepts payment by credit card, e-Dirham or Noqodi wallet.
The Broker Card (Professional Practice Card)
Each person practising a licensed real estate profession needs a DLD professional practice card. DLD issues cards for 13 roles, including real estate broker, national broker, real estate projects marketing, mortgage broker, real estate consultant, mortgage consultant, real estate registrar and real estate evaluator.
| Topic | DLD position |
|---|---|
| Card fee | AED 500 for most cards; AED 5,000 for a real estate evaluator card |
| Good conduct | A good conduct certificate from Dubai Police |
| Documents | Personal photo, Emirates ID copy and, where required, an experience certificate |
| Valuation experience | At least two years for citizens and five years for expatriates |
| Validity | Linked to the validity of the trade licence |
| Service time | 5 minutes |
The Broker Exam and Its Exemptions
| Topic | DLD position |
|---|---|
| Requirement | Brokers must pass the annual test |
| Fee | AED 700, plus AED 10 Knowledge Dirham and AED 10 Innovation Dirham |
| Exempt | Applicants above 55 years of age |
| Exempt | Brokers with 5 consecutive years of service in the same real estate office |
| Exempt | Start-up licence holders |
Plan exam dates before announcing hires. A broker who has not passed, or is not exempt, cannot receive a card.
Setting Up a Brokerage Step by Step
Step 1: Choose the real estate activities and legal form.
Step 2: Reserve the trade name and secure office space (with a no-objection letter in freehold areas).
Step 3: Submit the real estate licensing application on Trakheesi or Invest in Dubai.
Step 4: Pay the DLD activity fee and receive approval.
Step 5: Complete the trade licence with the Department of Economy and Tourism.
Step 6: Open the establishment card and process broker visas.
Step 7: Each broker passes the exam or confirms an exemption and obtains a good conduct certificate.
Step 8: Issue a professional practice card for each broker.
For the company side, see Dubai mainland company formation and employment visa services.
First-Year DLD Costs: An Example
| Item | Calculation | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Brokerage activity fee | AED 5,000 + AED 20 | AED 5,020 |
| Broker exams | 3 × (AED 700 + AED 10 + AED 10) | AED 2,160 |
| Broker cards | 3 × AED 500 | AED 1,500 |
| DLD total | AED 8,680 |
This covers DLD charges only. The trade licence, office, establishment card and visas come on top. Estimate the company side with our business setup cost calculator.
Mainland or Free Zone?
DLD's licensing service covers both routes. Mainland brokerages apply alongside their DET licence, and for free zone licences the service issues a DLD no-objection certificate. Some free zones list real estate brokerage among their licensable activities; IFZA, for example, gives it as an example under its commercial licence. Check that a zone licenses your exact activities before choosing it. See IFZA and free zone company formation.
Staying Compliant
- Renew the trade licence on time. Broker cards are tied to it, so a lapsed licence affects every broker.
- Keep up with the annual test for brokers who are not exempt.
- Card every new hire before they practise.
- Keep the establishment card current for broker visas. See establishment card.
- Register on goAML, because real estate brokers and agents are designated non-financial businesses under UAE AML rules. See AML and goAML registration.
How PROXPAT Helps
Activity selection and fee planning
Company formation and trade name
Office and freehold no-objection letter
DLD real estate licensing application
Establishment card and broker visas
Good conduct certificate coordination
Exam scheduling and exemption checks
Broker card issuance and renewals
Frequently Asked Questions
Build a compliant brokerage.
Explore connected PROXPAT services that support the same client journey.
The licence is the start of the government work, not the end of it
Once the trade licence is issued, the sequence that actually lets you operate begins: the establishment card, the MOHRE and immigration files, your employee quota, then employee visas and work permits. After that it repeats every year — renewals, cancellations when people leave, and licence renewal and amendments.
Companies that would rather not build that function in-house put it on a monthly PRO retainer from AED 700, or use it per transaction. Government fees stay separate and itemised either way.
The first six months after incorporation
- Establishment card issued through immigration
- MOHRE file opened and e-signature completed
- Employee quota checked before hiring
- Offer letters, work permits and entry permits
- Medical, Emirates ID and visa stamping
- Corporate tax and VAT registration where they apply
More in Licences and Compliance
Open Your Real Estate Brokerage in Dubai
PROXPAT forms the company, files the DLD activity application, processes broker visas and registers every broker for their practice card.