HowtoStartaRealEstateBrokerageinDubai(2026):Licence,RERAandBrokerCards

To start a real estate brokerage in Dubai, you get a Dubai trade licence with the real estate brokerage activity from the Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), rent a physical office, register the company with the Real Estate Regulatory Agency (RERA) through the Trakheesi system, and make sure every broker passes the Dubai Real Estate Institute (DREI) training and the RERA exam to receive a broker card. Before marketing any property, each advert needs a RERA advertising permit. As a real estate business, you also have anti-money-laundering (AML) duties, including registration on the goAML platform.

This guide covers the licensing steps, the broker certification process, office and advertising rules, AML compliance, how brokerages earn money, typical costs and common mistakes. It is based on published DET, Dubai Land Department (DLD) and RERA procedures, checked as of October 2026. Fees and exam rules are updated periodically, so confirm them on the DLD and DREI websites before you start.

What You Need to Run a Real Estate Brokerage in Dubai

How to Start a Real Estate Brokerage, Step by Step

1. Choose the legal form and reserve the trade name, following the UAE company name rules.
2. Get initial approval from the DET with the real estate brokerage activity.
3. Rent an office in a commercial building and register the lease with Ejari. Check that the premises meet RERA's requirements before signing.
4. Complete the DREI training and RERA exam for the manager and each broker.
5. Issue the trade licence and register the company with RERA through Trakheesi.
6. Apply for broker cards for each qualified broker.
7. Register on goAML and adopt AML policies.
8. Open a corporate bank account and set up client money procedures.
9. Apply for advertising permits for each listing before it goes live on portals or social media.

Broker Training, Exam and Annual Renewal

Every person who deals with clients as a broker needs a valid broker card. To get one, candidates complete the certified training course run by the Dubai Real Estate Institute and pass the RERA exam, then the company applies for the card through Trakheesi. Broker cards are renewed annually, and the DLD has introduced an annual test as part of renewal, so plan for ongoing training. Course and exam fees are published by DREI and the DLD, and together usually come to a few thousand dirhams per broker.

Unlicensed brokers cannot legally market properties or earn commission, and agencies that use them risk fines and suspension. Make broker card status part of your onboarding checklist for every new hire.

Advertising Rules

RERA requires an advertising permit before any property is advertised, whether on property portals, social media or print. The permit number must appear on the advert. You also need the owner's written authority to market the property, usually through the RERA listing agreement. Portals check permits, and RERA monitors adverts, so building permits into your listing workflow avoids fines and removed listings.

Anti-Money-Laundering Duties for Brokerages

Real estate brokers are designated non-financial businesses under UAE AML law. In practice this means:

• Registering on goAML and appointing a compliance officer.
• Carrying out customer due diligence on buyers and sellers, including source of funds where required.
• Filing real estate activity reports on goAML for qualifying transactions, such as purchases involving cash or virtual assets above the thresholds set by the authorities.
• Reporting suspicious transactions and screening clients against sanctions lists.
• Keeping records for the required period.

Banks also look closely at brokerages because client money passes through them, so documented AML procedures make account opening easier. See our guide to why corporate bank accounts get rejected.

How a Dubai Brokerage Earns Money

• Sales commission, commonly around 2% of the price on secondary market sales, as agreed with the client.
• Rental commission, commonly around 5% of the annual rent, paid by the tenant.
• Developer commission on off-plan sales, set by each developer's agency agreement.
• Property management fees, if you add management services.

Most brokerages pay brokers a split of the commission they generate. Off-plan sales have driven much of the market, so registering with developers as an approved agency is an important early step.

Choosing Your Niche

Dubai has thousands of registered brokerages, so new agencies usually do better by focusing. Common niches are:

• Off-plan sales, working with developers on new launches, which depends on developer registration and marketing budgets.
• Secondary sales, listing and selling ready homes, which depends on owner relationships and accurate pricing.
• Leasing and property management, which brings recurring income and steady contact with landlords.
• Commercial property, offices, retail and warehouses for business tenants and investors.
• International buyers, serving clients from specific countries in their own language.

The niche shapes your hiring, marketing and the developers or landlords you build relationships with, so decide it before you sign an office lease.

Hiring and Managing Brokers

Most Dubai brokerages pay brokers mainly through commission splits, sometimes with a basic salary. Each broker needs a visa, a broker card and training, so the cost of a new hire starts before they close a deal. Set clear rules on lead allocation, listing ownership and how commission is shared on joint deals, and put them in writing. Track each broker's card expiry and annual renewal test, because an expired card means the broker cannot legally practise. Our guide to hiring your first employee in Dubai covers visas and contracts.

Costs to Plan For

• Trade licence and RERA registration fees.
• Office rent, often the largest fixed cost.
• DREI training, exams and broker cards for each broker, plus annual renewals.
• Visas for the manager and brokers.
• Portal subscriptions and marketing, which can be significant for a listing-led business.
• Advertising permits, CRM software and AML tools.

Our first-year company cost breakdown covers licence, visa and office costs in more detail.

Working With Developers

Off-plan projects are sold mainly through registered agencies, so developer relationships are a major source of income for new brokerages. Most developers ask agencies to register with them before they can sell a project, supplying the trade licence, RERA registration, broker cards and company documents, and then sign an agency agreement setting the commission and payment terms. Commission is usually paid after the buyer has paid a set share of the price and the sale is registered, so allow for a gap between closing a deal and being paid. Keep records of every client introduction to avoid disputes over who sold a unit.

Common Mistakes When Starting a Brokerage

• Choosing a licence or office that does not meet RERA's requirements.
• Letting brokers work before their broker cards are issued.
• Advertising listings without permits.
• Skipping goAML registration and AML procedures.
• Underestimating marketing costs and the time to the first commissions.

Key Takeaways

• A Dubai brokerage needs a DET licence with the brokerage activity, a physical office and RERA registration.
• Every broker must complete DREI training, pass the RERA exam and hold a broker card, renewed annually.
• Each property advert needs a RERA permit.
• Brokerages have AML duties, including goAML registration and reporting.
• Commission is commonly around 2% on sales and 5% on rentals.

Start Your Brokerage With SMS Consulting

SMS Consulting, operating under ISO 9001:2015-certified processes across offices in Dubai, London, Delhi and Dhaka, sets up real estate brokerages, from the DET licence and office to RERA registration, visas and banking. Our sister company, SMS Realty, is an active Dubai brokerage, so we know the process from the inside. See our real estate services or talk to us.