Real Estate Broker License (RERA) in Dubai: Requirements

Dubai has a tightly regulated property market. If you want to work as a broker, finding clients and joining an agency are only part of the process. You also need the appropriate registration before you can legally carry out brokerage work.

What people usually call a real estate broker license Dubai or “RERA licence” is actually a combination of regulatory steps. A brokerage company needs the appropriate real estate activity licence while an individual broker needs to be registered and hold the relevant professional practice card.

Dubai Land Department (DLD), through the Real Estate Regulatory Agency (RERA), oversees this system. The process usually involves working with a licensed brokerage, completing the required real estate training, passing the applicable broker examination, obtaining a good conduct certificate and completing registration through DLD systems.

This guide explains the current requirements and, importantly, separates the requirements for an individual agent from those for someone opening a brokerage company.

What Is a RERA Broker Licence in Dubai?

RERA is the regulatory arm of the Dubai Land Department responsible for regulating Dubai's real estate sector. Brokers, brokerage offices and other real estate professionals operate within the DLD/RERA framework.

DLD states that a broker must be registered in the brokers registry and hold a broker card before practising real estate brokerage in Dubai. Customers can also check licensed brokers through DLD and the Dubai REST application.

This is where the terminology can get confusing.

If you are an employee or sales agent joining a real estate company, the document you are mainly working towards is the real estate professional practice card, often called a RERA broker card or broker ID.

If you are starting an entire brokerage company, you need a real estate business licence as well. DLD's current licensing procedure says the business licence application goes through the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism, followed by registration in Trakheesi and the relevant professional practice cards.

You can read Nexture's broader guide on what real estate brokers in Dubai need to know if you also want to understand advertising permits, brokerage operations and ongoing compliance.

Who Can Apply for a RERA Broker Licence?

The requirements depend on whether you want to work as a broker for an existing firm or establish your own brokerage.

Individual Real Estate Agents

For the normal employment route, an expatriate typically works through a licensed real estate brokerage rather than operating independently.

DLD's FAQ says that adding a broker to a real estate facility requires the individual to:

• Pass the required real estate qualification course

• Hold a valid certificate of good conduct

• Provide a photograph

• Have the appropriate residency linked to the licence

• Provide passport and residency documents

• Pay the applicable broker card fee

DLD also states that nobody may practise the registered activity until they have been registered and obtained the relevant practice card.

One useful detail concerns your visa. DLD's training guidance says you can attend training even if your visa is not yet under the company. However, its licensing FAQ says an expatriate broker being added to a real estate facility should have residency on the same licence.

Brokerage Owners and Managers

Opening your own brokerage involves company licensing as well as professional registration.

DLD says managers or partners added to a real estate brokerage licence must be at least 18, complete the required real estate qualification course, obtain a good conduct certificate and meet the relevant residency requirements. A person also cannot be a manager or partner on another real estate brokerage licence under the conditions listed in DLD's FAQ.

RERA Broker Licence Requirements

For most new applicants planning to become a real estate agent in Dubai, the practical requirements fall into several stages.

1. Work with an appropriately licensed brokerage

   Your broker registration is connected to the licensed real estate business under which you operate.

2. Complete the required real estate training

   DLD provides training and certification services for real estate professionals. The authority confirms that brokers are among the categories for which a separate examination is conducted.

3. Pass the broker examination

   The current DLD professional practice card page lists the broker examination as part of the process. It currently shows an exam fee of AED 700 plus an AED 10 knowledge fee and an AED 10 innovation fee.

4. Obtain a good conduct certificate

   DLD requires a certificate of good conduct issued by Dubai Police. The certificate should be directed to the Dubai Land Department or RERA where applicable.

   The official Dubai Police Police Clearance Certificate service can be used for this requirement. Dubai Police currently lists a fee of AED 200 for residents plus AED 20 in knowledge and innovation fees.

5. Obtain the professional practice card

   Once the eligibility conditions are met, the application is completed through Trakheesi.

   The official DLD professional practice card service currently lists the real estate broker card at AED 500, plus AED 10 knowledge and AED 10 innovation fees.

Documents Required for RERA Broker Registration

The exact document list can depend on your status and application type. For a typical individual broker, you should be ready with:

• Emirates ID

• Passport copy

• UAE residency details

• Recent personal photograph

• Certificate of good conduct

• Required training or qualification certificate

• Broker examination result where applicable

• Employment or company information connected with the brokerage

DLD's current practice-card service page specifically lists a personal photo and Emirates ID, while its more detailed licensing FAQ also refers to passport, residency, qualification and good-conduct documentation when a broker is being added to a facility.

For brokerage companies, you will also deal with corporate documents tied to the business licence. These may include company ownership documents, approved activities and information required by DET or DLD.

How to Get a RERA Broker Licence in Dubai

Here is the usual route for someone who wants a real estate agent license Dubai.

1. Join a Licensed Real Estate Brokerage

   Start by finding a brokerage that is properly licensed in Dubai.

   Do not assume that every company advertising real estate jobs holds the correct authorisation. DLD provides an online directory where you can check licensed real estate brokers and offices.

2. Complete the Required Real Estate Agent Course

   Register for the appropriate broker training.

   The real estate agent course Dubai applicants take is intended to prepare them for the legal and practical responsibilities of brokerage work. DLD's training platform provides courses and certification services for property professionals.

   Training costs are not necessarily a fixed government amount because approved programmes and providers can differ. For example, one current DLD-partnered training provider lists its broker course at AED 2,400, excluding examination fees.

   Always check the current approved course and fee before paying.

3. Take the RERA Broker Exam

   After completing the relevant training, register for the broker examination.

   The official exam material covers areas such as real estate concepts, brokerage sales agreements, property management, jointly owned property, valuation, professional ethics and Dubai real estate legislation.

   For a new applicant, you should prepare around the actual regulatory framework rather than memorising online practice questions alone.

4. Obtain Your Good Conduct Certificate

   Apply for your Dubai Police clearance certificate.

   Dubai Police states that its certificate confirms an applicant's conduct from a security and criminal-record perspective and may be used for employment or licensing purposes. The certificate is currently valid for three months.

5. Submit the Broker Card Application

   The brokerage or authorised user can submit the professional practice card request through Trakheesi.

   DLD describes the process as:

   1. Log in or create a Trakheesi account.

   2. Enter the required details and upload documents.

   3. Submit the application for review.

   4. Pay the approved fees.

   5. Print or access the issued e-card.

   DLD currently lists the practice-card service time itself as five minutes once the application reaches the issuance stage.

   That does not mean you can complete the entire RERA process in five minutes. Training, examination, police clearance, employment documentation and residency steps all happen before or around this stage.

RERA Broker Exam and Training

Training is there to make sure brokers understand the rules they will actually use when working with landlords, sellers, buyers and tenants.

The course and examination can cover subjects such as:

• Dubai real estate laws

• Brokerage agreements

• Sales and leasing procedures

• Professional conduct and ethics

• Property management concepts

• Real estate valuation

• Jointly owned properties

• DLD processes and regulatory procedures

DLD states that its training is conducted in English through the training service it currently offers. Brokers then take their examination separately.

The current DLD broker-card service lists the exam at:

DLD also lists certain exam exemptions, including individuals above 55, brokers with five consecutive years of service in the same real estate office and qualifying start-up licence holders. New entrants should normally plan on completing the exam unless DLD confirms that an exemption applies to them.

RERA Licence Renewal and Compliance

Getting your broker card is not the end of your regulatory responsibilities.

DLD states that the validity of the broker card is connected to the validity of the relevant licence. The professional practice card therefore needs to remain valid if you want to continue conducting brokerage activity legally.

The current renewal service lists:

• Broker card renewal: AED 500

• Knowledge fee: AED 10

• Innovation fee: AED 10

That brings the listed government card renewal charges to AED 520.

DLD's FAQ also refers to a continuing education course certificate for renewal while its current renewal service lists passing the annual test to practise the mediation profession as a service condition. Because renewal requirements can be updated, brokers should check their Trakheesi account and current DLD instructions before the expiry date. Compliance also continues during day-to-day work.

Real estate advertising, for example, may require a Trakheesi permit. DLD's advertising service covers online ads, classified listings, promotional campaigns, billboards and several other advertising formats.

Working without valid registration can also affect your right to claim brokerage commission. DLD specifically notes that an unlicensed broker may lose the right to claim commission.

Conclusion

Getting a real estate broker license Dubai, which applicants commonly call a RERA licence involves more than completing one course.

If you are joining an established brokerage, your route usually covers training, the broker exam, a good conduct certificate, employment and residency requirements and a DLD professional practice card.

If you plan to open your own brokerage, you also need the correct company structure, business activity licence and DLD/RERA approvals.

Keep the two processes separate when planning your budget. A broker card costing a few hundred dirhams does not represent the full cost of opening a real estate brokerage company in Dubai.

Frequently Asked Questions