RERA was established in 2007 as the regulatory arm of the DLD (source: Dubai Land Department). While the DLD registers ownership and settles transactions, RERA sets the framework: it registers projects, licenses brokers, supervises the escrow accounts of off-plan projects and approves the service charges that the management entity of a development collects from owners (Dubai Law No. 6 of 2019, Art. 27).
RERA matters to buyers at several points. It checks construction progress on registered projects before funds are released from the escrow account. Through the Mollak system it controls community charges. And it runs the Service Charge Index, which shows the approved annual charge for a development.
A RERA-licensed broker and a RERA-registered project are a buyer’s first safety check. Without registration, there is no official control over payments and construction progress.
See how we check developer and project against RERA rules on our Dubai developer due diligence page.
What does RERA stand for, and is RERA the same as the DLD?
RERA stands for Real Estate Regulatory Agency, in Arabic مؤسسة التنظيم العقاري, short form ريرا. It is the regulatory arm of the Dubai Land Department, an entity within the DLD rather than a separate authority.
The Dubai Land Department documents and audits real estate transactions. RERA manages licensing and training, supervises development escrow accounts and handles investor inquiries and complaints.
Does RERA cover the whole UAE or only Dubai?
RERA is the real estate regulator of the Emirate of Dubai. Ras Al Khaimah and Abu Dhabi have their own bodies: the Real Estate Regulatory Administration (RERA-RAK) of Ras Al Khaimah Municipality, and the Abu Dhabi Real Estate Centre (ADREC).
RERA-RAK licenses and registers developers and projects, supervises escrow accounts for off-plan sales, organises the work of brokers and issues advertising permits. ADREC was established in November 2023 by the Department of Municipalities and Transport. If you buy in Ras Al Khaimah, RERA-RAK is your point of contact, not RERA in Dubai.
How do you check whether a broker or project is registered with RERA?
You can check whether a broker or project is registered with RERA through official channels: brokers in the Dubai REST app using their card number, projects there or on the Dubai Land Department website using the project name or number.
- Broker: the e-card verification in Dubai REST asks for the card type and card number and shows the result immediately.
- Project: the Dubai Land Department Project Status Enquiry searches by project name or number and lists, among other details, the developer, inspection details and the escrow account.
What is a RERA certificate or RERA licence for brokers?
RERA certificate or RERA licence usually refers to one of two official records: the brokerage firm’s licence with its entry in the Dubai brokers registry, or the personal broker card (Real Estate Professional Practice Card) of each individual broker.
The Dubai Land Department issues the card through its Trakheesi system. Requirements include a certificate of good conduct from Dubai Police and passing the annual professional exam, with some exemptions. The card is only valid as long as the trade licence.
What does RERA mean for you when buying off-plan?
When you buy off-plan in Dubai, RERA supervises the escrow accounts that Law No. 8 of 2007 requires your payments to go into: an account in the project’s name, used exclusively for building that project.
The same law bars developers from advertising or exhibiting off-plan units without written approval from the Dubai Land Department. Once the completion certificate is issued, the escrow agent retains 5 percent of the account and releases it to the developer one year after the units are registered in the buyers’ names. How we guide you through such a purchase is explained on our off-plan property in Dubai page.
