Regulatory

RERA

Real Estate Regulatory Agency

RERA: The Dubai government agency that regulates real estate developers, brokers, and transactions. Part of the Dubai Land Department.

What is RERA?

RERA (Real Estate Regulatory Agency) is the regulatory arm of the Dubai Land Department, established in 2007 by Decree No. 16. RERA licenses real estate brokers, regulates developer escrow accounts, publishes the rental index (used for tenancy rent caps), and operates the RDSC (Rental Dispute Settlement Centre). Every Dubai real estate broker must hold a valid RERA broker ID; every developer must register projects with RERA before marketing them; every tenancy contract must be registered with Ejari (administered by RERA). The Real Estate Investor Protection Law (Law 8 of 2007) gives RERA jurisdiction over off-plan escrow protection, ensuring buyer payments are held in escrow accounts and released to developers only against verified construction milestones.

Example

Before buying an off-plan unit from Developer X, you can verify on the RERA Trakheesi system that the developer has a valid trade licence, the project is RERA-registered, and the escrow account is open.

FAQ — RERA

How do I check if a broker is RERA-licensed?+

Search the broker's name on the Dubai REST app or the Dubai Land Department website. Every licensed broker has a 5-digit RERA permit number that should appear on business cards, listings, and contracts.

Does RERA also operate in Abu Dhabi?+

No. RERA is Dubai-specific. Abu Dhabi has a separate regulator — DMT (Department of Municipalities and Transport) and ADREC (Abu Dhabi Real Estate Centre). The regulatory frameworks are similar but distinct.