How to set up a real estate business in Dubai
1Register the company and trade licenceRegister the entity and the real-estate brokerage activity with DET. Brokerage serving the Dubai market is a mainland activity.
2Register with RERAA brokerage must register with RERA under the Dubai Land Department before it can operate. This registration is the step that gates the business.
3Qualify your brokersEach broker completes the RERA training and exam and holds a broker card. We coordinate the registrations alongside the company.
4Set up staff visasSponsor your brokers and admin team through the establishment card and visa quota.
5Open the corporate bank accountOpen a business account to receive commissions and run payroll. We introduce you to the right banking officer.
Why start a real estate business in Dubai?
Dubai has one of the most active property markets in the region, with continuous new supply and a large pool of resident and overseas buyers and tenants. That sustains demand for brokerage, property management and consultancy. Real estate is a regulated activity, so the barrier to entry is real, but a registered, compliant brokerage can operate with the credibility the market expects.
Real estate licence: what it involves and cost
A real-estate brokerage runs on a DET trade licence plus RERA registration under the Dubai Land Department, and your brokers must pass the RERA exam and hold broker cards. Because the registrations and your visa quota drive the cost, we price your exact setup rather than publish a figure that would not fit it. Get your exact quote.
Documents required
Passport copies of the shareholders and the manager
The proposed trade name and brokerage activity
A tenancy contract for a physical office
Broker qualifications and RERA registration details
Mainland vs free zone vs offshore: which fits?
How OMC helps you establish your real estate business
We have handled UAE company formation since 2007, across more than 1,400 companies. Real estate is RERA-regulated, so we manage the DET licence and the RERA registration together, coordinate the broker cards, and set up the establishment card and visas. We also introduce you to a banking officer for commissions and payroll.
Frequently asked questions
You register a company with the Department of Economy and Tourism for the brokerage activity, then register with RERA under the Dubai Land Department, with your brokers passing the RERA exam. OMC handles the licence and the RERA registration together.
Yes. Each broker must complete the RERA training and exam and hold a broker card to operate legally. We coordinate the broker registrations alongside the company setup.
Yes. Foreign investors can own a mainland real-estate brokerage. We confirm the ownership rule and the RERA conditions for the specific activity before you file.
A brokerage serving the Dubai property market is a mainland activity registered with RERA, which a free-zone licence does not cover. We set it up on the mainland with the required registration.
The trade licence is quick, but the RERA registration and broker cards set the real timeline. We give you a realistic schedule once we know your activity and team.
Related services
Mainland company setup
PRO and government approvals
Corporate bank account opening
Company formation in the UAE