Leanest
Mainland brokerage LLC
The standard route: a DET trade licence with the brokerage activity, RERA registration, and a small office.
From ~AED 21,000 year one
100% ownership
DET licence + RERA AED 5,020
From ~AED 21,000
For brokerage founders · 2026
Real Estate Brokerage License in Dubai
DET trade licence, RERA registration and an Ejari office, with 100% ownership.
- DET licence + RERA registration
- Ejari office and an ORN
- Broker card (BRN) per agent
- Firm setup from AED 21,000
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The direct answer
What is a Dubai brokerage licence?
A firm needs a DET trade licence plus RERA registration and an Ejari office. Each broker also holds a separate personal broker card.
From AED 21kFirm setup, starting point
AED 5,020RERA brokerage activity fee
100%Foreign ownership, mainland
Which one do you need
Brokerage firm vs individual broker
The keyword covers two different things. Start here: are you opening a company, or joining one as an agent? The rest of this page leads with the firm licence, then covers the broker card.
The company route
Brokerage firm licenceYou open a company
Individual broker cardYou join a firm as an agent
Who it is forYour situation
Founders opening a brokerage
Agents joining an existing firm
What you getThe output
Company licence + RERA ORN
Personal broker card (BRN)
AuthorityWho issues it
DET + RERA / DLD
RERA + DREI
Core cost2026 starting point
From ~AED 21,000
~AED 6,000 to 12,000
Office & EjariPhysical premises
Required, the licence depends on it
Not required, the firm provides it
Foreign ownershipWho can hold it
100% mainland
Not applicable, personal licence
RenewalOngoing
Annual: licence, RERA, each card
Annual, with CPD training
Best for
Anyone building a brokerage business and hiring agents under it.
An individual who wants to practise as an agent under an existing brokerage.
The question to answer first
Are you starting a company, or joining one? If you are opening a brokerage, you need the firm licence below. If you just want to work as an agent, skip to the broker card section.
Real 2026 costs
What a brokerage firm costs in Dubai
Three routes to a brokerage firm, reconciled to the DLD fee schedule. Company costs only; the broker card has its own section.
Export / lower entry
Free zone brokerage
Can be cheaper to start, but needs a No Objection Certificate from the free zone authority before RERA registration.
From ~AED 21,000 to 30,000
NOC from the free zone first
Possible scope limits
AED 21,000 to 30,000
Established office
Office + team
A fuller setup with a dedicated office, several agents and their broker cards.
AED 50,000 to 300,000+
Scales with office & headcount
Broker card per agent
AED 50,000 to 300,000+
Want the itemised cost for your brokerage?
Send us your activity, office and agent count and we return an itemised quote covering the DET licence, RERA registration, Ejari and broker cards.
Figures are 2026 indicative ranges reconciled to the DLD fee schedule (RERA brokerage AED 5,020). The DET trade licence and DLD fees move, so confirm before committing. The bank guarantee people ask about does not apply to sales or leasing brokerage; the AED 5 million guarantee is for third-party property management, a different activity.
What you need
Requirements
The one that stops most firm-side applicants is the office: a corporate brokerage licence cannot issue without leased premises and a registered Ejari tenancy. Sort that early, then the rest follows.
The blocker
Office & Ejari
Leased office space
A physical office; the licence depends on it.
Ejari registration
The tenancy registered in Ejari.
The company
Business
Trade name & DET initial approval
Reserved name and activity approval.
Brokerage activity code
The real estate brokerage activity on the licence.
MOA
Drafted to your ownership structure.
RERA
Registration
Trakheesi registration
Company registered with RERA via the DLD portal.
Manager qualification
As required for the registered office.
Broker card per agent
Each agent registers separately, see below.
Foreign documents need attestation
Documents issued outside the UAE, such as a parent company's papers, must be attested by the UAE embassy in the country of origin and the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs before they are accepted. Start this early, as it runs in parallel with the rest of setup.
Office first. The Ejari-registered office gates the whole licence, so secure it before filing.
Separate the cards. The company licence and each agent's broker card are different applications.
Budget renewals. RERA registration and every broker card renew annually.
The process
How to set up a brokerage, step by step
The firm licence, in order. The office and Ejari come early because everything else depends on them.
6 stagesOffice gates the licence1 dedicated advisor
- 1
Reserve trade name & DET approval
Day 1 to 3Reserve the brokerage trade name and get DET initial approval for the activity.
Name reservedInitial approval - 2
Lease office & register Ejari
Day 3 to 10Take an office and register the tenancy in Ejari. This is the prerequisite the licence depends on, so it is not left to the end.
Office leasedEjari registered - 3
Issue the DET trade licence
Day 10 to 14With approvals and Ejari in place, the DET trade licence carrying the brokerage activity is issued.
Trade licence - 4
Register with RERA via Trakheesi
Day 14 to 18Register the company with RERA through the Trakheesi system. This is what makes the licence operational.
RERA registrationORN - 5
Broker cards per agent
ParallelEach agent completes DREI training, passes the RERA exam and gets a broker card. See the individual section for the detail.
Broker cards - 6
Open the corporate bank account
2 to 6 weeksOpen the corporate account. The bank controls this and runs its own checks, so treat it as a separate process to plan for.
Bank account - Office and Ejari first, always
Licensed and operational
Trade licence issued, RERA registered, broker cards in hand.
Where to set up
Mainland or free zone for a brokerage?
The choice comes down to reach and the NOC step. Here is the honest side by side, with the individual card shown for contrast.
| Factor | Mainland brokerage | Free zone brokerage | Individual card |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dubai market access | Anywhere in Dubai | Via NOC / limits | Under a firm |
| RERA registration | Yes | Yes, after NOC | Broker card only |
| Foreign ownership | 100% | 100% | Not applicable |
| Office & Ejari | Required | Required | Not required |
| Entry cost | From AED 21k | From AED 21 to 30k | AED 6 to 12k |
| Best for | Local market | Lower entry | Joining a firm |
The individual path
Joining a firm: the broker card
This section is for a person joining a brokerage as an agent. It does not let you open a firm; for that, use the corporate sections above.
Get a residence visa
You need a valid UAE residence visa, usually sponsored by the brokerage you join.
- Critical stage
Meet the eligibility
21+, a high-school diploma, and a Good Conduct Certificate.
Complete DREI training
The certified training for real estate brokers (CTRB) at the Dubai Real Estate Institute.
Pass the RERA exam
A pass mark, generally around 70 to 75%. The exam fee scales with your qualification.
- Critical stage
Get your broker card
Apply via Trakheesi; the broker card and BRN are issued in about two working days.
Renew annually with CPD
The card renews each year, with continuing professional development training.
Straight answers
What people get wrong
The misreadings that cost brokerage founders time, money, or a compliance problem.
Myth
A broker card lets me open a brokerage
Reality
No. A broker card (BRN) is a personal licence to practise under a firm. Opening a firm needs a DET licence, RERA registration and an office.
Myth
You still need a bank guarantee to open a brokerage
Reality
Not for brokerage. The AED 5,000 brokerage guarantee was abolished in 2024. The AED 5m figure is for third-party property management.
Myth
A trade licence alone lets me operate
Reality
No. RERA registration and a broker card per agent are mandatory on top of the DET trade licence. The firm and the person differ.
Myth
You need a local sponsor for brokerage
Reality
No. 100% foreign ownership applies to a mainland brokerage since the 2021 reforms, the same as other commercial activities.
Myth
A licence guarantees a bank account
Reality
Separate review. Banking is a separate process the bank controls, and the licence does not guarantee an account.
Myth
A free zone licence works for brokerage as is.
Reality
Not without a further step. A free zone entity needs a No Objection Certificate from its zone authority before RERA will register it.
Why DMCS
Set up your brokerage with one desk
The DET licence, RERA registration, the Ejari office and a broker card per agent. We handle the sequence so nothing stalls.
Where brokerage setups stall
We sequence the office, DET licence and RERA registration so none blocks the next
The office and Ejari gate the licence; RERA registration makes it operational. We order them from the start, not after the name is reserved.
01
The whole brokerage stack
DET trade licence, RERA registration through Trakheesi, the Ejari office, and a broker card for each agent, handled as one sequence.
02
Honest, itemised costs
An itemised quote covering the DET licence, RERA AED 5,020, office and cards, with the year-two renewals most agencies leave off written in from the start.
03
Renewals handled
The licence, RERA registration and each broker card renew annually. We track the dates so nothing lapses.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Get an itemised quote for your brokerage.
Send us your activity, office and agent count and we return an itemised quote covering the DET licence, RERA registration, with year-two renewals written in. No obligation.
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