Dubai RERA Broker Exam cheat sheet

Law No. 3 of 2003 regulates real estate registration in Dubai and establishes the DLD register as the official record of ownership.

Law No. 13 of 2008 regulates real estate brokerage; practising without a valid RERA broker card is prohibited.

Law No. 8 of 2007 requires escrow guarantee accounts for off-plan real estate development and controls release of buyer funds.

Law No. 26 of 2007, amended by Law No. 33 of 2008, governs landlord-tenant relations, rent and eviction in Dubai.

Law No. 6 of 2019 governs jointly owned property and owners associations, replacing the earlier strata framework.

Decree No. 43 of 2013 links permitted rent increases to the RERA rental index and the 90-day notice rule.

Federal Decree-Law No. 20 of 2018 is the UAE AML/CFT law; real estate brokers are designated non-financial businesses.

RERA is the regulatory arm of the Dubai Land Department and licenses brokers, developers, valuers and owners-association managers.

A brokerage firm must hold a valid DLD/RERA brokerage licence and each practising broker must hold a valid personal broker card.

RERA-approved agency forms distinguish exclusive arrangements (Form A) from non-exclusive arrangements (Form B).

RERA's rental index and Decree No. 43 of 2013 determine the maximum permissible rent increase on renewal.

Service charges for jointly owned property are administered through the Mollak system and approved budgets.

Off-plan projects must be registered with RERA and have an approved escrow account before units are sold.

Valuers and valuation firms must be registered with RERA and follow recognised valuation standards.

RERA can impose fines, suspend or cancel broker cards and refer violations to DLD or the public prosecutor.

A broker card is personal, non-transferable and valid only while the holder is associated with a licensed brokerage.

Applicants must pass the RERA broker exam and meet DLD/RERA registration requirements before a broker card is issued.

Broker cards are renewed annually; practising with an expired or suspended card is an unlicensed activity.

A brokerage company needs a valid trade licence, a registered office and DLD/RERA brokerage registration.

Commission terms must be agreed in writing before the transaction; the broker must disclose the commission amount and payer.

RERA maintains a public register of licensed brokers and brokerages; clients can verify a broker card through DLD channels.

Unlicensed brokerage, card lending and employment of unlicensed brokers attract fines and licence suspension.

A broker owes the client a fiduciary duty to act in the client's best interest and to disclose any conflict of interest.

Dual commission from both sides of a transaction requires full written disclosure and consent from the parties.

Misrepresenting property condition, size, price, ownership or market data is a disciplinary and legal violation.

Client information must be kept confidential and used only for the authorised transaction.

Advertisements must be accurate, authorised by the owner and compliant with RERA advertising rules.

Commission sharing with another broker must be disclosed and agreed by the client.

Brokers must not create fake listings, fictitious offers or artificial bidding to influence price.

Suspected money laundering or terrorist financing must be reported to the FIU; tipping off the client is prohibited.

A property sale in Dubai is completed by registered transfer at DLD or an approved trustee office, not by contract alone.

The DLD transfer fee is generally 4% of the property value plus a fixed administrative fee, payable at registration.

A developer no-objection certificate confirms that service charges and project dues are settled before transfer.

The sale memorandum should state price, deposit, payment terms, handover date, default remedies and dispute resolution.

Form A is the RERA standard exclusive agency agreement; Form B is the non-exclusive agency agreement.

A mortgage must be registered with DLD; the lender's release and NOC are required to remove the mortgage from title.

A power of attorney used for a property transaction must be notarised and, where required, registered with DLD.

Title deed verification identifies the registered owner, plot, unit, mortgages, restrictions and outstanding notices.

Tenancy contracts in Dubai must be registered in Ejari to be recognised for official services such as visas and utilities.

A rent increase requires at least 90 days' written notice before renewal and must not exceed the RERA rental index.

Eviction for demolition, renovation or owner's personal use requires 12 months' notice served through a notary public or registered mail.

The Rental Dispute Centre hears tenancy disputes and can order eviction, rent adjustment or compensation.

Subletting requires the landlord's written consent; unauthorised subletting is a ground for eviction.

The landlord is responsible for structural maintenance unless the tenancy contract places specific obligations on the tenant.

A security deposit is refundable after deductions for unpaid rent, utilities or damage beyond normal wear and tear.

Law No. 26 of 2007 and Law No. 33 of 2008 form the main statutory framework for Dubai tenancies.

A developer must register an off-plan project with RERA and obtain project approval before offering units for sale.

All off-plan buyer payments must be deposited into the project escrow account with an approved escrow agent.

Escrow funds are released to the developer against verified construction milestones, not on demand.

Off-plan sale contracts are registered in Oqood; title deeds are issued after project completion and registration.

The developer must be entered in the DLD Developers Register and the project must have approved consultants and contractors.

Off-plan marketing requires RERA-compliant advertising and disclosure of project registration and escrow details.

Buyers can verify the project registration, escrow account and developer status through DLD/RERA channels.

Law No. 8 of 2007 provides the escrow framework for real estate development in Dubai.

Dubai REST provides DLD services including title deed access, Ejari, Oqood, Mollak and property transaction information.

Title deeds are electronic DLD records identifying the owner, property, plot, unit, mortgage and restrictions.

Property transfer is processed at DLD or an approved trustee office after NOC, contract and fee requirements are met.

Oqood registers off-plan sales; Ejari registers tenancies; Mollak manages service-charge accounts.

A property's plot number and site plan are held in the Dubai cadastre and appear on the title deed.

Mortgage registration and release are recorded against the title deed in the DLD register.

DLD transaction data is a primary source for market analysis, price trends and rental evidence.

Broker and brokerage licences can be verified through DLD/RERA public registers and Dubai REST.

Gross rental yield = annual rent ÷ property price × 100.

Capitalisation rate = net operating income ÷ property value × 100.

The sales comparison approach values property from recent comparable transactions adjusted for differences.

The income approach values property from expected future income, usually using capitalisation or discounted cash flow.

The cost approach estimates value from land value plus replacement cost less depreciation.

RERA-registered valuers must follow recognised standards and produce reports with purpose, basis, assumptions and evidence.

Absorption rate = units sold in a period ÷ units available in that period × 100.

Market analysis uses DLD transaction data, supply pipeline, rents, vacancy and yield trends.

Federal Decree-Law No. 20 of 2018 and Cabinet Decision No. 10 of 2019 impose AML/CFT duties on real estate brokers.

Customer due diligence requires identifying the customer, beneficial owner, verifying documents and understanding the transaction purpose.

Enhanced due diligence applies to politically exposed persons, high-risk jurisdictions and complex ownership structures.

Suspicious transactions must be reported to the UAE Financial Intelligence Unit through goAML without tipping off the client.

Customer identification and transaction records must be retained for five years after the relationship or transaction ends.

Occasional cash transactions of AED 55,000 or more trigger customer due diligence for real estate agents.

Sanctions screening must be performed and a confirmed match requires freezing assets and reporting.

Real estate firms must appoint a compliance officer or MLRO and train staff on AML/CFT obligations.