How to become a real estate agent in Dubai: steps, costs and your BRN
The steps to become a registered real estate agent in Dubai: residency, a sponsoring brokerage, DREI training, the broker exam and your BRN, with official DLD fees and a cost table.
To become a real estate agent in Dubai you need to be a UAE resident aged 21 or over, join a licensed brokerage, complete the Dubai Real Estate Institute (DREI) training, pass the RERA broker exam and receive a broker card with your Broker Registration Number (BRN). The official government fees are small, and the main cost is the training course. This guide sets out the steps in order, what each one costs, who does what, and what to do in your first months once the card is issued.
Who can become a real estate agent in Dubai
Anyone can apply to enter the profession if they meet the basic conditions. The requirements most agents meet first are:
- Age. You must be at least 21.
- UAE residency. You need a residence visa and an Emirates ID. You cannot work in the field on a visit visa.
- A sponsoring brokerage. Every registered agent works under a licensed brokerage, which is identified on the broker card and on the DLD register.
- Training and the exam. You complete RERA-recognised broker training through DREI and pass the broker exam.
There is no requirement to have worked in property before, so people enter from other careers, from abroad and straight from study. The requirement that decides the timing is the residence visa. If you are already resident in the UAE, you can begin the training straight away. If you are moving to Dubai, most agents arrange the visa through the brokerage that hires them.
How to become a real estate agent in Dubai, step by step
Step | What happens | Who does it | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | Hold a UAE residence visa and Emirates ID | You, or the brokerage that sponsors you | Federal and Dubai immigration services |
2 | Choose a licensed brokerage to join | You | Brokerage interviews and agent agreements |
3 | Complete the broker training course | You | Dubai Real Estate Institute (DREI) |
4 | Pass the broker exam | You | DLD exam booking |
5 | Apply for the broker card | You and the brokerage | Trakheesi, the DLD licensing system |
6 | Receive the e-card with your BRN | DLD | Dubai REST app and DLD register |
7 | Renew the card every year | You and the brokerage | Trakheesi |
Step 1 and 2: residency and a brokerage
Agents in Dubai cannot practise independently. The broker card shows your photo, your BRN, your brokerage's name and the expiry date, and the registration moves with you when you change firms. That is why most newcomers speak to several brokerages before choosing one. The things to compare are:
- The commission split between agent and brokerage. Bayut describes 50:50 as the usual pattern.
- Whether the brokerage sponsors your visa and pays for your card and training.
- The leads and portal subscriptions the firm provides, and whether they are shared.
- The firm's focus, such as secondary sales, off-plan, rentals or luxury.
The phrase freelance real estate agent appears constantly in searches, and it means something narrower than it sounds. You can work commission-only under a brokerage, with your own hours and clients, but your card and your commission still run through a licensed firm. Commission is only ever paid to a brokerage, never to an individual.
Step 3: the DREI training course
DLD organises broker training through the Dubai Real Estate Institute. The course covers Dubai property law, the brokerage process, contracts and professional ethics. Course fees are set by the institute and change over time. Published guides quote about AED 3,000 or more for the training itself, and a brokerage will often tell you which intake and provider it uses before you enrol.
Step 4: the broker exam
The exam tests the law and procedures covered in the course. DLD publishes the government fees for it:
- AED 700 for the broker exam
- AED 10 knowledge fee and AED 10 innovation fee
- AED 50 plus VAT for the electronic registration (ERES) fee
DLD waives the exam for some applicants, including people over 55, brokers with five consecutive years of service in the same real estate office, and start-up licence holders. For almost every first-time agent, the exam applies.
Step 5 and 6: the broker card and your BRN
The card is issued through Trakheesi, the DLD system used for brokerage licensing, advertising permits and broker cards. DLD lists the broker card fee at AED 500. The application is submitted online, payment is made through the system, and the electronic card is printed or shown from the Dubai REST app. DLD describes the service time as five minutes once the application is accepted, so the weeks go on the training, the exam booking and the visa, and the card itself is quick.
Your card carries your BRN, which the whole market uses to identify you. Other agents will check it before sharing a client or a unit with you, using the DLD register. Our guide to how to check a Dubai agent's BRN describes exactly what they look for.
Step 7: annual renewal
A broker card is not permanent. It has to be renewed each year, and the brokerage's own trade licence has to stay valid for the card to stay valid. An expired BRN means you cannot act on a deal until it is renewed, so most agents diary the date and renew early.
How much does it cost to become a real estate agent in Dubai?
The costs fall into two groups: official fees you can look up, and costs that vary by provider and brokerage.
Cost | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
Broker exam | AED 700 | DLD, plus AED 10 knowledge fee and AED 10 innovation fee |
Electronic registration (ERES) fee | AED 50 plus VAT | DLD |
Broker card | AED 500 | DLD, issued as an e-card |
DREI training course | From about AED 3,000 | Set by the institute; check the current intake |
Visa and Emirates ID | Varies | Often paid by the sponsoring brokerage |
Annual renewal | Card fee plus knowledge and innovation fees | Paid every year through Trakheesi |
Adding the DLD fees to a training course at about AED 3,000 gives a figure of roughly AED 4,300 before visa costs. Brokerages that sponsor agents often cover some or all of this, so the amount you pay personally depends on the agreement you sign. Ask in writing which costs the firm covers, and whether any are repayable if you leave within a set period.
How long does it take to become an agent?
No official source publishes one timeline, because the steps depend on different parties. The card itself takes minutes to issue. The elements that take time are your visa, the dates of the next training course and exam, and how quickly you choose a brokerage. Agents who are already resident and decide on a brokerage early can move through the training and exam in the time it takes to book them, while someone arriving from overseas should plan around the visa first.
How do real estate agents get paid in Dubai?
Agents are paid commission, and the structure depends on the type of deal:
- Resale. The standard commission is 2% of the sale price, commonly paid by the buyer, with VAT added.
- Rentals. The market norm is 5% of the annual rent, with VAT added, and some firms charge a minimum flat fee.
- Off-plan. The developer pays the broker commission, and the rate varies by developer and project. Bayut quotes a range of 2% to 8%.
These are market norms and are negotiable. Commission goes to the brokerage, which then pays you your share under your agent agreement. When two agents from different brokerages work the same deal, each side takes a part of the fee, which is why co-broking matters so much to a new agent. Our guide to how commission splits work on a co-broke in Dubai shows the usual arrangements, and co-broking off-plan property explains how developer commission flows.
Commission is only paid when a deal completes, so a new agent has no income from their own deals until the first one closes. Plan your living costs for the first few months before you start.
Your first 90 days as a new agent
Once the card is issued, the work is building a pipeline. Four things are worth doing in the first quarter:
- Choose a focus. Pick one or two communities and one deal type. An agent who knows Dubai Marina rentals or Jumeirah Village Circle resales thoroughly is easier to remember than a generalist.
- Set up your online presence. A Google profile, a simple website and a few real reviews bring in clients who search for you by name. Our guide on how Dubai agents get more leads has a 30-day plan.
- Learn the advertising rules. Property advertising needs a Trakheesi permit number, and a resale listing needs a signed Form A or the owner's no objection certificate behind it.
- Start co-broking early. A new agent rarely holds much stock, but can bring buyers. Writing buyer requirements that other agents can act on is the quickest way to get introduced to listing agents who hold the properties your clients want.
Questions new agents ask
Can I become a real estate agent in Dubai with no experience?
Yes. The route is the same for everyone: residency, a sponsoring brokerage, the DREI course, the exam and the card. Experience in property is not a requirement, although sales or client service experience helps in the first year.
Can I become an agent in Dubai from another country?
You need a UAE residence visa before you can train and register, and the usual route is a brokerage that sponsors the visa after you accept a position. The steps depend on your visa status.
Do I need a degree?
No degree is listed among the requirements. The requirements are age, residency, training and the exam.
What is a BRN?
The Broker Registration Number is the number RERA issues to each registered agent. It appears on your card, your advertisements and your business cards, and it is how other agents and clients confirm that you are licensed.
Start with the right network
Becoming a registered agent is the first step. Growing from there depends on the people you work with, because most deals in Dubai involve a second agent. BrokerCircle is an AI-powered co-broking network for real estate agents, launching in Dubai, where every member is verified. If you are about to register, or have just received your BRN, you can join the waitlist and use the free Agent Toolkit in the meantime.
