1.3 Becoming a Licensed Broker: ORN, BRN, the RERA Exam and Annual Renewal
Key Takeaways
No one may practise brokerage in Dubai unless licensed by the competent licensing entity and entered in DLD's brokers register (Article 3 of Bylaw No. 85 of 2006).
RERA Circular 31/2014 set a minimum score of 85% on both the initial licensing exam and the annual renewal exam from 1 April 2015.
DLD lists the broker exam fee as AED 700 plus AED 10 knowledge and AED 10 innovation fees, and the broker card fee as AED 500 plus the same AED 20.
DLD exempts from the broker exam people over 55, brokers with 5 consecutive years in the same office, and start-up licence holders.
Registration is renewed yearly (Article 13 of the Bylaw), and RERA Circular 1/2016 requires repeating the certified training if a card is not renewed within two weeks of expiry.
1.3 Becoming a Licensed Broker: ORN, BRN, the RERA Exam and Annual Renewal
Licensing questions are some of the most predictable on the exam: who must be licensed, what the steps are, what the exam requires and what happens if a card lapses. The rules come from Bylaw No. 85 of 2006 Regulating the Real Estate Brokers Register, DLD's published service terms, and RERA circulars.
1. The legal rule: licensed and registered
Article 3 of Bylaw No. 85 of 2006 states that no person may engage in real estate brokerage in the Emirate unless licensed by the competent licensing entities and entered in the Register kept by DLD. Brokerage itself is defined in Article 2 as an agreement in which a broker undertakes to find another party to conclude a contract and to represent the client in the negotiations, for remuneration.
Licensing therefore has two levels:
| Level | Identifier | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Office | ORN (Office Registration Number) | The brokerage company: a trade licence with a brokerage activity (from the Department of Economy and Tourism or a free zone authority), registered with RERA through Trakheesi. DLD notes that an office is registered automatically when its licence is issued. |
| Individual | BRN (Broker Registration Number) and broker card | The person who deals with clients. The card is issued through Trakheesi and its validity is linked to the office's trade licence. |
Article 12 of the Bylaw requires the broker's name and registration number to appear in all correspondence and reports, which is why the BRN appears on advertisements and contracts.
2. Requirements for the broker card
DLD's service page for issuing a real estate professional practice card lists the core conditions:
- Certificate of good conduct issued by Dubai Police.
- Training: completion of the Certified Training for Real Estate Brokers (Article 6 of the Bylaw already required certificates of accredited training and a pass in "the Real Estate Brokerage test prepared by the Department").
- Exam: the applicant must have passed the broker test.
- Residency on the same licence: DLD's FAQ lists the broker's residency being on the same licence as the office among the requirements.
- Documents and fees: personal photo and Emirates ID; card fee AED 500 + AED 10 knowledge + AED 10 innovation (AED 520).
The steps run: training → exam → office applies in Trakheesi → approval → online payment → card printed from the system.
3. The RERA exam
| Item | Official position |
|---|---|
| Fee | AED 700 + AED 10 knowledge fee + AED 10 innovation fee (DLD card-issuance service page) |
| Pass mark | 85% on both the initial licensing exam and the annual renewal exam, from 1 April 2015 (RERA Circular 31/2014, which raised it from 75%) |
| Annual test | DLD's issuance and renewal pages both require that the applicant "has passed the annual test to practice the mediation profession" |
| Exemptions (DLD) | People above 55 years of age; brokers with 5 consecutive years of service in the same real estate office; start-up licence (رخصة انطلاق) holders are exempt from attending the exam |
| Number of questions and time | Not published on DLD's pages; training providers report different formats, so confirm on your exam booking |
Note
Training providers quote very different exam details (30 to 70 questions, one or two hours, pass marks between 70% and 85%). The only official written figure found is the 85% minimum in Circular 31/2014. Study the whole syllabus rather than relying on any single provider's format.
4. Categories of practice card
DLD issues practice cards for several activities, including: real estate broker, national broker (the Emirati broker programme), real estate projects marketing, mortgage broker, real estate consultant, mortgage consultant, real estate management, private real estate management, real estate registrar, real estate services registrar, real estate evaluator and trainee evaluator. Under the Bylaw, Article 5 historically divided brokers into Category A (experienced brokers on a roll certified by the Chairman) and Category B (those practising under a licence), and DLD's FAQ describes two practical categories of broker: leasing and buying and selling.
5. Renewal, inactivity and loss of status
- Yearly renewal (Article 13): a registered broker must apply to renew registration every year, at least 30 days before expiry.
- Late renewal (Circular 1/2016): if the card is not renewed within two weeks of its expiry date, the broker must register again in the Certified Training for Real Estate Brokers before the card can be renewed.
- Renewal documents (DLD FAQ): passport and residency copy, a continuing-education course certificate, and the AED 520 card fee; renewal is approved automatically in Trakheesi.
- Loss of status (Article 41): registration is cancelled if the broker permanently stops, suspends work for more than 12 successive months without an accepted reason, fails to meet the Bylaw's requirements, obtained registration with false information, or has it cancelled by decision.
- Cancellation of the card (for example on leaving a company) is done through Trakheesi; expatriates provide the employment visa cancellation.
6. Unlicensed practice
Because registration is a legal precondition, an unlicensed person cannot validly claim brokerage commission, and DLD's FAQ states that a broker loses the right to claim commission if not licensed by RERA. Unlicensed advertising and practice are pursued as violations; DLD has publicised progressive fines of AED 50,000 for advertising breaches. Developers are also exposed: Article 16 of Law No. 8 of 2007 punishes a developer who deals with a broker not entered in the brokers register.
A newcomer with no broker card and no link to a licensed office posts Palm Jumeirah villas for sale on TikTok with a personal phone number. How does Dubai law treat this activity?
It is allowed if the person discloses that they are a freelancer and does not hold deposits
It is allowed during a 60-day grace period while the person enrols in training
It is unlicensed brokerage: Article 3 of Bylaw No. 85 of 2006 requires a licence and entry in DLD's brokers register, and unpermitted adverts are pursued as violations
It is allowed if the owner gives informal consent by message
A broker's card expired three weeks ago and was not renewed. Under RERA Circular 1/2016, what must the broker do before the card can be renewed?
Pay a late fee only; no other condition applies
Register again in the Certified Training for Real Estate Brokers, because the card was not renewed within two weeks of expiry
Obtain a letter of good standing from the Rent Disputes Settlement Centre
Post a personal bank guarantee of AED 100,000 with DLD
Which applicant is exempt from attending the real estate broker exam according to DLD's card-issuance service terms?
A broker who has worked for 5 consecutive years in the same real estate office
A 30-year-old holding a bachelor's degree in law
Any GCC national
A candidate who completed the training online instead of in person
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