# Real Estate Development licence in the UAE

> Real Estate Development licensing in the UAE — the authority catalogue rows we hold for this line, the approvals attached to them, and where the activity can be filed.

- Canonical: https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities/real-estate-development
- Updated: 2026-09-05
- Dubai mainland (DET): 6499004
- Method: https://dubaisetupindex.com/methodology

## What the authority says

This refers to companies established for the development and founding of real estate projects which include housing and commercial complexes, tourism projects, and the development of the infrastructure and leisure facilities for such projects. It also covers the selling of the property or projects per the free hold ownership law of property whether owned by the license holders or another party through a contract signed between the developer and the land owner and registration of the contract in the Escrow Accounts Department ahead of the commencement of the project.

Source: Invest in Dubai activity reference.

## Where you can licence this

| Authority | Status | Code | Licence type | Approval | Facility |
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
| [IFZA (Dubai)](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/ifza) | Not listed under this name | — | — | — | — |
| [Ajman Free Zone](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/ajman) | Not listed under this name | — | — | — | — |
| [Dubai mainland (DET)](https://dubaisetupindex.com/mainland) | Listed | 6499004 | Professional | Not stated | Not restricted in the catalogue |

Catalogue evidence, not legal advice. Authorities change activity lists without notice — confirm before you file.

## Routes that list this activity

- [Dubai mainland (DET)](https://dubaisetupindex.com/mainland) — Onshore trading rights, Ejari premises. From, no visa: AED 14,000 (Licence only · plus 5% of rent)

A route listing the activity is a starting point. The authority confirms eligibility when you apply.

## Free zone or mainland

- Dubai mainland under DET lets you invoice UAE mainland clients directly, but it expects Ejari-registered premises and runs longer than a free-zone desk package.

## Also catalogued elsewhere

The same activity name appears in other authority catalogues we track. This is a name match, not a legal equivalence, and Dubai Setup Index does not file in these zones.

- DMCC: 6599-08 · Service
- Meydan Free Zone: 6499.98

## Related activities

- [Real Estate Finance](https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities/real-estate-finance) — Dubai mainland (DET)
- [Real Estate Consultancies](https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities/real-estate-consultancies) — IFZA (Dubai) · Dubai mainland (DET)
- [Buying and selling of real estate](https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities/buying-and-selling-of-real-estate) — IFZA (Dubai) · Dubai mainland (DET)
- [Investment in Water Enterprises & Development](https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities/investment-in-water-enterprises-and-development) — IFZA (Dubai) · Dubai mainland (DET)
- [Investment in Sport Enterprises & Development](https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities/investment-in-sport-enterprises-and-development) — IFZA (Dubai) · Dubai mainland (DET)
- [Real Estate Survey Services](https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities/real-estate-survey-services) — Dubai mainland (DET)

## Frequently asked questions

### Can I add more activities to a Real Estate Development licence later?

Usually yes, as a licence amendment, subject to the authority's rules and any extra approval attached to the new line.

### Does this activity need third-party approval?

The catalogue rows we hold for this activity carry no prior-approval flag. Re-check the live authority catalogue before filing, since flags change.

## Related

- [All business activities](https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities)
- [Compare setup routes](https://dubaisetupindex.com/compare)
- [How company setup works](https://dubaisetupindex.com/how-it-works)

## Machine-readable

- [Real Estate Development record (JSON)](https://dubaisetupindex.com/data/activities/real-estate-development.json)

## Citation

Required when quoting any figure from this page. Copy one of these verbatim — the link is not optional.

Dubai Setup Index. “Real Estate Development licence in the UAE.” Updated 2026-09-05. https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities/real-estate-development

[Dubai Setup Index](https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities/real-estate-development). “Real Estate Development licence in the UAE.” Updated 2026-09-05.

Quoting any figure from this record requires a resolvable link to url. Keep the figure's unit, what it covers (licence only, package, government fee) and the updated date with it. A starting price is not a total setup cost, and an unknown amount stays unknown.