Property in Abu Dhabi
The rules here are not Dubai's, and the differences cost money · 4 of 4 answers confirmedHala's decision for you
Hala is reading the figures on this page…
What changes
| Abu Dhabi | Dubai | |
|---|---|---|
| Who regulates brokerage | Department of Municipalities and Transport · ADREC | Dubai Land Department · RERA |
| Advertising permit | Madhmoun | Trakheesi |
| Where the permit is filed | the ADREC Madhmoun system | the RERA Trakheesi system |
| Tenancy registration | Tawtheeq | Ejari |
| An owner may hold the permit themselves | No | Yes |
| Owner's authority to a brokerage | Not confirmed | Form A |
| The sale agreement | Not confirmed | Form F |
| The broker's own number | Not confirmed | RERA Broker Number (BRN) |
| A licence can be checked against a live register | No — the uploaded document is read and confirmed by a person | Yes |
| What a landlord may add at renewal | Rent increases are currently FROZEN. Since 2 June 2026 the permitted annual increase has been 0% on residential, commercial and industrial property, replacing the 5% cap that had applied since 2016. Renewals must use the rent recorded on the most recent registered contract. The freeze is temporary, is not retrospective, and has no announced end date. | Increases are set by the rental index rather than by agreement: none is permitted while your rent is within 10% of the market rate for comparable homes, rising on a fixed scale to a maximum of 20% only where your rent is far below market. |
Generated from the emirate record.
Who regulates real estate agents in Abu Dhabi?
Department of Municipalities and Transport · ADREC regulates real-estate brokerage in Abu Dhabi.
Confirmed by PropDirectWhat is the property advertising permit in Abu Dhabi called?
It is called Madhmoun, filed through the ADREC Madhmoun system. A listing advertised without one is the breach an agent is actually fined for.
Confirmed by PropDirectHow is a tenancy contract registered in Abu Dhabi?
Through Tawtheeq. This happens AFTER the contract is signed and is not the same thing as an advertising permit — the two are routinely confused.
Confirmed by PropDirectCan a property owner advertise their own home in Abu Dhabi without a broker?
No. Madhmoun accepts applications only from registered brokers and companies; the owner approves the broker's request rather than applying themselves.
Confirmed by PropDirectRent at renewal, in Abu Dhabi
Corroborated
Rent increases are currently FROZEN. Since 2 June 2026 the permitted annual increase has been 0% on residential, commercial and industrial property, replacing the 5% cap that had applied since 2016. Renewals must use the rent recorded on the most recent registered contract. The freeze is temporary, is not retrospective, and has no announced end date.
Checked against published sources on 2026-09-07. Rent rules change - confirm anything you are about to act on.
Law 20 of 2006 · Executive Council Resolution 14 of 2016 · the 2026 freeze circular · Notice to raise · 2 months before the contract ends for a home, in writing · Disputes · the rental disputes committee under the judicial department
Homes on the board — Every listing we hold, with its permit and its paperwork shown
The other six emirates — Same questions, answered separately for each one
How we check a listing — What is verified before a listing appears, and what is not
These answers come from the same emirate record the rest of PropDirect reads, so what a listing page tells an agent and what this page tells a reader cannot disagree. PropDirect is a software provider, not a brokerage — none of this is legal advice, and Department of Municipalities and Transport · ADREC is the authority on its own rules.
What the specialists did on this page
2 ran · 0 stopped to ask · 0 did not run · each row opens its sources
Tenant Intelligencerental.tenantThe tenancy rules for Abu Dhabi, with their sourcesThe rent rule, corroborated; read 2026-09-072026-09-07
The tenant's side: their rights under the emirate's tenancy law, and coordinating the let.
- khaleejtimes.com
- lexology.com
- lexismiddleeast.com
Regulatory Intelligencetrust.regulatoryThe emirate record the listing flow uses4 of 4 answers confirmed for Abu Dhabi; the rest are marked not confirmed—
The rules of each emirate, retrieved and cited: tenancy law, short-stay rules, cross-border rules for NRI buyers - marked where we have not confirmed them.
- Department of Municipalities and Transport · ADREC