How to Verify a Dubai Broker and a Listing: Trakheesi, Madmoun and Dubai REST

By the MgtWell Property research desk. Reviewed for accuracy against official sources.

If you are buying from abroad, the most valuable ten minutes you will spend are the ones you use to verify a Dubai broker and a listing before any money moves. Dubai makes this easy. The Dubai Land Department (DLD) and its regulator, RERA, publish free tools that let anyone check a broker's licence, an ad's permit and a property's registration.

This guide shows you exactly what to check and where.

Why verification matters in Dubai

Every property ad in Dubai is supposed to carry a DLD permit. Every broker is supposed to hold a RERA licence. Every off-plan sale is supposed to be registered on Oqood, and every completed unit has a title deed on the DLD register. When something does not line up with these records, that is your signal to stop.

Verification also protects you from honest mistakes, such as an out-of-date listing for a unit that has already sold. For the broader picture of what can go wrong, see Dubai property scams and red flags.

The three tools you need

How to verify a Dubai broker

Step 1: Ask for the broker's details

A licensed broker should share, without hesitation:

• Their full name as licensed
• Their broker registration number (often shown on ads as BRN)
• Their brokerage's name and office registration number (often shown as ORN)

Step 2: Check the licence

Open the Dubai REST app or the DLD website and use the broker search or e-card validation service. A valid record typically shows:

• Broker or company name
• Licence number
• Trade name
• Activity type
• Expiry date
• Registration status

Check that the licence is active and not expired, and that the person you are dealing with works for the brokerage named.

Step 3: Match names across documents

The broker on your Form F, the company on your invoice and the licence you checked should all match. If a different company suddenly appears on a payment request, pause.

How to verify a property listing

Step 1: Find the permit number

DLD rules require companies to obtain an advertising permit through Trakheesi before publishing any property ad, and the permit number must appear in the ad. Websites that carry ads are expected to link to the permit. No permit number is a red flag in itself.

Step 2: Scan the Madmoun QR code

Since 24 April 2023, every advertising permit has a QR code that must appear on print and audiovisual ads. Scanning it shows:

• Whether the ad has been approved by RERA and is still valid
• The authorised property details
• Whether the unit has already been sold or rented

Step 3: Check that the details match

This step is where many buyers stop too early. In July 2026, Gulf News reported concerns from a Dubai broker about listings that look verified but carry a permit belonging to a different property, for example an apartment ad using a permit tied to a plot of land. So compare:

• Property type (apartment, villa, plot)
• Community and building name
• Unit size
• Transaction type (sale or rent)

If anything differs from the ad, ask the broker to explain before you go further.

How to verify the property itself

For a ready (completed) property

Use the Title Deed Verification service in Dubai REST. You will need the certificate number, year, property type and the owner's full name, so ask the seller's broker for a copy of the deed. You can also confirm ownership at the transfer stage through a DLD Registration Trustee office.

For an off-plan property

• Check the project in Dubai REST under Project Status.
• Confirm the escrow account named in your SPA belongs to the project.
• DLD's own advice is to make sure the project is licensed and that no payments go outside the escrow account.

Our guide on how Dubai escrow law protects off-plan buyers explains this in more detail.

Other useful checks in Dubai REST

• Rental Index: gives an estimated rental value range for a property type and area. Useful for testing a seller's rent claims. See also Dubai rental yields in 2026.
• Service charge index (Mollak): shows service charges by community, project and year. Our service charges guide explains how to read them.
• Fee calculator and transaction data: helps you sanity-check costs and recent prices.

A quick verification checklist

Before you pay a deposit:

• Broker licence checked and active
• Brokerage name matches your paperwork
• Ad shows a permit number and Madmoun QR code
• QR details match the property you are buying
• Title deed or Oqood/project status verified
• Payment instructions go to escrow (off-plan) or through the trustee process (ready)

What happens to brokers who break the rules

DLD enforces its advertising rules. In 2020 it announced fines for companies that advertised without permits, altered permit numbers or used expired permits, with fines starting at AED 50,000 each and the possibility of licence cancellation. By the end of 2023, it reported issuing nearly 2,000 warnings to companies that failed to place the QR code on their ads.

How MgtWell approaches verification

We encourage every client to check our licence details, and the permits on any listing we share, before engaging. For remote buyers, our representatives abroad can walk you through these checks on a call. Learn more about our ready and resale service or start with the investor guide.

Frequently asked questions