Dubai Law No. 7 of 2025 created a single Contractor Register managed by Dubai Municipality and linked to the Invest in Dubai platform. It has been in force since 8 January 2026. Clients may not engage contractors that are not registered and classified, and existing contractors must regularise by 8 January 2027. Fines run from AED 1,000 to AED 200,000.
What the law does
Law No. 7 of 2025 regulates contracting activities across the Emirate of Dubai. Its main changes:
- One register. Dubai Municipality manages a central Contractor Register, linked to the Invest in Dubai digital platform. Contractors must be licensed and registered in it.
- Classification. Contractors are classified by their technical, financial and administrative capabilities, and the classification decides which projects they may take on.
- Qualified staff. Contractors must employ a minimum number of technical staff holding a Professional Competency Certificate issued by Dubai Municipality.
- Subcontracting. Allowed, but each subcontractor appointment needs approval, and both contractors must be licensed and classified.
- Employers are responsible too. Clients may not engage contractors that are not registered and classified.
Who it covers
All contractors and contracting activities in Dubai, including special development zones and free zones such as DIFC. Airport-related contracting and its infrastructure are exempt, and further exemptions can be granted.
Key dates
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| 8 July 2025 | Law No. 7 of 2025 introduced |
| 8 January 2026 | Law in force |
| 8 January 2027 | Deadline for existing contractors to regularise (can be extended) |
Penalties
Fines range from AED 1,000 to AED 100,000, and up to AED 200,000 for repeat violations. Other sanctions include suspending the licence or construction activities for up to one year, downgrading the classification, cancelling registration, and deregistering technical staff or cancelling their competency certificates.
What homeowners should check
- Ask the contractor for their trade licence and their Contractor Register registration and classification.
- Check the classification covers the size and type of your job.
- If the contractor plans to subcontract part of the work, ask who to, and confirm the subcontractor is registered too.
- Keep copies with your contract.
On SoukLocal, contracting businesses in Dubai show their register status and the date we last checked it. How we verify.
Related: engineering consultants
A separate law, Dubai Law No. 14 of 2025, requires engineering consultancy offices to hold a valid trade licence and an annual Dubai Municipality registration before they practise or hold themselves out as consultants. It took effect in April 2026, with one year for existing offices to comply. Most villa permits are prepared by a consultant: see villa renovation approvals.
Sources
- Kennedys: Dubai Law No. 7 of 2025, a new era for the construction sector
- Al Tamimi & Co: Dubai issues new law regulating engineering consultancy activities
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Rules change and vary by community and authority: confirm with the authority or your consultant before you start work.