If you work as a broker or agent in Dubai, you cannot legally advertise a property — on Bayut, Property Finder, dubizzle, Instagram, WhatsApp status, or your own website — without a valid advertiser permit issued through the Dubai Land Department's Trakheesi system. The rule is enforced by RERA (the Real Estate Regulatory Agency) and violations carry fines starting at AED 50,000 per infraction, with repeat offences risking brokerage licence suspension.
The permit system exists to stop the two problems that plagued Dubai's market for years: agents listing units they had no authority to sell, and duplicate listings with mismatched prices confusing buyers. Since 2014, every online listing must carry a unique Trakheesi permit number tied to a signed Form A (the seller's mandate to the brokerage). This guide walks through the process, costs, common mistakes, and what to do when things go wrong.
What an advertiser permit actually is
An advertiser permit — sometimes called a Trakheesi permit or listing permit — is a 6- to 7-digit reference number issued by DLD that authorises a specific brokerage to market a specific property for a limited period. It ties three parties together: the seller (or landlord), the brokerage, and the property itself. Portals like Bayut and Property Finder validate the number in real time; if the permit is expired, cancelled, or belongs to another brokerage, the listing is removed.
Each permit covers one property listing. A tower with 200 units for sale from a developer requires 200 permits. A resale villa needs one permit per brokerage marketing it — meaning if a seller signs Form A with three agencies, three separate permits will exist for the same villa, each with its own reference number.
How to obtain a permit through Trakheesi
Only licensed brokerages can apply. Individual agents cannot pull permits in their own name — everything runs through the brokerage's DLD account. The workflow is the same for every listing:
- Sign Form A with the seller (an exclusive or non-exclusive listing agreement, notarised digitally through the DLD app or Dubai REST).
- Log into the Trakheesi portal via the brokerage's account.
- Enter property details: title deed number, community, unit number, listing price, and photos.
- Upload the signed Form A, seller's Emirates ID or passport, and a recent title deed.
- Pay the permit fee (AED 550 per permit for standard listings, AED 1,020 for developer off-plan permits).
- Receive the permit number, usually within a few hours, valid for two months.
The price on the listing must match Form A
If your Form A says AED 3.2M and you advertise at AED 2.95M to attract clicks, that is a direct RERA violation. Portals now cross-check pricing against the permit data and flag mismatches automatically.
Permit types and when to use each
| Permit type | Use case | Fee (AED) | Validity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property listing (resale) | Individual villa or apartment resale | 550 | 2 months |
| Developer project | Off-plan launches by licensed developers | 1,020 | 6 months |
| Rental listing | Landlord-authorised rental units | 550 | 2 months |
| Own property | Broker marketing their personally-owned unit | 500 | 2 months |
| Commercial ad campaign | Billboards, radio, print for a brokerage brand | 1,500+ | Varies |
Rental listings follow the same Form A logic but the mandate is called Form A (Rental) and requires the landlord's Ejari-registered contract history. Off-plan developer permits are issued in bulk against project-level approvals — a developer with an approved escrow account and RERA project registration can issue permits for its entire inventory in one workflow.
Common violations and their fines
RERA runs automated scans across the major portals and social media platforms daily. The most frequent infractions:
- Advertising without any permit number — AED 50,000 fine per listing.
- Using another brokerage's permit number — AED 50,000 plus potential referral to Economic Department.
- Listing price differs from Form A — AED 15,000 to 50,000 depending on severity.
- Listing a property after Form A has expired or been cancelled — AED 50,000.
- Fake or manipulated photos (e.g. using another unit's interior shots) — AED 50,000.
- Failing to display the permit number visibly on portal listings — AED 10,000.
Screenshot everything at listing time
Save the Trakheesi confirmation, signed Form A, and title deed together in a shared folder tagged by permit number. If a dispute or RERA audit arises months later, having the paperwork stack organised saves your brokerage significant grief.
Social media, WhatsApp, and Instagram rules
Many agents assume permit rules only apply to portal listings. They do not. Any public advertisement — Instagram reels, TikTok walkthroughs, WhatsApp broadcast lists, YouTube videos, LinkedIn posts — must display the permit number in the caption or on-screen. RERA has actively fined agents for Instagram stories showing unit interiors without a permit reference.
The practical rule: if you would show it to more than one client, treat it as advertising. Private one-to-one WhatsApp messages sharing a brochure with a specific enquiring buyer are not considered advertising. Broadcast lists, story posts, and public reels are.
What happens when a listing expires or the seller cancels
Permits automatically expire after two months. If the property is still available, you renew through Trakheesi with a fresh AED 550 fee and updated Form A validity. Portals will pull the listing offline the moment the permit lapses, so most brokerages set internal reminders at day 50 to renew early.
If a seller cancels their Form A — for example, they've decided not to sell, or they've moved to an exclusive with another agency — the permit becomes invalid immediately. You must remove the listing from every platform within 24 hours. RERA can and does penalise brokerages that leave stale listings up after mandate cancellation.
The Broker's Card and permit accountability
Every permit is tied to a specific agent's Broker Registration Number (BRN) within the brokerage. If a listing violates rules, RERA can penalise both the brokerage licence and the individual agent's BRN — meaning fines, mandatory retraining, or in serious cases, revocation of the agent's ability to work in Dubai real estate for 6 to 12 months. This is why serious brokerages audit their agents' listings weekly.
Frequently asked questions
Can I share a permit number across multiple portals for the same listing?
Yes. One permit covers advertising the property across Bayut, Property Finder, dubizzle, your own website, and social media simultaneously. You don't need separate permits per platform.
What if the seller signs Form A with three brokerages — who gets the permit?
Each brokerage pulls its own permit. Three brokerages marketing the same villa means three active permit numbers, each valid independently. The seller pays commission only to whichever agency closes the deal.
Do I need a permit to advertise my own property that I personally own?
Yes, but the permit type is 'Own Property' at a slightly reduced fee (AED 500). You'll need to prove ownership via title deed and cannot claim brokerage commission on the sale.
How long does a Trakheesi permit take to issue?
Typically 2 to 6 hours for standard listings if paperwork is clean. First-time submissions or applications with mismatched data can take 24 to 48 hours while DLD staff review manually.
Can I list a property before Form A is signed?
No. Form A is a prerequisite for the permit, and the permit is a prerequisite for advertising. Listing 'coming soon' teasers without a permit still counts as advertising and attracts fines.
What's the difference between Form A, Form B, Form F, and Form I?
Form A is the seller-to-brokerage mandate. Form B is the buyer-to-brokerage agreement. Form F is the Memorandum of Understanding between buyer and seller. Form I is a broker-to-broker cooperation agreement when two agencies split a deal.