As the Ruler of the Emirate of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, has issued Law No. (3) of 2026 on the quality and safety of buildings in the Emirate of Dubai.
Provisions of the Law apply to all buildings throughout Dubai, including those in private development zones and free zones such as the Dubai International Financial Centre, whether built before or after its enactment.
The Law seeks to secure the quality, safety, and sustainability of buildings in Dubai by preserving the integrity of structure, regular maintenance, and safe functioning of all systems.
It is also aimed at improving the comfort of the occupants, minimizing accidents, safeguarding lives and property, and maintaining the urban identity of the emirate.
The Law states that Dubai Municipality has a duty of scrutinizing building safety and quality through the creation of a digital management system, maintenance of a unified building database, and regular assessment, creation of standards that address sustainability, and the establishment of measures and procedures that protect buildings, life, and property.
It also controls the maintenance, examines incidents, implements corrections, works in favor of contemporary technologies, controls resources, and regulates the portal of digital buildings.
The Law provides the duties of the authorities taking control of the construction in Dubai, such as the Dubai Municipality, as well as authorities taking control of the private development and free zones, such as the Dubai International Financial Centre.
It further states that a Quality and Safety Certificate should be granted after the building has been thoroughly inspected and evaluated with regard to the structural and technical status by a licensed engineering office or firm in compliance with the provisions of the Law and the relevant procedures.
The Law provides that the owner of a building, including unit owners under Law No. (6) of 2019 on Joint Property ownership in Dubai, shall issue a Quality and Safety Certificate once the building is completed, correct any defects reported in inspections, and comply with the procedures as stipulated by the relevant authority.
According to the Law, the owners of buildings are required to employ a licensed engineering office to conduct an evaluation of the building and draft a technical report to obtain the Quality and Safety Certificate, perform periodic maintenance of buildings under 20 years old, and fix any defects that threaten structural safety, lives, property, or surrounding buildings.
Owners are required to permit authority inspections, permit repair, and maintain the inspections even after they have received the certificate.
The Law specifies the roles of the building management and the engineering office as well, and regulates the rules of the inspection of the authority in order to ensure that the building will satisfy the certification requirements.
The Quality and Safety Certificate is valid for a period of 10 years in buildings that are below 40 years on the date of the certificate of completion and 5 years in buildings that are 40 years and above.
The certificate may be renewed in terms of similar periods, and the conditions and procedures of the renewal are covered with the help of the decision made by the Chairman of the Executive Council of Dubai (TEC).
As per the Law, in cases where a building is approved for demolition, the rules for vacating tenants set out in Law No. (26) of 2007 on Regulating the Relationship between Landlords and Tenants in Dubai and its amendments apply.
In the event that tenants vacate under this Law, they are entitled to resume occupancy in the building following reconstruction or completion of maintenance and repairs, at the same rental rate as in their initial lease, unless otherwise agreed by both parties.
Violators of the Law or its decisions face fines from AED100 to AED1,000,000, with repeat offences within two years subject to doubled fines up to AED2,000,000.
Relevant Authorities can also revoke building permits, halt any transactions, approvals of the building with the government or with a private entity, such as the Dubai Land Department, and halt lease certifications of units in the building until the violations are fixed.
The fines or administrative sanctions will not stop the violator from being held responsible under the civil or criminal law, and the engineering offices or contractors are still to keep their duty under the legal responsibility.
The Law allows any person against a decision, action, or measure by this Law to file a written appeal to the Director General of the Municipality or other appropriate authority within 30 days of the notification. A committee will resolve the appeal within 30 days, and its decision is final.
The Law permits the competent authority to enlist the assistance of government structures, including the police, that will be required to respond swiftly.
Owners of buildings, contractors, and engineering offices are required to do so within a period of one year following the effective date of the Law. The Chairman of the Executive Council of Dubai may extend this deadline if necessary.
The Director General of the Dubai Municipality or the relevant authority issues decisions to implement the Law, except those reserved for the Chairman of TEC. Any other law that has provisions conflicting with this Law is annulled. The Law will appear in the Official Gazette and is to come into force 60 days after publication.
