Quick answer: Each emirate registers its own land. Dubai uses the Dubai Land Department (DLD), Abu Dhabi the Abu Dhabi Real Estate Centre (ADREC), and the northern emirates their land departments or municipalities. Planning sits with the municipality unless the plot is inside a special zone, where the zone authority, such as Trakhees or the Dubai Development Authority (DDA), issues permits. The plot’s affection plan tells you which applies.
Which authority controls land in each emirate?
| Emirate | Registration and title | Planning and building permits | Free zones and special zones | Regulator | Advertising permits | Electricity and water |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dubai | Dubai Land Department (DLD) | Dubai Municipality | Trakhees (PCFC areas, including Nakheel communities); DDA (TECOM districts); DIEZ (Dubai Silicon Oasis, Dubai Airport Freezone, Dubai CommerCity); Dubai South | RERA (part of DLD) | Trakheesi (DLD) | DEWA |
| Abu Dhabi | ADREC, through DARI | Department of Municipalities and Transport (DMT) | KEZAD Group (AD Ports Group) | ADREC | Madhmoun (ADREC) | TAQA Distribution |
| Sharjah | Sharjah Real Estate Registration Department | Sharjah City Municipality | Hamriyah Free Zone Authority (HFZA) | Sharjah Real Estate Registration Department | No separate public system found; ask the department | Sharjah Electricity, Water and Gas Authority |
| Ajman | Department of Land and Real Estate Regulation (ARRA) | Ajman Municipality and Planning Department | Not covered here | ARRA | No separate public system found; ask ARRA | Etihad Water and Electricity |
| Ras Al Khaimah | Ras Al Khaimah Municipality | Ras Al Khaimah Municipality | Not covered here | Ras Al Khaimah Municipality | No separate public system found; ask the Municipality | Etihad Water and Electricity |
| Umm Al Quwain | Umm Al Quwain Municipality | Umm Al Quwain Municipality | Not covered here | Umm Al Quwain Municipality | No separate public system found; ask the Municipality | Etihad Water and Electricity |
| Fujairah | Fujairah Municipality | Fujairah Municipality | Fujairah Free Zone (separate authority) | Fujairah Municipality | No separate public system found; ask the Municipality | Etihad Water and Electricity |
An affection plan is the official plot document that shows the plot number, area, permitted use and building limits. A NOC (no-objection certificate) is a letter from a master developer or authority confirming it does not object to a transfer or works. Both terms, and the others used here, are in the UAE land glossary.
Which authorities control Dubai’s special zones?
| Zone authority | What it covers | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Trakhees | Land of PCFC, Dubai World and their subsidiaries, including Nakheel, Limitless, Dubai Maritime City and DMCC. Its published list of Special Development Zones includes Al Furjan, Jumeirah Village Circle, Jumeirah Village Triangle, Jumeirah Park, Jumeirah Islands, Discovery Gardens, Palm Jumeirah, Palm Jebel Ali, Palm Deira and The World. | pcfc.ae; moec.gov.ae |
| Dubai Development Authority (DDA) | The TECOM Group districts, including Dubai Internet City, Dubai Media City, Dubai Production City, Dubai Science Park, Dubai Industrial City, Dubai Knowledge Park and d3. DDA issues building permits through its web zoning service. | dda.gov.ae |
| Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority (DIEZ) | Dubai Silicon Oasis, Dubai Airport Freezone and Dubai CommerCity, including construction regulation in those zones. | Dubai Law No. 16 of 2021 |
| Dubai South | The Dubai South master plan around Al Maktoum International Airport. Dubai South Development Control issues building permits in the Residential District. | dubaisouth.ae |
When do you need which authority?
| Step | Who you deal with |
|---|---|
| Checking who can own the plot | The registration authority: DLD (Dubai Property Status Enquiry), ADREC, or the emirate’s land department or municipality |
| Transfer approval inside a master community | The master developer, for its NOC |
| Registering the sale and getting the title deed | DLD, ADREC (DARI), Sharjah Real Estate Registration Department, ARRA, or the municipality in RAK, UAQ and Fujairah |
| Design approval and building permit | The authority named on the affection plan: the municipality, or a zone authority such as Trakhees, DDA, DIEZ or Dubai South |
| Advertising the plot for sale | Trakheesi in Dubai, Madhmoun in Abu Dhabi |
| Power and water connection | DEWA, TAQA Distribution, the Sharjah Electricity, Water and Gas Authority, or Etihad Water and Electricity |
| Broker, developer and escrow rules in Dubai | RERA |
| Checking a broker or advert | RERA broker card and Trakheesi permit number (DLD apps) in Dubai |
| Road access | RTA in Dubai, where the project touches the right of way (access, projections, ROW works) |
| Fire and life safety approval | Civil Defence (Dubai Civil Defence in Dubai), including the completion inspection |
| Valuation | In Dubai, DLD’s property valuation service or a RERA-accredited valuation company |
Who else is involved in a Dubai land deal?
Registration and permits are only part of a Dubai plot transaction. These bodies also sign off at different stages:
| Body | Role for a plot owner |
|---|---|
| Master developer | Community master plan and design guidelines, transfer NOC, design NOC and service charges. Its powers come from contracts, master community declarations and guidelines, not from law, and transfers inside master communities normally need its NOC. See master developer NOCs and escrow rules. |
| DEWA | Electricity and water NOCs at design stage (routed automatically through the Dubai Building Permit System for DM-permitted projects) and connections at completion |
| RTA | NOCs for access and works in the road right of way, and projections such as balconies over it; part of the joint completion inspection |
| Dubai Civil Defence | Fire and life safety review and the joint completion inspection |
| Telecom providers (e& and du) | Take part in the joint completion inspection for new buildings |
Step by step: which authority at each stage (Dubai)
| Stage | Who you deal with |
|---|---|
| 1. Marketing and brokerage | RERA-licensed broker; Trakheesi advertising permit |
| 2. Due diligence | DLD for title (and Property Status Enquiry for who can own); Dubai Municipality, DDA, Trakhees or the master developer for the affection plan and development control regulations |
| 3. Transfer | Master developer transfer NOC; DLD registration (through a Registration Trustee office) |
| 4. Design and permit | Master developer design NOC; authority NOCs (DEWA, RTA where needed, Civil Defence) collected through the Dubai Building Permit System; building permit from Dubai Municipality or the zone authority |
| 5. Off-plan sales (if you develop and sell) | DLD/RERA project registration, escrow account under Law No. 8 of 2007, Oqood interim registration under Law No. 13 of 2008. See strata and split sales. |
| 6. Completion | Joint completion inspection, completion certificate and utility connections, then DLD registration of units |
What are the common mix-ups?
| Often confused | The difference |
|---|---|
| DLD map vs affection plan | The DLD map comes with the title deed and shows the registered plot. The affection plan comes from the planning authority and shows what can be built. You need both. See how to read an affection plan. |
| Master developer vs authority | A master developer is a company that manages a community under contracts and community rules; an authority is a government body with legal powers. In most master communities both must approve your design. |
Official sources (verify on the live site)
Start with the competent authority for your plot’s emirate and zone. Links below were checked reachable on 24 Oct 2026 (Asia/Calcutta). Portals change; use the URL on the authority’s own site if a bookmark redirects.
- Dubai Land Department (DLD) — registration, Oqood, sale services: https://dubailand.gov.ae/en/
- Dubai Development Authority (DDA) — planning and building in DDA zones: https://dda.gov.ae/ (English hub also at /en/)
- Trakhees (PCFC planning & building) — eServices portal for Trakhees submissions: https://online.trakhees.ae/. Trakhees is the Department of Planning and Development under Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation (PCFC) for designated Dubai World / related zones (including many Nakheel communities). The PCFC marketing site often blocks automated fetch (403); use the online portal and your consultant’s Trakhees account.
- Abu Dhabi — DARI / ADREC — real estate registration and services: https://www.dari.ae/en; Abu Dhabi Real Estate Centre: https://adrec.gov.ae/. Municipal planning sits with the Department of Municipalities and Transport: https://www.dmt.gov.ae/
- Northern emirate example — Ras Al Khaimah Municipality — lands, planning and building locally: https://mun.rak.ae/
Related Dubai services: Dubai Municipality building permits / single window context — https://www.dm.gov.ae/. Broker and advertising permits in Dubai run through DLD/RERA Trakheesi (licensing system; spelling differs from Trakhees the planning regulator).
Worked path: plot in a Nakheel community
Example: you are buying or listing a freehold plot in a Nakheel master community in Dubai (for instance Al Furjan or another Nakheel district). Registration still sits with DLD. Planning and building permits typically sit with Trakhees (not Dubai Municipality) for those designated zones, while the master developer issues design and transfer NOCs. Advertising a Dubai listing needs a Trakheesi permit. Confirm jurisdiction on the current site plan / NOC letter for your exact plot—boundaries between DM, DDA and Trakhees are zone-based.
Checklist (5–7 steps)
- Confirm zone authority — On the affection plan / site plan header, note whether the planning authority is Trakhees (typical for many Nakheel / Dubai World–related areas), DDA, or DM. Do not assume DM.
- Title due diligence at DLD — Verify owner, plot number, area, mortgages and restrictions on the Dubai Land Department register before any deposit.
- Trakheesi advertising (if marketing) — Use a RERA-licensed broker; obtain a valid Trakheesi advertisement permit number on every public listing.
- Master-developer transfer NOC — Apply to Nakheel (online services / app) for the resale NOC; clear service charges; for plots/off-plan expect a novation agreement. Example published admin fee: AED 500 + VAT (verify on Nakheel FAQ).
- DLD registration / transfer — Complete Form F / SPA path, pay DLD sale fees, and transfer at a Registration Trustee so the title updates on the DLD register.
- Design NOC from Nakheel — Before permit drawings, obtain the master developer’s design / urban-planning NOC so the scheme matches community guidelines.
- Trakhees planning & building permit — Submit via Trakhees eServices (consultant account) for site plan / building permit stages—not through Dubai Municipality when Trakhees is the competent authority. Coordinate DEWA, RTA and Civil Defence NOCs as required.
Remember the spelling trap: Trakheesi = DLD/RERA broker & advert permits; Trakhees = PCFC planning & building regulator. Both can appear on one Nakheel deal.
Related pages
- Community hubs by emirate
- How to buy land in the UAE
- How to read an affection plan
- Master developer NOCs and escrow rules
- UAE land glossary
- DLD fees and land registration
- Abu Dhabi vs Dubai land laws
- Ras Al Khaimah land buying guide
Sources
- Dubai Law No. 7 of 2006 on real property registration; Law No. 13 of 2008 (Oqood); Law No. 8 of 2007 (escrow) (dlp.dubai.gov.ae)
- Trakhees overview (moec.gov.ae) and PCFC list of Special Development Zones (pcfc.ae)
- DDA TECOM Group districts (dda.gov.ae)
- Dubai Law No. 16 of 2021 establishing DIEZ (dlp.dubai.gov.ae)
- Dubai South Residential District development control (dubaisouth.ae)
- DLD real estate ad permit, Trakheesi (dubailand.gov.ae)
- Abu Dhabi Law No. 13 of 2019 (adrec.gov.ae); DARI and Madhmoun (dari.ae)
- Sharjah Real Estate Registration Department (WAM); Sharjah City Municipality and HFZA portals
- Ajman Law No. 3 of 2023 (ajmanlegal.gov.ae)
- RAK Municipality sale contract service (mun.rak.ae)
- UAE government public utilities page (u.ae)
Frequently asked questions
Who registers land in the UAE?
Each emirate does: DLD in Dubai, ADREC in Abu Dhabi, the Sharjah Real Estate Registration Department, ARRA in Ajman, and the municipalities of Ras Al Khaimah, Umm Al Quwain and Fujairah.
Who issues building permits for my plot?
The authority named on the affection plan. That is usually the municipality, but inside special zones it is the zone authority, such as Trakhees or DDA in Dubai.
What is the difference between RERA and DLD?
DLD registers property in Dubai. RERA is DLD’s regulatory arm for brokers, developers and escrow.
Do I need a permit to advertise land?
In Dubai, yes: every property advertisement needs a Trakheesi permit from DLD. In Abu Dhabi, Madhmoun issues advertising permits.
Is Trakhees the same as Trakheesi?
No. Trakhees is the PCFC regulator that issues building permits in its zones. Trakheesi is DLD’s advertising and licensing permit system.
Does a master developer have legal power over my plot?
Its powers come from contracts, master community declarations and guidelines rather than law, but DLD asks for its NOC before a transfer inside a master community, and its design NOC is usually needed before a building permit.
Have a question? Ask the UAE Land Deals team
Free. We reply within 1–2 working days. General information, not legal or investment advice.
Disclaimer: General information, not legal advice. Confirm current rules with the authority named and a licensed UAE lawyer before you transact.
Last updated: 23 October 2026.