Last Updated on September 24, 2026 by Shitiz Srivastava
No. Dubai RERA and India RERA share an acronym, but they are different bodies set up under different laws, with different jobs. Dubai’s RERA is a government agency that runs Dubai’s property market day to day. India’s RERA is a set of state-level authorities created by a 2016 consumer-protection law to make builders accountable to homebuyers. If you are an Indian buying property in Dubai, Dubai RERA is the one that matters to you, and India’s RERA gives you no protection there.
Dubai RERA: the Real Estate Regulatory Agency
Dubai’s Real Estate Regulatory Agency was set up under Dubai Law No. 16 of 2007 as the regulatory arm of the Dubai Land Department (DLD). It covers Dubai only. Other emirates have their own regulators. Its main jobs are:
- Regulating developers and off-plan projects. Developers must be registered, and off-plan projects must be approved before units are sold. Off-plan sales are recorded on the interim register, known as Oqood.
- Overseeing escrow accounts. Under the Escrow Law (Law No. 8 of 2007), off-plan buyers’ payments go into project escrow accounts and are released to the developer only as construction progresses. See our guide to Dubai escrow accounts.
- Licensing brokers. Agents need a RERA broker card and a Broker Registration Number (BRN).
- Controlling property advertising. Every listing needs a Trakheesi permit.
- Service charges and owners’ associations. Under the Jointly Owned Property Law (Law No. 6 of 2019), RERA approves building service charges and oversees owners’ associations.
- Rents. RERA publishes the rental index that decides how much a landlord may raise the rent, under Decree No. 43 of 2013, and runs Ejari, the mandatory tenancy registration system.
Landlord and tenant disputes go to the Rental Disputes Centre, which is also part of the DLD.
India RERA: the Real Estate Regulatory Authorities
India’s RERA comes from the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016. There is no single national body. Each state and union territory has its own authority, such as MahaRERA in Maharashtra, with an appellate tribunal above it. Its main rules are:
- Project registration. Projects on more than 500 square metres of land, or with more than eight units, must be registered with the state RERA before they are advertised or sold.
- A separate account for buyers’ money. Builders must keep 70% of the money collected from buyers in a separate bank account and use it only for that project’s land and construction.
- Delay compensation. If possession is late, buyers can claim interest or a refund.
- Defect liability. Builders must fix structural defects reported within five years of possession.
- Agent registration. Real estate agents must also register with the state RERA.
Dubai RERA vs India RERA at a glance
| Aspect | Dubai RERA | India RERA |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A government agency within the Dubai Land Department | Statutory authorities set up in each state under a national law |
| Legal basis | Dubai Law No. 16 of 2007, plus Dubai property laws | Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016 |
| Area covered | Dubai only | One authority per state or union territory |
| Main purpose | Running and regulating the whole market: developers, brokers, rents, service charges, advertising | Protecting homebuyers from builder delays, fraud and misuse of funds |
| Buyers’ money | Off-plan payments held in escrow, released by construction milestone | 70% of collections kept in a separate project account |
| Rentals | Rental index, Ejari registration, Rental Disputes Centre | Not covered |
| Brokers | Licensed with RERA broker cards | Registered with the state RERA |
What this means if you are an Indian buyer
- Buying in Dubai: India’s RERA cannot help you with a Dubai developer. Your protection comes from Dubai law: check the project and developer on the DLD’s Dubai REST app, pay only into the project escrow account, ask for the agent’s BRN, and check that the listing shows a Trakheesi permit.
- Buying in India as an NRI: India’s RERA does protect you. Check the project’s registration number on the relevant state RERA website before paying anything.
- Tax is separate from both. Neither RERA deals with tax. See our Dubai property tax guide and NRI tax rules for Indians in Dubai.
In short: Dubai RERA runs the market. India RERA protects buyers from builders. Same name, different jobs.
