The New Law Regulating Engineering Consultancy Activities in Dubai

Dubai has now enacted Law No. (14) of 2025 (the “New Law”), regulating the practice of engineering consultancy offices, including architectural firms, across the Emirate. Issued by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the New Law replaces Local Order No. (89) of 1994.

Decisions, regulations, circulars, and guidelines issued by the competent authority, including those under Local Order No. (89) of 1994 and its executive regulations, shall remain in effect to the extent they do not conflict with the New Law, until new ones are issued.

The New Law will come into force six months after its publication in the Official Gazette. Existing consultancy offices must regularise their status within one year of the effective date. Registrations expiring during this period may be renewed with a formal undertaking to comply with the new provisions.

The New Law prohibits anyone from undertaking engineering consultancy activities in Dubai without proper authorisation. These activities cover all fields of engineering, including civil, electrical, electronic, mechanical, mining, petroleum, chemical, coastal, and geological engineering, among others as well as architectural services. Its primary objectives are to:

• Align engineering consultancy practices with international standards
• Establish clear licensing and classification criteria
• Encourage investment
• Position Dubai as a global hub for engineering consultancy services

Under the New Law, no individual or firm may engage in engineering consultancy activities without a valid trade license and registration with Dubai Municipality. Offices must disclose their license scope of work, classification and details of technical staff. Misrepresentation or operation outside the licensed scope is strictly prohibited. Firms are also barred from employing unregistered engineers or contracting with unlicensed entities to carry out any consultancy work in Dubai.

In order to police this, Dubai Municipality, in coordination with relevant authorities, is tasked with establishing and maintaining a unified electronic registry of all licensed engineering consultancy offices. This registry, which is integrated into the “Invest in Dubai” platform, will contain detailed records of each office’s classification, consultancy scope, and technical personnel. The Municipality will also issue professional competency certificates and oversee a classification system for firms involved in construction or demolition activities.

The New Law mandates the creation of a permanent “Committee for the Regulation and Development of Engineering Consultancy Activities”, chaired by a Dubai Municipality representative and appointed by the Chairman of the Executive Council, operating under Decree No. (1) of 2023.

The New Law defines the types of engineering consultancy offices in Dubai, including:

• Local firms established in the Emirate
• Branches of UAE-based offices with at least three consecutive years of engineering consultancy experience
• Branches of foreign offices with at least ten consecutive years of experience
• Joint ventures between local and foreign offices with at least ten years of engineering consultancy experience
• Engineering advisory offices specialising in providing opinion and consultancy services owned by one or more registered engineers, each with a minimum of ten years’ engineering consultancy experience
• Engineering audit offices authorised to conduct third-party audits in any engineering consultancy activity

The New Law further includes the conditions and procedures for registering engineering consultancy offices, the validity of registration tenures, deregistration processes, criteria for classifying offices, office obligations, and rules for registering and deregistering technical staff.

Violations of the New Law may result in fines of up to AED 100,000, with increased penalties for repeat offenses within the same year. Additional sanctions include:

• Suspension of operations for up to one year
• Downgrading of classification
• Removal from the official registry
• Cancellation of commercial licenses
• Suspension of staff
• Revocation of competency certificates
• Removal of engineers from the official registry
• Notification to the UAE Society of Engineers about violations

This is a further transformative step in Dubai’s regulatory landscape. By centralising oversight, enforcing rigorous standards and enabling structured appeals, the New Law should enhance accountability and investor confidence.

Consultancy firms must act promptly to align with the new framework, as noncompliance carries significant legal and operational risks.

For developers, contractors and investors, this New Law offers a more transparent and reliable foundation for engaging engineering expertise in Dubai’s fast-evolving construction sector.