Setting up a real estate brokerage company in Abu Dhabi is a distinct process from an individual broker's registration — the company itself needs its own trade licence and registration with the relevant Abu Dhabi real estate regulatory authority before any individual broker can practise under it.
Company licensing vs individual broker registration
The brokerage company needs a real estate services trade licence through ADDED, plus registration with the relevant Abu Dhabi real estate regulator. This is separate from the individual broker registration that agents working at the brokerage must hold personally — company registration and individual agent certification are two different approvals, both required before the business can legally operate.
Requirements for the brokerage itself
Beyond the trade licence, a real estate brokerage typically needs a registered office meeting the regulator's specific requirements, a compliant trade name, and at least one certified broker associated with the company from the outset.
Costs and timeline
Costs include the standard mainland trade licence process plus real estate regulator registration fees, a smaller additional layer on top of standard company formation costs. Model your base licensing cost with this site's Business Setup Cost Calculator, and confirm current regulator registration fees directly given periodic updates.