Advertising property in Dubai: Trakheesi permits, Madmoun QR codes and AED 50,000 fines

Key takeaways

• Every property ad needs a Trakheesi permit: portal listings, social posts, paid ads, print.
• Every permit comes with a Madmoun QR code that must appear on the ad, at a size that scans.
• Fines: AED 50,000 per violation, applied without prior warning after the grace period ended.
• Advertised details must match the permit: price, property, company.
• Plan for it in your ad workflow, not as an afterthought.

Why Dubai regulates property ads so tightly

Fake listings, bait pricing and unlicensed agents erode trust in any property market. Dubai’s Real Estate Regulatory Agency (RERA), part of the Dubai Land Department (DLD), responded by requiring a permit for every advert, and in April 2023 by attaching a QR code to each permit through the Madmoun service. Anyone can scan the code and see the company, the advert details, the permit status and the property value.

By December 2023, the DLD reported 411,608 advertising permits issued with QR codes, along with 1,980 warnings to companies that hadn’t displayed them.

What every ad must have

1. A valid Trakheesi permit for that specific listing or campaign, issued to your company.
2. The Madmoun QR code on the ad itself, at the specified dimensions so it can be scanned.
3. Matching details: what the ad says (property, price, company) must match what the code shows.
4. Licensed parties only: the advertiser must be a RERA-licensed broker or developer.

DLD inspectors check that the code is present, that the details match, that the permit is valid, and that it was issued to the advertising company.

What it means for paid media

The scale of the agent market explains the enforcement: Dubai had 32,294 registered brokers and 9,785 brokerage offices at the end of 2025, and brokers handled 96,440 transactions, up 54%, according to the Dubai Media Office.

“…a more mature and sustainable market underpinned by transparency, governance, and data-driven policies.”

Omar Hamad Bu Shehab, Director General, Dubai Land Department, on the 2025 results

• Google and Meta ads: put the permit and QR code on the landing page and, where the format allows, on the creative itself. Image and video ads that show a specific property should carry the code.
• Social posts and reels: each property post needs its permit and QR code. That includes agents posting from personal accounts.
• Lead forms: if the ad promises a price or a payment plan, it must match the permit.
• Influencers and content creators: in addition to the property permit, the UAE Media Council licenses paid content creators. Check their status before a campaign.

A compliant ad workflow

1. Brief: which listing or project, which claims.
2. Apply for the Trakheesi permit and get the QR code.
3. Design creatives with space reserved for the code.
4. QA: scan every code and check it against the copy before launch.
5. Archive: keep the permit, creative and landing page for each campaign.

This adds a day to a launch. A single fine costs more than a month of most agencies’ ad spend.

Using AI in property marketing

AI chat assistants that answer property enquiries must not invent prices, availability or payment plans that differ from the permitted advert. See AI lead qualification for real estate for how to keep automated replies inside the rules.