Dubai sets new rules for engineering consultancy firms: Licensing, conditions, and penalties explained

Dubai has enacted Law No. (14) of 2025 to regulate engineering consultancy activities across the emirate. This legislation aims to elevate the quality and governance of engineering consultancy services by setting stringent licensing requirements, classification criteria, and operational standards. It establishes a permanent regulatory committee, introduces a unified electronic registration system, and outlines strict penalties for violations, positioning Dubai as a global hub for engineering consultancy aligned with international best practices.

Strengthening Dubai’s engineering consultancy Sector

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum , Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, issued the new law as part of a strategic effort to advance the emirate’s engineering consultancy sector. The law’s key goals include:

• Enhancing the sector’s contribution to Dubai’s economic growth and urban development.
• Regulating consultancy practices in line with global standards.
• Classifying engineering consultancy offices based on their technical, financial, and managerial capabilities.
• Encouraging investment and attracting international firms to establish a presence in Dubai.

The legislation prohibits anyone from undertaking engineering consultancy activities in the emirate without proper authorization. It covers all engineering disciplines including architectural, civil, electrical, electronic, mechanical, mining, petroleum, chemical, coastal, and geological engineering.

Licensing, Classification, and operational standards

Under the new law:

• Engineering consultancy offices must be licensed and registered with Dubai Municipality .
• Each office’s registration must specify its licensed scope, classification, technical staff, and other essential details.
• Offices are prohibited from operating beyond their licensed scope, employing unregistered engineers, or subcontracting to unlicensed companies.

The law defines several categories of consultancy offices eligible for registration:

• Local companies established in Dubai.
• 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 a minimum of ten years’ experience.
• Engineering advisory offices owned by registered engineers, each having at least ten years of experience.
• Engineering audit offices authorized to conduct third-party audits on consultancy activities.

Registrations include detailed procedures, validity periods, criteria for classification, and rules for technical staff registration and deregistration.

Regulatory framework and governance

Dubai Municipality will establish and maintain a unified electronic system linked to the ‘Invest in Dubai’ platform. This system will handle:

• Registration applications for consultancy offices.
• Classification assessments.
• Issuance of professional competency certificates.
• Updates and management of the licensed consultancy office registry.

The registry will contain comprehensive data on offices’ scopes, classifications, technical staff, and other relevant information. Dubai Municipality will also oversee ongoing updates to classification systems for companies involved in construction, building, or demolition, and issue competency certificates accordingly.

To oversee implementation, the law mandates the creation of a permanent ‘Committee for the Regulation and Development of Engineering Consultancy Activities,’ appointed by the Chairman of The Executive Council. This committee will be chaired by a Dubai Municipality representative and include members from relevant government authorities and stakeholders, operating under governance guidelines set by Decree No. (1) of 2023.

Enforcement and compliance

The law enforces strict penalties on violators, including:

• Fines up to AED 100,000, with higher fines for repeat offences within the same year.
• Suspension of consultancy offices for up to one year.
• Downgrading or removal of office classification.
• Removal from the official registry.
• Cancellation of commercial licenses.
• Suspension or revocation of certificates for technical staff.
• Notification to the UAE Society of Engineers regarding violations.

Affected parties have the right to appeal fines or punitive actions within 30 days of notification. The committee will resolve appeals within 30 days, and decisions are final and binding.

Engineering consultancy offices and their technical staff must comply with the law within one year of its effective date. Registrations expiring during this period may be renewed if compliance is guaranteed. Extensions may be granted where necessary.

Implementation and transitional provisions

Law No. (14) of 2025 repeals Local Order No. (89) of 1994 and its amendments regulating engineering consultancy in Dubai. Existing decisions and regulations remain effective as long as they do not conflict with the new law, until replaced.

The law will be published in the Official Gazette and will come into effect six months after its publication, providing time for all engineering consultancy entities to adjust to the updated regulatory framework.