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Dubai’s new engineering law: Comply or face Dh100,000 fine and ban

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Dubai is getting serious about engineering quality and professional standards. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, and Ruler of Dubai, has just issued a comprehensive new law (Law No. 14 of 2025) that fundamentally reshapes how engineering consultancy offices operate across the emirate. 

This new regulation ensures that every company, from architecture to electrical engineering, must be officially licensed, meet high international standards, and prove its competence. 

If firms fail to comply, by operating outside their approved scope or employing unregistered staff, they face severe penalties, including hefty fines up to Dh100,000 and being removed from the registry entirely.

Here are the key aspects of the law:

Objectives and Scope

The law aims to:

  • Advance Dubai’s engineering consultancy sector.
  • Regulate practices according to international standards.
  • Classify service providers based on their technical, financial, and managerial competence.
  • Encourage investment, remove obstacles, and ensure timely project execution.
  • Attract global companies, positioning Dubai as a key hub.

The law covers engineering activities in all fields, including architectural, civil, electrical, electronic, mechanical, mining, petroleum, chemical, coastal, and geological engineering, among others.

Regulatory Requirements and Prohibitions

Authorisation and Licensing

  • No one is allowed to take up engineering consultancy activities without proper authorisation.
  • Individuals or offices cannot portray themselves as engineering consultancy offices without a valid trade licence and registration with Dubai Municipality.
  • The registration must detail the office’s licensed scope, classification, technical staff, and other essential information.

Operational Prohibitions

Engineering consultancy offices are specifically prohibited from:

  • Operating beyond their licensed scope.
  • Employing unregistered engineers.
  • Contracting with unlicensed companies to carry out consultancy work in Dubai.

Dubai Municipality’s Role

Dubai Municipality is central to implementing the law:

  • It will establish a unified electronic system across the emirate, linked to the ‘Invest in Dubai’ platform. This system manages applications for registration, classification, issuing professional competency certificates, and other related matters.
  • The Municipality oversees, operates, and updates the system and maintains a comprehensive registry of licensed offices, their scope, classification, and technical staff.
  • It also regularly approves and updates the classification system for construction, building, or demolition companies and issues professional competency certificates for their technical staff.

Committee and Office Types

Permanent Committee

The law mandates the establishment of a permanent ‘Committee for the Regulation and Development of Engineering Consultancy Activities’ in Dubai, appointed by the Chairman of The Executive Council and chaired by a Dubai Municipality representative.

Types of Engineering Consultancy Offices

The law defines several types of registered offices:

  • Local companies established in Dubai.
  • Branches of UAE-based offices with 3 consecutive years of experience.
  • Branches of foreign offices with 10 consecutive years of experience.
  • Joint endeavours are formed between a local office and one or more foreign offices (where the foreign office has 10 years of experience).
  • Engineering advisory offices providing opinion and consultancy services, owned by registered engineers, each with a minimum of 10 years of experience.
  • Engineering audit offices are authorised to conduct third-party audits.

Violations and Penalties

Fines and Measures

Violators may face fines of up to Dh100,000, with the penalty increasing for repeat offences within the same year. Authorities may also take punitive measures, including:

  • Suspending the office for up to one year.
  • Downgrading the office’s classification.
  • Removing the office or the engineers from the registry.
  • Cancelling commercial licences.
  • Suspending staff or revoking certificates.

Appeals

Parties affected by fines or other measures can submit a written appeal within 30 days of notification. The competent authority’s committee will decide within 30 days, and the decision is final and binding.

Implementation

  • The new law annuls Local Order No. (89) of 1994 and its amendments.
  • Engineering consultancy offices and their staff must regularise their status within one year of the law taking effect.
  • The law will come into effect six months from the date of its publication in the Official Gazette.

With over 35 years of experience in journalism, copywriting, and PR, Michael Gomes is a seasoned media professional deeply rooted in the UAE’s print and digital landscape.

Business

UAE denies claims of restrictions on investor funds, reaffirms open economy policy

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The UAE has firmly dismissed reports circulating on social media that suggest restrictions on investor funds, calling the claims inaccurate and misleading.

Officials clarified that there are no limits on the movement of capital or on foreign investors’ ability to manage and transfer their money. Authorities stressed that the country remains committed to maintaining an open, business-friendly environment aligned with international standards.

Commitment to investor confidence

The Ministry of Economy and Tourism reiterated that the UAE continues to support the free flow of capital, a key pillar in attracting global investment and ensuring long-term economic stability.

Officials emphasised that policies remain unchanged, reinforcing the country’s reputation as a reliable and transparent destination for businesses and investors.

Dubai reaffirms its position

In a statement shared on X, the Dubai Media Office also rejected the circulating claims, describing them as false. It highlighted that Dubai continues to stand as a leading global hub for business and investment, supported by a strong and resilient economy.

Call for accurate information

Authorities have urged the public and media outlets to rely on official sources when seeking information, warning against the spread of unverified claims online.

The clarification comes as the UAE contåinues to strengthen its position as a global financial and investment centre, built on openness, stability, and investor confidence.

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Announcements

How UAE’s new banking plan will support businesses and individuals

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The Central Bank of the UAE has rolled out a new financial support package designed to keep banks strong and ensure they continue supporting and safeguarding the broader economy amid global and regional uncertainty.

The package was endorsed during a high-level board meeting chaired by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, underscoring the UAE leadership’s proactive approach to maintaining economic stability.

Built around five key pillars, the initiative is designed to provide banks with greater liquidity, enhanced flexibility, and temporary regulatory relief, ensuring they can continue to support businesses and individuals during uncertain times.

Under the new measures, banks will gain expanded access to liquidity, including the ability to utilise reserve balances and secure term funding in both dirhams and US dollars. This step is expected to keep credit flowing across key sectors of the economy.

The Central Bank has also introduced temporary easing of liquidity and funding requirements, giving financial institutions more room to continue lending. Capital buffer requirements will be relaxed as well, allowing banks to deploy excess capital to support economic activity.

Additionally, new provisions will offer greater flexibility in managing credit risk, including delaying the classification of certain loans affected by current market conditions—providing relief to borrowers facing temporary challenges.

Authorities emphasised that banks are expected to maintain lending and continue supporting customers as part of the UAE’s broader economic response strategy.

Despite global pressures, the UAE’s financial system has shown strong resilience. During its meeting, the Board confirmed that current market conditions have had no significant impact on the health of the banking sector or the efficiency of payment systems.

The Central Bank also highlighted the country’s robust financial position, with foreign exchange reserves exceeding AED 1 trillion and a strong monetary base. The UAE’s banking sector, valued at over AED 5.4 trillion, continues to demonstrate solid fundamentals.

With liquidity levels remaining high and reserves strong, the CBUAE reaffirmed its readiness to take further action if needed to protect financial stability and sustain economic growth.

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Business

Explained: Dubai’s new law on administrative violations, fines and penalties

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Dubai has introduced a new legal framework governing administrative violations, penalties, and enforcement measures across government entities.

Issued by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, Law No. (6) of 2026 aims to make enforcement fairer, more transparent, and consistent across the emirate.

Here’s a simple breakdown of what the law means.

What is the purpose of the law?
The law creates a unified framework for handling administrative violations and penalties across Dubai government entities. It is designed to ensure enforcement actions respect fairness, transparency, accountability, and legality while protecting public services and community interests.

How are violations classified?
Administrative violations must now be clearly defined by the competent authority and are classified into three categories:

  • Minor violations
  • Moderate violations
  • Serious violations

This classification helps authorities apply appropriate penalties based on the severity of the offence.

What penalties can authorities impose?
Government entities may apply several administrative measures depending on the violation, including:

  • Warnings to correct the issue
  • Temporary closure of a business (up to six months)
  • Permanent closure of an establishment
  • Cancellation or modification of licences or permits
  • Suspension of projects, activities, or transactions

How will fairness be ensured?
The law requires penalties to be proportionate to the violation and consider factors such as:

  • Whether the violation was intentional or accidental
  • Repeated violations
  • Damage caused
  • Whether the offender took steps to fix the issue early

What are the procedures before penalties are announced?
Authorities must follow strict procedures before publishing violations:

  • Approval from the Director General of the government entity
  • Coordination with the Government of Dubai Media Office for public announcements

When does the law take effect?
The law comes into force immediately after publication in the Official Gazette. Any conflicting provisions in previous laws will be cancelled.
Officials say the law will help standardise enforcement practices across Dubai, prevent misuse of authority, and increase compliance with regulations, ultimately improving governance and protecting public interests.

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