Which buildings need a Quality and Safety Certificate?

Buildings in the Emirate of Dubai for which 20 years have passed since the Completion Certificate was issued (Dubai Law No. (3) of 2026, Articles 2 and 9).

How long is the certificate valid?

10 years if the building's Completion Certificate was issued less than 40 years ago, and 5 years if it was issued 40 or more years ago. It is renewable for the same period (Article 13).

How long does the engineering firm have to submit the technical report?

No more than 6 months from the initial approval. At the owner's request, the competent entity may extend this for further periods of no more than 2 years in total, if there is no potential risk to lives or property (Article 8).

Do occupants have to leave during the works?

If the approved technical report requires maintenance works and defect repairs before the certificate can be issued, occupants must vacate within 3 months of the competent entity's approval of the report (Article 12).

AE · Expiry & renewal tracking

Track every building's Quality and Safety Certificate in Dubai

Under Dubai Law No. (3) of 2026, the owner of any building in the Emirate must obtain a Quality and Safety Certificate once 20 years have passed since its Completion Certificate (Article 9). The certificate is valid for 10 years, or 5 years where that certificate is 40 or more years old, and is renewable (Article 13).

Dubai Law No. (3) of 2026 Concerning the Quality and Safety of Buildings applies to all buildings in the Emirate of Dubai, including those in Special Development Zones and free zones such as the Dubai International Financial Centre (Article 3). It was published in the Official Gazette of the Government of Dubai on 12 March 2026 and comes into force 60 days after publication. Owners, contractors and engineering firms must comply within one year of that date, which the Chairman of the Executive Council may extend (Articles 22 and 25).

The owner must obtain a Quality and Safety Certificate once 20 years have passed since the building's Completion Certificate was issued (Article 9). The certificate is issued by the competent entity, such as Dubai Municipality or the authority supervising the zone, and confirms the building's quality, safety and suitability for use after an assessment of its structural condition (Articles 2 and 6).

The certificate is valid for 10 years for buildings whose Completion Certificate was issued less than 40 years ago, and for 5 years for buildings whose Completion Certificate was issued 40 or more years ago. It is renewable for the same period; the conditions and procedures for renewal are set by a resolution of the Chairman of the Executive Council (Article 13).

Start free

At a glance

Law	Dubai Law No. (3) of 2026, Articles 9 and 13
Scope	All buildings in the Emirate of Dubai, including free zones
When needed	After 20 years from the building's Completion Certificate
Validity	10 years (Completion Certificate less than 40 years old); 5 years (40 years or more)
Renewal	For the same period; conditions set by a Chairman of the Executive Council resolution
Technical report	Due within 6 months of initial approval; extensions up to 2 years in total
Applied through	The Digital Window

The Arabic text of the law prevails over the English translation (Dubai Supreme Legislation Committee).

Who is responsible?

The owner. For jointly owned buildings under Law No. (6) of 2019, the management entity carries out the owner's duties, including obtaining the certificate, while the owner stays liable for the fees and must monitor the management entity (Articles 9 and 10).

If the deadline passes

Violations of the law are punished by fines, and the Chairman of the Executive Council decides which acts are violations and the fines for them. The competent entity may also suspend building permits for the building, or suspend or reject applications relating to it, including the attestation of lease contracts for units in the building (Article 16).

How the certificate is issued

The owner applies through the Digital Window, naming the engineering firm that will assess the building. After initial approval, the firm inspects the building and submits a technical report covering, among other things, structural integrity, exterior cladding, electrical and mechanical installations in external and common areas, and Civil Defence and CCTV requirements. The owner appoints a contractor to fix the defects under the firm's supervision; the firm then applies for the certificate, and the competent entity inspects the site and issues it (Articles 7 and 8).

Tracking it with ExpirySuite

Add each building as a location and record its Quality and Safety Certificate expiry date.
For a building without a certificate yet, record the date 20 years after its Completion Certificate as the due date.
Reminders arrive 60, 30, 14, 7 and 1 day before the due date and on the due date itself.
Assign a responsible person (for example your property or facility manager) so the right person gets the reminder.
If a date passes, managers get overdue reminders 3, 7 and 14 days later.
Ask the engineering firm to upload the certificate through a secure upload link, valid for 14 days; no account is needed.
Emails arrive in each recipient's language, Arabic included.

Frequently asked questions

Which buildings need a Quality and Safety Certificate?: Buildings in the Emirate of Dubai for which 20 years have passed since the Completion Certificate was issued (Dubai Law No. (3) of 2026, Articles 2 and 9).
How long is the certificate valid?: 10 years if the building's Completion Certificate was issued less than 40 years ago, and 5 years if it was issued 40 or more years ago. It is renewable for the same period (Article 13).
How long does the engineering firm have to submit the technical report?: No more than 6 months from the initial approval. At the owner's request, the competent entity may extend this for further periods of no more than 2 years in total, if there is no potential risk to lives or property (Article 8).
Do occupants have to leave during the works?: If the approved technical report requires maintenance works and defect repairs before the certificate can be issued, occupants must vacate within 3 months of the competent entity's approval of the report (Article 12).

Sources

Last checked: Sep 30, 2026 · This page summarises official sources for general information and is not legal advice. Check the linked sources for current rules and fees.

Made for building quality and safety certificate (Dubai Law 3/2026) (UAE)

A ready template for building quality and safety certificate (Dubai Law 3/2026) (UAE) with sensible validity defaults, so you enter less and track more.

Reminders on time

Email alerts at 60, 30, 14, 7 and 1 day before each building quality and safety certificate (Dubai Law 3/2026) (UAE) expires, plus overdue escalation to managers.

Assign an owner

Give each building quality and safety certificate (Dubai Law 3/2026) (UAE) an owner and let employees update their own via a secure link — no login needed.