Do real estate brokers have to report suspicious transactions in the UAE?
Yes. UAE real estate brokers must file a Suspicious Transaction Report (STR) without delay whenever they suspect, or have reasonable grounds to suspect, that funds or a transaction, in whole or in part, are proceeds of crime or are linked to money laundering, terrorist financing or proliferation financing. The obligation applies regardless of the transaction’s value and even where the deal is only attempted and never completed.
Reports are submitted to the Financial Intelligence Unit through the goAML portal and must contain all available information about the transaction and the parties. Brokers cannot rely on confidentiality or contractual duties to avoid reporting, and tipping off the customer that a report has been or will be made is itself a criminal offence.
Legal Reference (UAE):
· Federal Decree-Law No. 10 of 2025, Article 18 — duty to report suspicious transactions directly to the FIU without delay.
· Cabinet Resolution No. 134 of 2025, Article 18 — procedures for submitting STRs without invoking secrecy.
For more details, consult the full text of Federal Decree-Law No. 10 of 2025 or seek guidance from your AML compliance officer.