Three instruments reshaped UAE construction law inside a single year. Dubai Law No. 7 of 2025 took effect on 8 January 2026 and put every contractor in the Emirate, free zones included, under a single registration regime. Dubai Law No. 14 of 2025 did the same for engineering consultancies from April 2026. Federal Decree-Law No. 25 of 2025 then replaced the 1985 Civil Code on 1 June 2026. Each carries its own effective date, transitional period, and compliance deadline, and the deadlines do not line up.
This tracker lists the instruments governing construction projects in the UAE, their current status, and the dates that matter. It is maintained by the construction lawyers in Dubai at Kayrouz & Associates and is reviewed quarterly. This version reflects the position at July 2026. Status entries record what is in force, what is repealed but still governing older contracts, and what is pending.
Federal legislation
Federal instruments apply across all seven Emirates. The mainland courts apply them directly. The DIFC and ADGM apply their own contract law, but federal rules of public order, including decennial liability, still reach buildings constructed onshore.
| Instrument |
Subject |
Status at July 2026 |
Key dates |
| Federal Decree-Law No. 25 of 2025 (Civil Transactions Law) |
Contract law, muqawala provisions (Articles 812 to 839), decennial liability (Articles 821 to 824) |
In force |
Issued 1 October 2025. In force 1 June 2026. Governs contracts concluded from that date. |
| Federal Law No. 5 of 1985 (Civil Transactions Law) |
Former contract law, muqawala provisions (Articles 872 to 896), decennial liability (Articles 880 to 883) |
Repealed, still governs older contracts |
Repealed 1 June 2026. Continues to govern contracts concluded before that date. |
| Federal Law No. 6 of 2018 (Arbitration Law) |
Onshore arbitration, award enforcement and set-aside |
In force, as amended |
In force since June 2018. Amended by Federal Decree-Law No. 15 of 2023, including arbitrator independence rules. |
| Federal Decree-Law No. 50 of 2022 (Commercial Transactions Law) |
Commercial obligations, five-year commercial limitation period relevant to recourse claims |
In force |
In force since January 2023. |
| Federal Decree-Law No. 42 of 2022 (Civil Procedure Law) |
Court procedure, execution, attachment, enforcement of judgments and ratified awards |
In force, as amended |
In force since January 2023. |
| Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 (Labour Relations Law) |
Site workforce, employment contracts, end of service, workplace injury |
In force, as amended |
In force since February 2022. |
| Federal Decree-Law No. 38 of 2021 (Copyrights Law) |
Ownership of drawings and design documents, Article 28 commissioned works default |
In force |
In force since January 2022. |
Note: Official texts of all federal instruments are published on the UAE legislation portal. English versions are translations, and the Arabic text prevails.
The two Civil Codes run in parallel for years. A dispute in 2029 on a contract signed in 2024 is decided under the 1985 code. The same dispute on a 2027 contract is decided under the 2025 code. Pleadings and expert reports need to state which code applies and cite the matching article numbers. The substantive differences between the two regimes are covered in our guide to decennial liability for contractors and engineers in 2026.
Dubai legislation
Dubai regulates who may build and who may design through Emirate-level instruments. These apply across mainland Dubai, the special development zones, and the free zones, including the DIFC, unless an exemption applies.
| Instrument |
Subject |
Status at July 2026 |
Key dates |
| Dubai Law No. 7 of 2025 (Regulating Contracting Activities) |
Contractor registration, classification, technical staff competency certificates, unified register under Dubai Municipality |
In force, transitional period running |
Published 8 July 2025. In force 8 January 2026. Existing contractors must regularise by 8 January 2027. Airport works exempt. |
| Dubai Law No. 14 of 2025 (Regulating Engineering Consultancy Activities) |
Licensing, registration and classification of engineering consultancy offices and engineers |
In force, transitional period running |
Enacted 7 October 2025. In force from April 2026. Existing offices have one year from that date to regularise. |
| Local Order No. 89 of 1994 (Engineering Consultancy) |
Former licensing regime for engineering offices in Dubai |
Repealed |
Replaced by Law No. 14 of 2025. Implementing decisions remain effective where they do not conflict with the new law. |
| Dubai Decree No. 34 of 2021 (Dubai International Arbitration Centre) |
Consolidation of Dubai arbitration institutions into DIAC |
In force |
In force since September 2021. DIAC Rules 2022 apply to arbitrations commenced under them. |
| Dubai Law No. 8 of 2007 (Escrow Accounts) |
Escrow requirements for off-plan real estate development in Dubai |
In force |
In force since 2007. Administered by the Dubai Land Department. |
| Dubai Law No. 13 of 2008 (Interim Real Estate Register) |
Off-plan sale registration and developer obligations |
In force, as amended |
In force since 2008. |
Note: The Dubai Building Code and the Al Sa'fat green building system apply as technical regulations alongside these laws. Abu Dhabi and the other Emirates operate their own licensing regimes, which this tracker does not yet cover.
The registration regimes bite through the contract chain. An employer engaging an unregistered contractor breaches Law No. 7 of 2025, and every subcontract now needs prior approval and registered parties. The framework, penalties, and the January 2027 deadline are covered in our guide to Dubai's new construction law.
Talk to us
Which of these deadlines applies to your projects?
We advise contractors, developers, and consultancies on registration, classification, and contract updates under the 2026 reforms. Talk to us before a deadline passes.
Compliance timeline for 2026 and 2027
| Date |
Event |
Who is affected |
| 8 January 2026 |
Dubai Law No. 7 of 2025 takes effect |
All contractors in Dubai, including free zones and the DIFC |
| April 2026 |
Dubai Law No. 14 of 2025 takes effect |
Engineering consultancy offices in Dubai, including free zones |
| 1 June 2026 |
Federal Decree-Law No. 25 of 2025 replaces the 1985 Civil Code |
All parties to contracts concluded from this date, UAE-wide |
| 8 January 2027 |
Deadline for existing Dubai contractors to regularise under Law No. 7 of 2025 |
Contractors operating in Dubai before 8 January 2026 |
| April 2027 |
Deadline for existing engineering consultancies to regularise under Law No. 14 of 2025 |
Consultancy offices operating in Dubai before the law took effect |
Note: Both Dubai regularisation periods can be extended by decision of the relevant committee. Extensions are discretionary and should not be assumed.
What this tracker watches for the next update
Implementing regulations carry most of the operational detail, and several are pending. Dubai Municipality is expected to issue further decisions under Law No. 7 of 2025 on classification criteria, subcontracting approvals, and the code of ethics. Equivalent implementing decisions under Law No. 14 of 2025 will set the classification machinery for consultancy offices. The updated Dubai contractor and engineering consultancy rating system announced alongside these laws is also due to take shape during 2026.
On the federal side, the first onshore court decisions under the 2025 Civil Code will start to land. They will show how the new hardship, notice, and recourse provisions work in practice. Court treatment of agreed compensation under the new Article 340 deserves particular attention, given its effect on delay damages. The wider statutory background to all of these instruments is set out in our UAE construction law legal guide.
How should construction businesses use a UAE legislation tracker in 2026?
The 2026 reforms replaced a stable statutory base with a moving one. A contractor bidding in Dubai now needs to confirm three things before signing: its own registration status under Law No. 7 of 2025, its consultant's status under Law No. 14 of 2025, and which Civil Code will govern the contract. Each check takes minutes, and each failure carries a cost measured in fines, suspended works, or an unenforceable position in a later dispute.
The highest-risk gap is the January 2027 regularisation deadline. A contractor that misses it is not merely late. It becomes an entity that employers are prohibited from engaging, which turns a compliance lapse into a commercial exclusion. Consultancies face the same cliff a few months later.
Legal advice is usually needed to map these requirements onto a specific corporate structure and project pipeline. Our construction lawyers in Dubai advise on registration, classification, contract updates, and disputes under both the old and new regimes.
