Quick answer: Cold calling isn't banned in the UAE, but it is tightly controlled. Under Cabinet Resolution 56 of 2024, marketing calls are allowed only from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm, from company-registered numbers, and never to numbers on the Do Not Call Registry. The listed company fines range from AED 10,000 to AED 150,000; the individual personal-number penalty starts at AED 5,000. Abu Dhabi’s DMT instructed real estate businesses in 2021 to stop unsolicited property marketing calls; we found no subsequent notice withdrawing that instruction.
Key takeaways
The cold calling rules UAE agents must follow sit in Cabinet Resolution 56 of 2024 (the rules) and 57 of 2024 (the fines). Both have applied since late August 2024.
Marketing calls: 9:00 am to 6:00 pm only. No calls to DNCR numbers. No second call after a "no".
Marketing SMS and marketing messages on social media apps, WhatsApp included, fall inside the same definition of telemarketing.
An agent calling from a personal SIM faces AED 5,000 and disconnection for a first offence, rising to AED 50,000 and a 12-month telecoms ban.
In Dubai, RERA also limits owner outreach to the Green List. In Abu Dhabi, the regulator told real estate businesses in 2021 to stop unsolicited property marketing calls.
Is cold calling legal in Dubai and the rest of the UAE?
Yes, within strict limits. There is no blanket federal ban on phone marketing. There is a federal rulebook that most traditional real estate cold calling breaks.
Which law applies
Two Cabinet Resolutions, both dated 10 June 2024, set the rules:
Cabinet Resolution No. 56 of 2024 on the Telemarketing Regulations sets what companies and individuals may and may not do (Ministry of Economy, English text).
Cabinet Resolution No. 57 of 2024 sets the administrative violations and fines (Ministry of Economy, English text).
Each took effect 60 days after publication in the Official Gazette, and the Ministry of Economy and TDRA announced them as in force on 29 August 2024. They apply to every company licensed in the UAE, free zone companies included.
Rule: Resolution 56 defines telemarketing as calls to a consumer to market, advertise or promote products or services by landline or mobile, "including marketing text messages and marketing messages through social media applications" (Article 1). A WhatsApp broadcast to a cold list is telemarketing. Source: Cabinet Resolution 56 of 2024.
On top of the federal rules, Dubai and Abu Dhabi each have real estate rules of their own. We cover those below.
The UAE cold calling rules, one by one
These are the telemarketing rules UAE brokerages have to build their calling around. Article numbers refer to Resolution 56.
Calling hours: 9:00 am to 6:00 pm
Marketing calls may be made only from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm (Article 5.3). There is no weekend exception in the text. A call at 6:15 pm to "catch them after work" is a breach.
Company numbers only, never your personal SIM
Companies must use local numbers issued by a UAE-licensed telecoms operator and registered under the company's commercial licence (Article 4.3), and must not use numbers the company doesn't own or register (Article 4.13).
Individuals are banned from making marketing calls from a fixed or mobile number licensed in their own name (Article 3.2). For agents this is the rule that bites. Your personal SIM is off limits for marketing, even if you're a licensed broker.
How many times can you call the same person?
If they reject the offer on the first call, don't call them again (Article 5.4).
If they don't answer or end the call, you may call back at most once a day and twice a week (Article 5.5).
What you must say on the call
Identify the company and the purpose of the call at the start (Article 4.11).
Tell them the call is being recorded (Article 4.7).
Ask whether they want to continue before you start pitching (Article 5.7).
No pressure tactics and nothing misleading (Articles 5.1 and 5.2).
Consent and the "interested consumers" channel
The resolution asks companies to create a channel for consumers who want marketing information, and to make marketing calls only to those consumers (Article 4.4). Calls made at the consumer's request are not "unwanted" marketing calls under Article 1. In practice, that means a documented request or opt-in before you market to someone.
Consumer personal data may not be disclosed without consent, or traded to be reused for marketing calls (Article 6.4). Do not use a purchased owner list unless you can establish how each person's data was obtained, the permitted purpose, and their applicable marketing permissions. A list with no traceable source or permission should not be called.
Records, recordings and reports
Companies must keep a record of all marketing calls in the format the authority sets (Article 4.6), record the calls (Article 4.7) and file periodic reports (Article 4.8). They must also be able to say where they got a consumer's number if the authority asks (Article 4.12).
Approval before you start
A company needs prior approval from the competent authority to carry out telemarketing (Article 4.1), and must train its marketers on professional conduct and on using the DNCR (Article 4.2). Resolution 56 only describes the approving body as the federal or local government agency that licenses the activity, so ask your licensing authority (DET or DLD in Dubai, ADDED or ADREC in Abu Dhabi) how it handles telemarketing approval before you run a campaign.
The rules at a glance
| Rule | What it means for an agent | Resolution 56 |
|---|---|---|
| Hours | Marketing calls 9:00 am to 6:00 pm only | Art. 5.3 |
| Number | Company-registered UAE number only, no personal SIM | Art. 3.2, 4.3, 4.13 |
| DNCR | Never call a number on the registry | Art. 4.5 |
| Rejection | "No" on the first call means no more calls | Art. 5.4 |
| No answer | At most once a day and twice a week | Art. 5.5 |
| Opening | Name the company, state the purpose, mention recording, ask to continue | Art. 4.7, 4.11, 5.7 |
| Data | No buying, selling or sharing numbers without consent | Art. 6.4 |
| Records | Log and record every marketing call | Art. 4.6, 4.7 |
| Scope | Calls, marketing SMS and social media app messages | Art. 1 |
How does the Do Not Call Registry (DNCR) work?
The do not call registry UAE residents use is a single national list supervised by TDRA. Resolution 56 calls it the "Do Not Connect Register", and the operators call it the Do Not Call Registry. Companies must not call DNCR numbers to market anything (Article 4.5).
How consumers join
On e& and du, consumers text DNCR to 1012 to register, IDNCR to 1012 to check their status and UDNCR to leave (e&; du). Virgin Mobile customers can switch it on in the Virgin Mobile app (Virgin Mobile).
How your brokerage checks a list
You check numbers through your business telecoms account before calling:
e&: log in to the Business Online portal, then go to Settings and Promotional Calls Settings (e&).
du: upload a file of mobile numbers in du My Account and download the results showing each number's DNCR status (du).
Both operators say checking the DNCR is free. Registrations change daily, so check the list right before each calling session. A check from last month doesn't count.
Watch out: du states that since August 2023, telemarketers are strictly prohibited from contacting customers listed on the DNCR, even if prior consent has been obtained (du). Don't treat an old enquiry as a pass to call a DNCR number. If the person asks you to call them, keep a record of that request, and when in doubt, let them call you.
DNC UAE fines: what each breach costs
Resolution 57 has two fine schedules, one for companies and one for individuals. All amounts below are in AED and come from the Ministry of Economy's English text of Cabinet Resolution 57 of 2024.
Fines for companies (AED)
| Violation | 1st | 2nd | 3rd |
|---|---|---|---|
| Telemarketing without prior approval | 75,000 | 100,000 | 150,000 |
| No training for marketers on conduct and the DNCR | 10,000 | 25,000 | 50,000 |
| Calling from numbers not registered under the company's licence | 25,000 | 50,000 | 75,000 |
| Calling numbers on the DNCR | 50,000 | 75,000 | 150,000 |
| No register of marketing calls | 10,000 | 25,000 | 50,000 |
| Not recording marketing calls | 10,000 | 25,000 | 50,000 |
| Not telling the consumer the call is recorded | 10,000 | 20,000 | 30,000 |
| Not filing periodic reports on time | 10,000 | 20,000 | 30,000 |
| Not identifying the company and purpose at the start | 10,000 | 20,000 | 30,000 |
| Not disclosing the source of numbers when asked | 25,000 | 50,000 | 75,000 |
| Unreasonable pressure on the consumer | 10,000 | 25,000 | 50,000 |
| Fraud or deception on the call | 25,000 | 50,000 | 75,000 |
| Calling outside 9:00 am to 6:00 pm | 10,000 | 25,000 | 50,000 |
| Calling back after a rejection | 10,000 | 25,000 | 50,000 |
| Calling back more than once a day or twice a week | 10,000 | 25,000 | 50,000 |
| Automated calling in breach of the rules | 10,000 | 25,000 | 50,000 |
| Not asking whether the consumer wants to continue | 10,000 | 20,000 | 30,000 |
| Disclosing or trading consumer data without consent | 50,000 | 75,000 | 150,000 |
Penalties for individuals marketing from a personal number
| Offence | Penalty |
|---|---|
| 1st | AED 5,000, plus every fixed and mobile number in the person's name cut off until the fine is paid |
| 2nd, within 30 days of the 1st penalty | AED 20,000, plus every number in the person's name cut off for 3 months |
| 3rd, within 30 days of the 2nd penalty | AED 50,000, plus a 12-month ban on any service from UAE-licensed telecoms companies |
Other penalties and repeat offences
For companies, the penalty ladder in Article 3 of Resolution 57 runs from a warning, to a fine, to total or partial suspension of activity for 7 to 90 days. At the top it reaches cancellation of the licence, deletion from the commercial register and cutting telecoms services. If a company repeats the same violation within six months, the authority can skip straight to the most severe penalty. Penalties can be appealed within 15 days of notice (Article 6).
A call may involve more than one alleged violation; the competent authority determines the applicable penalties.
Who enforces the telemarketing rules?
Under Article 9 of Resolution 56:
The Ministry of Economy supervises implementation overall.
Local competent authorities in each emirate handle marketing calls for most products and services, which covers real estate.
The Central Bank covers banks, finance and insurance, and the SCA covers securities.
TDRA works with the telecoms operators to penalise individuals who market from personal numbers (Resolution 57, Article 3).
Consumers complain to the competent authority, and can register on the DNCR to stop calls. Real estate agents in Dubai also answer to RERA, and in Abu Dhabi to the Department of Municipalities and Transport (DMT) and ADREC.
Real estate cold calling in Dubai: RERA and the Green List
Real estate cold calling in Dubai was restricted before the 2024 resolutions. In April 2022, RERA fined a brokerage AED 50,000 for cold calling and suspended nine brokers for three months. Its message was to use official marketing channels and permitted ads only, and it pointed the public to "Report Malicious Calls" in the Dubai REST app.
For owner outreach, DLD's route is the Green List in Dubai REST, launched in August 2020. Owners who want to hear from brokers register, and they can deactivate at any time.
Rule: "Brokers are not allowed to contact owners not registered as part of the green list, and if a broker should contact anyone not on the green list, a violation will be issued and their operations will be suspended in the event of a complaint or a report against them by an investor or a client." Source: DLD Real Estate Brokerage Practice Guide (2024).
So in Dubai, a compliant owner call has to pass two tests: the owner is on the Green List, and the call meets the federal rules on hours, company number, DNCR and recording.
Abu Dhabi's 2021 instruction on real estate cold calling
On 26 October 2021, Abu Dhabi's Department of Municipalities and Transport told all individuals, companies and developers in the real estate sector not to market through cold calling, and to use only official channels such as company websites and social media. It warned that legal action may be taken against violators, and the public can report unsolicited property calls on 800 555 (Khaleej Times; UAE BARQ).
We found no subsequent notice withdrawing that instruction, and we could not find the original notice on the DMT or ADREC websites, so the sources above are news reports of it. Treat unsolicited property marketing calls in Abu Dhabi as off the table, even when a call would pass the federal 9 to 6 test. That is different from returning a call someone asked for, such as a reply to their enquiry. If you plan a campaign to contacts who have agreed to hear from you, confirm it with ADREC before you start.
Does PDPL change anything?
The Personal Data Protection Law (Federal Decree-Law 45 of 2021) came into force on 2 January 2022. It generally prohibits processing personal data without the owner's consent, with limited exceptions (u.ae). Article 17 gives people the right to object to, and stop, processing for direct marketing (DLA Piper summary).
For your lead database, three things follow. Record where each contact came from and what they agreed to. Honour opt-outs across every channel. And don't use lists you can't trace. Resolution 56 itself cites the PDPL in its preamble.
Myths about cold calling rules in the UAE
| Myth | Fact |
|---|---|
| "Marketing calls are allowed until 9 pm." | Calls: 9:00 am to 6:00 pm only (Res. 56, Art. 5.3). TDRA separately publishes a 7:00 am to 9:00 pm window for promotional SMS (TDRA FAQs), and Resolution 56 includes marketing messages in its definition of telemarketing. Marketing calls are limited to 9 am to 6 pm. Because the rules for marketing messages overlap, we recommend applying the stricter 9 am to 6 pm window to SMS and WhatsApp campaigns until your legal adviser confirms the applicable channel-specific rules. |
| "The fine for calling from an unregistered number is AED 75,000." | AED 25,000 for a first offence, AED 50,000 for a second and AED 75,000 for a third. The AED 75,000 first-time fine is for telemarketing without prior approval. |
| "WhatsApp isn't covered, only calls." | Marketing messages through social media apps are inside the definition of telemarketing (Res. 56, Art. 1). |
| "I'm a licensed broker, so my own SIM is fine." | Individuals may not market from a number in their own name (Art. 3.2): AED 5,000 and disconnection for a first offence. |
| "If they're not on the DNCR, I can call." | No. A DNCR check is one requirement. You also need a basis for contacting an interested consumer, because Resolution 56 asks companies to direct marketing only to consumers who want to receive it (Art. 4.4), and you must meet the other federal and local rules: in Dubai, owners must be on the Green List, and in Abu Dhabi the DMT told real estate businesses in 2021 to stop unsolicited marketing calls. |
| "They said no last week, but it's a new project." | A rejection on the first call means no call back (Art. 5.4). |
Watch out: TDRA publishes a 7:00 am to 9:00 pm window for promotional SMS, while Resolution 56 includes marketing messages in its definition of telemarketing. Marketing calls are limited to 9 am to 6 pm. Because the rules for marketing messages overlap, we recommend applying the stricter 9 am to 6 pm window to SMS and WhatsApp campaigns until your legal adviser confirms the applicable channel-specific rules.
What's still allowed: a compliant outreach playbook
"How to get real estate leads without cold calling" is one of the most common questions UAE agents ask. The answer is to let people ask to be contacted first, then respond fast.
Portal leads. A portal enquiry supports responding about the property or request the person submitted. It should not be treated as blanket permission for unrelated future campaigns. Reply quickly, from a company number.
Website and ad forms with an opt-in. Add a clear line such as "I agree to be contacted by call and WhatsApp about properties", and store the timestamp and source. The form covers what it says: an enquiry about one listing is not consent to every future campaign unless the wording makes that clear.
Click-to-WhatsApp ads. The person messages you first, which supports a reply about what they asked. It is not permission for unrelated campaigns later. Meta's policy still requires opt-in before you send follow-up marketing, and you must honour any opt-out (WhatsApp Business Messaging Policy).
WhatsApp to opted-in contacts only. Meta says you may contact people only if they gave you their number and opted in to receive messages from you (policy).
The DLD Green List in Dubai. The sanctioned route to owners who want to hear from brokers.
Referrals. Past clients introduce you, and the new contact reaches out or agrees to a call. Log who referred whom, and when consent was given. Agreeing to talk about one property is not agreeing to every future campaign.
Content and permitted ads. Market reports, area guides and Trakheesi-permitted listings on your website and social channels bring inbound enquiries. That is the channel Abu Dhabi's DMT pointed firms to.
Consent-based outreach only works if you answer quickly and keep the paper trail. In Majlis CRM, portal and website leads are captured and assigned automatically, with a response-time target on every new lead (lead management). Each agent works from a WhatsApp number on Meta's official Cloud API rather than a personal phone, and follow-up sequences stop as soon as the lead replies. For teams that call people who have agreed to hear from them, Majlis CRM's outbound call lists keep every call an agent logs on the contact's history. An agent can record a call from the browser (recording is not automatic, so switch it on for each call), and the call screen warns when it is opened outside 9am to 6pm.
Pre-call compliance checklist
Print this and pin it by the calling desk.
The brokerage has telemarketing approval from the competent authority.
Every agent has had training on call conduct and the DNCR, and the training is logged.
You're calling from a company number registered under the trade licence, not a personal SIM.
The time is between 9:00 am and 6:00 pm.
The contact asked to receive this type of marketing or has a documented expression of interest.
Today's list has been checked against the DNCR through your operator's business portal.
Dubai owners: the owner is on the Green List in Dubai REST.
Abu Dhabi: this is an inbound or consented lead, not a cold call.
The contact's source and consent are recorded in your CRM.
Nobody on the list has turned you down before, and nobody has been called once already today or twice this week.
Call recording is on, and your opening covers the company name, the purpose, the recording notice and "is now a good time to continue?"
Every "no" or opt-out is logged at once and blocks that number across calls, SMS and WhatsApp.
This is not legal advice. This guide summarises official texts as of the date below, for general information. Rules and their enforcement change. Before you run an outbound campaign, confirm your position with RERA/DLD or ADREC and with a UAE-qualified lawyer.
Rules and fines last verified: 26 September 2026.
Speed matters on the leads that did ask, too: see how Property Finder SuperAgent and Bayut TruBroker reward fast replies, and our guide to the best real estate CRM in Dubai.
Sources
Cabinet Resolution No. 56 of 2024 on the Telemarketing Regulations (English), Ministry of Economy
Cabinet Resolution No. 57 of 2024 on Administrative Violations and Penalties (English), Ministry of Economy
Ministry of Economy and TDRA review telemarketing legislation (29 August 2024), Ministry of Economy
DNCR, Virgin Mobile UAE
FAQs (marketing SMS), TDRA
RERA fines real estate brokerage office AED 50,000 for cold calling, suspends nine brokers, Dubai Land Department
Dubai Land Department launches Green List project on Dubai REST, Dubai Land Department
UAE real estate firms warned against marketing through cold calling, Khaleej Times
Abu Dhabi: notice regarding marketing real estate services, UAE BARQ
Data protection laws, u.ae
Data Protection Laws of the World: UAE, DLA Piper
WhatsApp Business Messaging Policy, WhatsApp
Frequently asked questions
Is cold calling legal in Dubai for real estate agents?
Only within tight limits. Federal rules allow marketing calls from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm, from company-registered numbers, and never to numbers on the Do Not Call Registry. Dubai adds its own rule: RERA's Practice Guide says brokers may contact only owners registered on the Green List in Dubai REST. Contacting others can lead to a violation and suspension after a complaint.
What time can you make marketing calls in the UAE?
Cabinet Resolution 56 of 2024 allows marketing calls only between 9:00 am and 6:00 pm. Calling outside that window costs a company AED 10,000 for a first offence, AED 25,000 for a second and AED 50,000 for a third. The 9:00 pm figure you may see online comes from TDRA's separate window for promotional SMS, not calls. Because the rules for marketing messages overlap, we recommend applying the stricter 9 am to 6 pm window to SMS and WhatsApp campaigns until your legal adviser confirms the applicable channel-specific rules.
How do I check if a number is on the UAE Do Not Call Registry?
Brokerages check numbers through their business telecoms account. e& customers use the Promotional Calls Settings in the Business Online portal. du customers upload a list in du My Account and download each number's DNCR status. Both operators say the check is free. Run it right before each calling session, because consumers can register at any time.
What is the fine for cold calling from a personal number in the UAE?
Under Cabinet Resolution 57 of 2024, an individual marketing from a number in their own name is fined AED 5,000 and has all their numbers cut off until they pay. A repeat within 30 days costs AED 20,000 and a three-month cut-off. A third costs AED 50,000 and a 12-month ban from UAE telecoms services.
Do the UAE telemarketing rules cover WhatsApp and SMS?
Yes. Resolution 56 defines telemarketing to include marketing text messages and marketing messages through social media applications. So the hours, the DNCR, consent and rejection rules all apply to WhatsApp marketing too. Meta's own policy separately requires that people give you their number and opt in before you message them.
Is cold calling banned in Abu Dhabi for real estate?
In October 2021, Abu Dhabi's Department of Municipalities and Transport told real estate individuals, companies and developers not to market through cold calling and to use only official channels such as company websites and social media. It warned of legal action, and residents can report unsolicited property calls on 800 555. We found no subsequent notice withdrawing that instruction. Replying to someone who asked to be contacted is not the same as a cold call.
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