Dubai sets safety certificate terms for older buildings: facade windows are inspected

Dubai Municipality has sent building owners, owners' associations, engineering firms and contractors a circular on the validity of the Quality and Safety Certificate. Under Law No. 3 of 2026, the certificate applies to buildings more than 20 years old.

Validity

• 10 years: completion certificate issued less than 40 years ago.
• 5 years: older buildings.
• Renewal: for the same period.

What the engineer checks

Under Article 7, the licensed engineering firm's report covers:

• structural integrity;
• exterior cladding;
• electrical and mechanical installations in external and common areas;
• windows, doors and security barriers on the external facades;
• Civil Defence requirements and CCTV systems.

Fines

From AED 100 to AED 1 million. A repeat violation within two years doubles the amount, up to a ceiling of AED 2 million. Owners, contractors and engineering firms have one year to comply with the law.

Who repairs windows

Window companies in the Emirates are compared in our ranking, and the methodology explains the scoring.

Questions and answers

How long is the certificate valid?

Ten or five years, depending on the age of the building.

Are windows inspected?

Yes, the condition of windows on the facades is part of the technical report.

Sources

• dlp.dubai.gov.ae, 04.11.2026
• lexismiddleeast.com, 09.10.2026
• emirates247.com, 09.10.2026

Rules taken from the text of the law on the Dubai Legal Portal; the circular's terms checked against two publications; details reported by a single source were left out.