The Department of Municipalities and Transport – Abu Dhabi (DMT) has launched the Building Occupancy and Legalisation Certificate Programme as part of Administrative Decision No. (1) of 2024. This initiative aims to enhance building quality and safety, ensure regulatory compliance, and elevate the economic and social value of buildings, ultimately leading to increased real estate value while safeguarding long-term investments.

The programme safeguards real estate investments by increasing the design life through precautionary maintenance schedules; and thereby enhancing property value, boosting confidence in the real estate market, reducing future expenses and emergency repairs. It also contributes to improving residents' quality of life by providing a safe residential environment that meets the highest safety standards. It also supports the effective implementation of construction regulations and fostering a transparent legal environment for regulating construction and occupancy activities. This will help facilitate real estate transactions, promote sustainable construction practices, and minimise buildings' environmental footprint.

DMT further clarified that the programme will be implemented in three stages to achieve gradual compliance with the required standards. The initial stage entails issuing a Conditional Occupancy Certificate, emphasising compliance with essential standards such as fire safety, gas installation safety, structural integrity, elevator safety, and child protection measures. During this stage, buildings are exempted from complying with the remaining standards, facilitating their gradual transition to full compliance.

Existing residential villas are exempt from the initial and subsequent stages' requirements for a full occupancy certificate, except for villas that have exceeded their design life and pose safety risks to their residents. This approach allows for flexibility in addressing the unique challenges of each property.

His Excellency Ahmed Al Kuwaiti, Executive Director of Building Permits Workstream at the DMT, said: "Our aim is to enhance confidence among residents and investors within the emirate through our commitment to deliver services that adhere to the utmost standards of security and safety, thereby fostering sustainable development."

The DMT noted that the programme ultimately aims to raise compliance levels within the construction and real estate sectors. Property developers and owners will further benefit from the programme’s implementation of smoother procedures with clear timelines for completing each step in the certification process.