Abu Dhabi’s Department of Municipalities and Transport (DMT) has rolled out the ‘Building Occupancy and Legalisation Certificate Programme’ as part of Administrative Decision No. (1) of 2024.
This pioneering initiative is designed to elevate building quality and safety, ensure regulatory compliance, and enhance the economic and social value of buildings.
The program enhances real estate value and safeguards long-term investments by increasing the design life through proactive maintenance schedules. This will fuel confidence in the real estate market, reduce future expenses and emergency repairs.
Additionally, it aims to improve residents’ quality of life by creating a safe residential environment that meets the highest safety standards. The program supports the effective implementation of construction regulations and fosters a transparent legal environment for regulating construction and occupancy activities, thereby promoting sustainable construction practices and reducing the environmental footprints of buildings.
The program will be carried out in three stages. The first stage entails issuing a Conditional Occupancy Certificate, highlighting compliance with essential standards such as fire safety, gas installation safety, structural integrity, elevator safety, and child protection measures. At this stage, buildings are exempted from complying with the remaining standards, facilitating their gradual transition to full compliance.
Existing residential villas, excluding the ones that have exceeded their design life and pose safety risks, are exempt from the initial and subsequent stages’ requirements for a full occupancy certificate. This approach provides flexibility in addressing the unique challenges of each property.
His Excellency Ahmed Al Kuwaiti, Executive Director of Building Permits Workstream at the DMT, commented that, “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 also highlighted that the program ultimately aims to raise compliance levels within the construction and real estate sectors. Property developers and owners will benefit from the program’s simplified certification process with clear timelines.
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