AML Compliance

DNFBP Compliance in the UAE

We establish first whether your business falls inside the DNFBP categories, then build the six obligations it carries.

Reviewing whether a UAE business falls within the designated non-financial business categories

DNFBP stands for Designated Non-Financial Businesses and Professions. These are businesses that are neither banks nor finance companies, yet carry the full weight of anti-money laundering obligations because the nature of their work exposes them to misuse.

There are six categories: real estate brokers and agents; dealers in precious metals and stones; auditors and accountants; company service providers; lawyers, notaries and other independent legal professionals; and commercial gaming operators.

The question we are asked most is whether a business is in scope. The answer does not come from the name of the activity but from the trade licence and what the business actually does. Many businesses discover they are in scope after a finding arrives, not before.

We read your licence and activities and tell you plainly: in scope or not. If you are, we build the six obligations from nothing, or close whatever is missing.

What the service includes

Establishing scope

Reading the licence and actual activities against the six categories, with a written answer rather than a verbal one.

goAML registration

Registering the business on the Ministry of Economy platform and setting up accounts and permissions.

Appointing a compliance officer

The role is mandatory, and it can be carried by an external appointee rather than a full-time employee.

Risk assessment and policies

A risk matrix built on your activity, and policies and procedures written for it rather than copied.

Due diligence and reporting

Customer and beneficial owner screening procedures, and the route for reporting suspicious transactions.

Training and independent audit

Documented staff training, and the independent audit that tests whether the framework actually works.

Who is this service for?

Real estate brokers and agents
Dealers in gold, jewellery and precious stones
Audit and accounting firms
Company formation service providers
Lawyers and notaries
Commercial gaming operators

Frequently asked questions

How do I know whether I am a DNFBP?

The name of the activity is not enough. We read the trade licence and the activities actually carried on against the six categories. The check is quick, the answer is written, and it spares you discovering the position through a penalty.

What are the reporting thresholds?

Dealers in precious metals and stones and real estate brokers apply an AED 55,000 threshold to cash and single transactions; commercial gaming operators apply AED 11,000. These are reporting thresholds, not exemptions — business below them still requires due diligence.

Can the compliance officer be external?

Yes. Appointing the role is mandatory, but the law does not require a full-time employee. That is what makes outsourcing workable for businesses whose size does not justify a specialist's salary.

How long does building full compliance take?

It depends on what already exists. Registration and appointment are the fastest; the risk assessment and policies require reading your activity properly. We give you a timeline after assessing the current position.