Are real estate brokers licensed or regulated in Lebanon?
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Short answer
Not as far as we can find. The Commercial Code's brokerage articles regulate the broker's contract, fee and records but set no licence or registration requirement[1]. REAL, the brokers' syndicate, is a trade syndicate authorised by the Labour Minister's Decision 188 of 1 December 2012[2]; it is not a regulator, and membership is optional. So check the property yourself.
Also asked as: “Do real estate agents need a licence in Lebanon?” · “Who licenses real estate brokers in Lebanon?” · “Is REAL a regulator for brokers?” · “Real estate broker registration in Lebanon”
We could not confirm whether any rule in force as of October 2026 requires brokers to hold a licence or to register, and decrees and ministerial decisions were not searched exhaustively[1]. This page covers what was published up to 17 October 2026.
Key facts
- Licence to practise
- None found in Commercial Code Arts 291 to 297[1]
- What the law regulates
- The brokerage contract, the fee, losing the fee, and the broker's records[1]
- Brokers' syndicate
- REAL, authorised by Decision 188 of 1 December 2012[2]
- Membership
- Not compulsory, and not a licence[2]
- REAL's size
- 153 members (December 2015)[3], by its president's own count
- Ministry broker registry
- Proposed in 2015, adoption not confirmed[3]
- Records a broker must keep
- Every deal, with a certified copy for any party who asks[1]
- Anti-money-laundering duties
- Records and due diligence under Law 44/2015[4]
What the law regulates instead of a licence
Lebanese law treats brokerage as a contract. For a fee, the broker guides you to a deal or negotiates it for you, and the rules of agency apply[1]. Arts 291 to 297 of the Commercial Code cover that contract, the fee, when the broker loses it and his records, and say nothing about a licence.
The fee is set by agreement or an official tariff, failing that by custom or a judge, and a judge may cut an agreed fee that is out of proportion to the work[1]. The broker earns it when his information or negotiation leads to the contract. He loses it if he acts for the other party in breach of his obligations. Typical rates are in what commission brokers charge on a sale.
Two duties apply to every broker. He must record each deal made through him with its terms, keep the documents and give a certified copy to any party who asks[1]. Under Law 44/2015[4] on money laundering, he must also keep records and carry out due diligence; the law does not list which documents a buyer must show, and practice varies.
What REAL is
REAL, the Syndicate of Real Estate Brokers and Consultants in Lebanon, was authorised by the Labour Minister's Decision 188 of 1 December 2012[2] under the Labour Law. It is a trade syndicate. The decision creates no licence to practise and does not make brokers join. Its president put membership at 153 members (December 2015)[3], out of about 600 brokerage offices in the country. That is the syndicate's own figure, and we do not know today's number.
On 15 April 2026[5], Annahar reported that REAL, following information about real-estate activity in Hazmieh and Baabda, called on everyone working in real estate, members or not, to comply with the laws in force. REAL asked the public to report any broker acting outside professional and legal norms by contacting the syndicate directly. We found no published complaint procedure, time limit or sanction, and a report to REAL does not replace a police report or a court claim. More in whether to use a REAL member broker.
The 2015 plans for a broker registry
In December 2015 REAL's president said the syndicate was working with the Minister of Economy on a registry: anyone wanting to work as an agent would register at the ministry and put up a symbolic bank guarantee[3]. Registered brokers would carry an identity card, and clients could complain about them at the ministry. REAL also said it had drafted a brokerage law and given it to the Ministry of Economy, still to be refined before going to Parliament.
No source we found shows that the registry, the ministry complaint channel or the law was ever adopted[3]. To check, write to the Ministry of Economy and Trade and ask two things: does a register of real estate brokers exist today, and under which decision. Ask REAL the same question, or have a Lebanese lawyer confirm it.
Check the property, not the broker's word
With no licence to rely on, a broker's word proves nothing about who owns the property. Ownership passes only when the sale is registered at the Land Registry[6], and the official extract shows the owner, mortgages and restrictions[6,7]. Copies from OMT or online are unofficial; a transaction needs the official certificate from the Land Registry[8,9,10,11].
The extract has limits. In a case the ISF reported in June 2026, the title deed of a property in Halat (Jbeil) had been forged with a fake identity in the real owner's name, and ownership passed to the forger and then to a buyer, although the owner never sold[12]. The buyer learned the deed was invalid only when he tried to register the property, after he had already paid. A clean extract is necessary, but it may not reveal a forgery that is already on the register. Before any money moves, do the further checks in how to check who really owns a property.
How to check a broker and a deal yourself
- Get the broker's terms in writing before any viewing. Agree with the broker the rate, who pays and when it falls due, because the law leaves these to agreement[1]. Keep a signed copy, by email if you are abroad.
- Ask who stands behind the broker. If he says he is licensed, ask by whom and under which law or decision, and ask that office to confirm it in writing. If he says he is a REAL member, ask REAL to confirm; membership is optional and is not a licence[2]. More on how to check that a broker is legitimate.
- Get the official extract yourself, not from the broker. It is requested at the land registry office for the property's area[11,13], and you give the governorate, district, real estate zone, property number, section and block[8,11]. Legalmondo, a law-firm network, says anyone may request one, but none is issued while a lien or a registration on the plot is still in process[11]. Legalmondo also says it is issued in person only and cost USD 5 in June 2025; the office may collect the fee in LBP, so ask it before you go. Kallas Law Firm puts the time for a physical certificate at about 2 business days[10]. From abroad, a lawyer or someone you trust can collect it. An OMT outlet can show you an unofficial copy first[8,9], but that copy cannot be used for the deal[8,9,10,11]. See how to get a Land Registry extract.
- Pay nothing before you have checked. The ISF's advice in a March 2026 warning on housing scams: inspect in person and verify the legal owner first[14].
- Ask the broker for his record of the deal. He must give a certified copy to any party who asks[1]. Keep it with your contract and every receipt.
- Report fraud to the police, not only to REAL. As of March 2026, the ISF takes scam reports through the ISF Baligh service, the ISF app or the nearest police station[14]. You can also tell REAL directly[5]. Where else to go is in where to report a property scam.
It depends on
- Whether your agreement is in writing. A judge can cut a fee that is out of proportion to the work[1], but your written terms are the starting evidence. A lawyer can tell you whether yours is fair.
- Whether the broker also works for the other side. He loses his fee if he acts for the other party in breach of his obligations[1]. Ask him in writing whom he represents.
- Whether the broker belongs to REAL. REAL says it will act on reports[5], but we found no published sanction, and its April 2026 statement claims no power over non-members.
- Whether the rules changed after October 2026. A ministry registry was proposed in 2015[3]. Ask the Ministry of Economy and Trade whether anything has been adopted since.
Common questions
Does REAL license real estate brokers in Lebanon?
We found no such licence. REAL was set up as a trade syndicate under Decision 188 of 1 December 2012[2], which creates no licence to practise and does not make membership compulsory.
Can I complain about a broker to the Ministry of Economy?
Does a Lebanese broker have to keep a record of my deal?
Yes. Art. 296 of the Commercial Code requires him to record every deal made through him and give a certified copy to any party who asks[1].
Do brokers have anti-money-laundering duties in Lebanon?
Yes. Under Law 44/2015[4], brokers must keep records and carry out due diligence, and so must notaries and lawyers when they handle a property purchase or sale.
Sources
Checked against these sources. The numbers in the text point here.
- 1.Commercial Code (Legislative Decree 304/1942), Arts 291-297 on brokerage
Lebanese University Legal Informatics Centre (legallaw.ul.edu.lb) · 24 Dec 1942 · read 17 Oct 2026
- 2.Labour Minister Decision 188 of 1/12/2012 on establishing the Syndicate of Real Estate Brokers and Consultants in Lebanon
Lebanese University Legal Informatics Centre (legal database) · 1 Dec 2012 · read 17 Oct 2026
- 3.Pushing for reform
Executive Magazine · 16 Dec 2015 · read 17 Oct 2026
- 4.ABL compilation: Full text of main financial and banking laws 2015-2016 (incl. Law 42 of 24 Nov 2015 on cross-border cash declaration), French text
Association of Banks in Lebanon (ABL) · 24 Nov 2015 · read 17 Oct 2026
- 5.Syndicate of Real Estate Brokers follows what is circulating about suspicious activity in Hazmieh and Baabda
Annahar · 15 Apr 2026 · read 17 Oct 2026
- 6.How to Buy Property in Lebanon: The Legal Steps from Verification to Inscription
Kallas Law Firm · 9 Jun 2026 · read 16 Oct 2026
- 7.The Land Registry in Lebanese Law — Part Six of the Practical Guide to the Code of Real Property
Kallas Law Firm · 25 May 2026 · read 16 Oct 2026
- 8.OMT: Viewing Title Registers (Land Registry service page)
OMT (Online Money Transfer S.A.L.) · undated · read 17 Oct 2026
- 9.Viewing Title Registers Electively Through OMT
OMT (Online Money Transfer S.A.L.) · 13 Oct 2020 · read 17 Oct 2026
- 10.Lebanon Asset Search: How to Find Real Estate and Company Ownership Records
Kallas Law Firm · 25 Oct 2025 · read 17 Oct 2026
- 11.How to Find Real Estate and Land Register Information in Lebanon
Legalmondo · 17 Jun 2025 · read 17 Oct 2026
- 12.ISF: arrest of suspect forging a property deed in Halat
Internal Security Forces (ISF), Lebanon · 24 Jun 2026 · read 17 Oct 2026
- 13.Inheritance in Lebanon: Probate, Estate Declaration and Inheritance Tax (2026)
Kallas Law Firm · 27 Jun 2022 · read 17 Oct 2026
- 14.The Internal Security Forces warn of scammers exploiting displaced persons through fake housing advertisements on social media platforms
Internal Security Forces (ISF), General Directorate – Public Relations Division · 8 Mar 2026 · read 17 Oct 2026
Related questions
- How do I check that a real-estate broker in Lebanon is legitimate and licensed?No law we found requires a broker licence in Lebanon, so check the owner and property instead: Land Registry extract, REAL, written fees, reporting fraud.
- Is there a brokers' association in Lebanon, and should I use a member broker?Yes: REAL, a trade syndicate authorised in 2012. Membership is not a licence. What it can and cannot tell you, and the checks to run on any broker.
- Where can I complain about a real estate broker in Lebanon, or sue over a commission?We found no official body for broker complaints in Lebanon. Report misconduct to REAL, fraud to the ISF, and take fee disputes to a lawyer. What the law says.
- What commission do real estate brokers charge in Lebanon when a property is sold?No law sets the rate: brokers cite 2.5% from each side by custom, but the fee is agreed and a judge can cut it. When it is due, VAT, what to ask.
- Can I challenge or reduce a broker's commission in Lebanon if I think it is too high?Yes: under Art. 292 of the Commercial Code a judge may cut an agreed broker fee that is out of proportion to the work. Evidence, grounds and whom to ask.
- How do I check who really owns a property in Lebanon?Get an official certificate from the Land Registry office for the property's area. What to give, what it shows, OMT and online copies, costs and fraud risks.
- What are the red flags that a property deal in Lebanon could be a scam?The ISF's red flags: a deposit by money transfer before any viewing, and forged deeds, IDs or POAs. How to check a title before you pay.
