The rules you follow every day in Egypt

Registration is the start. After that, the law asks you to do a few things on every single deal. None of them is hard, but skipping them costs money. This lesson is your daily rulebook.

1. A written contract, every time

Article 12 bis of Law 120 of 1982 requires a written brokerage contract. It must include, among other data:

• the date and the parties;
• the property details;
• your commission, as an amount or a percentage;
• the payment type, method, date and amount.

Working without a proper written contract can cost a fine of EGP 10,000 to 50,000. If you act for both sides, you need the dual broker type and a dual contract.

The law also asks you to check the property data against official records and to keep client information confidential.

2. No cash commission above EGP 10,000

Article 12 bis B requires commission to be collected through non-cash methods, such as bank transfer or cheque. Any cash payment above EGP 10,000 is banned. The fine is 2% to 10% of the cash amount, up to EGP 1,000,000.

Simple habit: ask for the full commission by bank transfer, even when the amount is small.

3. Keep your register and tell the Tax Authority

Article 11 bis obliges you to keep a register of your transactions, including prices and commissions, to hand it to the ministry on request and to give copies to the parties. GOEIC runs an electronic register on its website. You must also notify the Tax Authority of amounts received within 30 days.

4. Advertising: only what may legally be sold

We found no per-advert permit system for brokers in Egypt, but two rules matter.

• Consumer Protection Law 181 of 2018 (Article 15) bans advertising or contracting the sale of property or land before the building licence under Building Law 119 of 2008 is obtained. Misleading advertisements carry a fine of EGP 50,000 to 1,000,000.
• Prime Minister’s Decree 2184 of 2022 forbids announcing sales before a ministerial decision approves the project’s general plan, and lets the authorities suspend sales approvals for later phases when an earlier phase misses its schedule.

So before you post a launch, ask the developer for the plan approval and the licence. Never invent a price, a delivery date or a “guaranteed return”.

5. Anti-money laundering

Law 80 of 2002 on anti-money laundering covers real estate brokers handling sales and purchases. In practice:

1. Know your client. Collect ID and understand who really pays and where the money comes from.
2. Screen names against the lists of the Egyptian Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Combating Unit before the deal.
3. Report suspicious deals to the unit, whatever the amount.
4. Do not tip off. Telling the client about a report is prohibited.
5. Keep records for at least five years.

Red flags include a buyer who wants to pay in cash through third parties, who changes the buyer’s name late, or who does not care about the price.

6. Foreign buyers: check before you list

Under Law 230 of 1996, a non-Egyptian cannot sell a property within five years of buying it unless an exemption is granted, and a sale that breaks the law is void and cannot be registered. Check the purchase date before you take a listing from a foreign owner.

What gets brokers fined or banned

Breach	Possible result
Practising without GOEIC registration	Up to 2 years in prison, EGP 50,000 to 1,000,000 fine, office closure
No written brokerage contract	EGP 10,000 to 50,000 fine
Cash commission above EGP 10,000	2% to 10% of the cash amount, up to EGP 1,000,000
Misleading advertisement	EGP 50,000 to 1,000,000 fine

A daily checklist

• Contract signed before I work, with my commission written in it.
• Client ID collected and screened.
• Property data checked against the title papers.
• Advert only for licensed, approved projects, with real prices.
• Deal entered in my register; payment by bank.

These laws are enforced more strictly since 2026. Check the official source before you act.

Practise with Egypt rules training and Egypt clients training.