Overview of 2025 RERA Reforms
The 2025 reforms for RERA Bahrain focus on modernising the way shared facilities and gated communities are regulated and on enhancing governance and compliance standards in the Bahrain real estate sector. Those measures aim to build investor confidence, promote sustainable development and make Bahrain property investment more transparent and attractive regionally.
Key pillars include:
- New framework for management of shared facilities/common areas.
- Classification and licensing rules for gated communities have been updated.
- Bahrain Golden Visa real estate threshold lower to let more investors in.
Revolutionizing Shared Spaces: No More Mandatory Homeowners’ Associations
Future projects in Bahrain can manage shared areas without setting up a traditional homeowners’ association as long as they meet legal and administrative requirements laid down by RERA Bahrain under the New RERA Regulations 2025. This gives developers and owners more flexibility to operate, maintain and govern shared facilities while preserving owners’ rights and asset value.
A separate licensing framework now governs any party managing common areas, setting professional standards, obligations and penalties for non-compliance - strengthening governance in Bahrain real estate developments.
Gated Communities Redefined: New Rules and Requirements
Resolution No. (1) of 2025 lays down rules and conditions under which a real estate development/common property may be considered a Bahrain gated community. Those Bahrain gated communities rules spell out physical, security, access control and service criteria that a project has to meet to be licensed and marketed as a gated community.
Gated community standards are formalised by RERA Bahrain to better align investor expectations with real service levels, long term maintenance outcomes and positioning of master-plan Bahrain property investment projects.
Investor Boost: Lowered Golden Visa Threshold and Compliance Tips
In addition, Bahrain has cut the Bahrain Golden Visa real estate investment requirement by about 35% to BHD 130,000 from BHD 200,000, making long-term residency more accessible for property investors. This Golden Residency provides a 10-year renewable residence permit, work rights and family sponsorship enhancing the Bahrain property investment value proposition.
This lower threshold aims at attracting more foreign capital into Bahrain real estate - particularly in high-end and strategically located projects meeting foreign-ownership zone criteria.
Compliance and new regulatory focus
Along with changes to shared facilities and gated communities, RERA Bahrain has strengthened the regulatory framework for anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing in brokerage activity. Now licensed brokers and property managers must follow clearer compliance procedures, record-keeping standards and reporting obligations to align real estate transactions with Bahrain’s overall financial integrity targets.
Together, these compliance upgrades and the reduction of the Golden Visa threshold make Bahrain real estate more competitive and reassure global investors that the market is well-maintained.
