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How to buy property in Dubai as a foreigner

A 2026 guide to the steps, the fees and the financing, with every figure checked against DLD and Central Bank sources.

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The short answer

  • Costs: about 4.3% of the price in official fees (the 4% DLD fee, the trustee fee and the title deed), or about 6.4% with a 2% agent commission plus VAT, on a AED 1,500,000 resale.
  • Steps: offer, then the MOU (Form F), then the developer NOC, then transfer at a DLD Trustee office, then your title deed.
  • Timeline: it is set by the deadline you write into Form F. The developer NOC and, if you borrow, the bank’s valuation and final offer decide how quickly you can reach it. The transfer itself happens in a single Trustee office appointment.
  • Mortgage: non-UAE nationals can borrow up to 80% of a first home worth up to AED 5,000,000, and 50% on off-plan homes.

Work out your costs

Who can buy property in Dubai, and where

Non-UAE nationals can buy freehold property in the areas designated under Dubai’s Regulation No. 3 of 2006 and its later amendments. You do not need to live in the UAE, hold a visa or form a company to own a freehold home in your own name. Outside those areas, ownership is reserved for UAE and GCC nationals or limited to leasehold rights.

These communities are almost entirely freehold in DLD’s land register, and each links to its price, rent and yield data:

Browse every community we track on the Dubai areas page, or see the best areas to buy in Dubai.

How to buy property in Dubai, step by step

For a ready home bought from another owner (the resale market).

  1. Step 1: Make an offer

    Agree the price, the deposit and the completion date with the seller, usually through a RERA-licensed broker. Check the asking price against registered sales before you offer.

    Check an asking price against DLD sales

  2. Step 2: Sign the MOU (Form F)

    Buyer, seller and brokers sign the unified sale contract, known as Form F, on the Dubai REST system. It records the price, the deposit, who pays which fees and the deadline for transfer. The buyer typically lodges a deposit cheque at this point.

  3. Step 3: Developer NOC

    The seller applies to the master developer for a no-objection certificate, which confirms there are no outstanding service charges on the unit. If you are borrowing, your bank completes its valuation and issues the final offer in parallel; if the seller has a mortgage, their bank provides a liability letter so it can be cleared at transfer.

  4. Step 4: Transfer at a DLD Trustee office

    Buyer and seller (or their attorneys) attend a Dubai Land Department Registration Trustee office. You pay the 4% DLD fee and the trustee fee, the seller is paid by manager’s cheque, and the transfer is registered.

  5. Step 5: Title deed

    DLD issues the title deed electronically in your name once the transfer registers. That deed is what you need for utilities, a residence visa and any future sale or remortgage.

Buying off-plan vs ready property in Dubai

Ready (resale)

You buy from the current owner and the title deed transfers on the day. You can inspect the home, rent it immediately and see its rental history. The 4% DLD fee is paid at transfer.

Off-plan (from a developer)

You sign a sale and purchase agreement with the developer, and the sale is registered on DLD’s interim register through Oqood. DLD’s initial-sale schedule charges the purchaser 2% of the price; many developer contracts also pass on the developer’s share, so check the SPA.

Escrow. Under Dubai Law No. 8 of 2007, a developer selling off-plan must register the project with DLD and take your instalments into a project escrow account at an accredited bank. Pay only into the escrow account named in your SPA, and check the project on the Dubai REST app.

Payment plans. You pay in stages linked to construction progress or dates, with the balance due at handover. That balance is when most buyers take a mortgage, because banks can lend at most 50% of an off-plan home’s value before completion.

Handover. At completion you pay the balance, snag the unit, and DLD converts your Oqood registration into a title deed. Compare live launches and developer delivery records on the off-plan hub and developer track records.

Dubai property buying costs and DLD fees

On a AED 1,500,000 resale, with a 2% commission.

Buying costs on an example resale, cash and mortgage
CostRateCashWith 80% mortgage
DLD registration fee4% of the priceAED 60,000AED 60,000
Registration trustee feeAED 4,000 + 5% VATAED 4,200AED 4,200
Title deed and DLD service feesAED 250 title deed + AED 20 knowledge and innovation feesAED 270AED 270
Agent commission2% + 5% VATAED 31,500AED 31,500
DLD mortgage registration0.25% of the loan—AED 3,000
TotalAED 95,970 (6.40%)AED 98,970 (6.60%)

DLD registration fee: 4%. DLD’s schedule splits it equally between buyer and seller, but Form F decides who pays, and most resale buyers pay all of it.

Trustee fee: AED 4,000 plus 5% VAT for a price of AED 500,000 or more, AED 2,000 plus VAT below that. Title deed: AED 250, plus AED 20 in knowledge and innovation fees.

Agent commission is negotiable rather than set by law. DLD has reported registered brokers’ commission at about 2% of deal value, and VAT is added. Agree it in writing before you view.

Mortgage registration: 0.25% of the mortgage value, paid to DLD. Your bank will also charge a valuation fee and may charge an arrangement fee; these vary by lender, so ask for them in writing and add them in the calculator.

Developer NOC and conveyancing fees are set by each developer and firm. Ongoing service charges are billed yearly per square foot by the owners’ association; compare them by community on the investment guide.

Dubai buying-costs calculator

Enter a price and how you are paying. Results update as you type, in AED or GBP.

Buying-costs calculator

For a ready (resale) home registered at a DLD Trustee office.

e.g. 1,500,000 or 1.5m

Paying with

Negotiable; set 0 for a direct or developer sale

Who pays the 4% DLD fee

Bank valuation and processing, developer NOC, conveyancing

Show results in
Itemised buying costs
DLD registration fee4% of the priceAED 60,000
Registration trustee feeAED 4,000 + 5% VATAED 4,200
Title deed and DLD service feesAED 250 title deed + AED 20 knowledge and innovation feesAED 270
Agent commission2% + 5% VATAED 31,500
Total costs
AED 95,970
Of the price
6.40%
Cash needed on the day
AED 1,595,970

Dubai mortgages for expats and non-residents

Central Bank of the UAE maximum loan-to-value for non-UAE nationals
PropertyMax loanMin deposit
First home, up to AED 5,000,00080%20%
First home, above AED 5,000,00070%30%
Off-plan, any value50%50%

Residents vs non-residents. The Central Bank caps apply to every non-UAE national, wherever they live. Banks then set their own criteria, and they are usually stricter for buyers living abroad: expect a lower loan-to-value, a higher minimum income and fewer lenders to choose from.

What lenders typically ask for: passport, visa and Emirates ID (residents), salary certificate or proof of business income, recent bank statements, and a credit report. Non-residents usually add a credit report from their home country. Your deposit and the purchase costs must come from your own funds.

Model repayments with the mortgage calculator, and see how rates are moving on mortgage trends.

The Golden Visa through property

Owning property worth at least AED 2,000,000 can qualify you for the UAE’s 10-year Golden Visa, which you can renew and use to sponsor your family. In Dubai, you apply through the Dubai Land Department’s Golden Visa service, working with GDRFA Dubai.

Off-plan and mortgaged properties can count, subject to conditions DLD and ICP set on how much has been paid and on the lender’s consent. Those conditions have changed recently, so confirm them on the DLD service page before you buy with a visa in mind. Step-by-step residency routes are in our moving from the UK guide.

Buying Dubai property from the UK

Buying remotely. You can complete without flying out by giving a power of attorney to a representative, such as a conveyancer, who attends the Trustee office for you. A power of attorney signed in the UK has to be notarised and legalised before Dubai will accept it, and is usually translated into Arabic. Ask your conveyancer for the exact wording DLD needs before you sign.

Moving money. Price your budget in AED and allow for exchange-rate moves between offer and transfer. Today £1 buys about AED 4.95, so a AED 1,500,000 home is roughly £303,197. Banks and conveyancers will ask for evidence of where the funds came from, so keep statements ready.

For areas, schools and the residency steps for British buyers, read moving to Dubai from the UK.

Buying property in Dubai: frequently asked questions

How do I buy property in Dubai as a foreigner?

Choose a home in a designated freehold area, agree the price and sign the unified sale contract (Form F), let the seller obtain the developer’s NOC, then complete the transfer at a Dubai Land Department Trustee office, where the title deed is issued in your name. Foreign buyers do not need UAE residency to own freehold property.

What are the total costs of buying property in Dubai?

On a AED 1,500,000 resale bought with cash, the official fees (the 4% DLD fee, the trustee fee plus VAT and the title deed) come to AED 64,470, or 4.30% of the price. Adding a 2% agent commission plus VAT brings it to 6.40%. A mortgage adds 0.25% of the loan for DLD mortgage registration, plus your lender’s own fees.

How much is the DLD transfer fee in Dubai?

The Dubai Land Department registration fee is 4% of the sale price. DLD’s schedule splits it between seller and buyer, but the sale contract decides who pays, and buyers commonly pay all of it. On top come the Trustee office fee (AED 4,000 plus VAT at AED 500,000 and above, AED 2,000 plus VAT below) and AED 250 for the title deed.

Can expats get a mortgage in Dubai, and how much deposit do I need?

Yes. Central Bank rules cap a non-UAE national’s first home at 80% loan-to-value up to AED 5,000,000 and 70% above it, so the minimum deposit is 20% or 30% plus purchase costs. Off-plan homes are capped at 50% for every buyer.

Can non-residents get a mortgage in Dubai?

Yes, several UAE banks lend to non-residents. The Central Bank caps apply to all non-UAE nationals, but lenders set their own, often stricter, criteria for buyers living abroad, including the loan-to-value, minimum income and the documents they accept. Ask lenders directly for their current non-resident terms.

Does buying property in Dubai give you a visa?

Property worth at least AED 2,000,000 can qualify the owner for the 10-year Golden Visa, applied for through the Dubai Land Department with GDRFA Dubai. Conditions for off-plan and mortgaged property are set by DLD and ICP and have changed recently, so check the current requirements before you rely on a purchase for residency.

Can I buy property in Dubai from the UK without travelling?

Yes. Many buyers sign a power of attorney so a representative can attend the Trustee office for them. A power of attorney signed in the UK has to be notarised and legalised before Dubai will accept it, and is usually translated into Arabic. Funds can be sent by international transfer; your bank and the conveyancer will ask for proof of the source of funds.

Who pays the 4% DLD fee, buyer or seller?

DLD’s published schedule splits the 4% fee equally between buyer and seller, but the parties can agree otherwise in Form F. In practice most resale contracts put the whole fee on the buyer, so budget for all of it unless your contract says otherwise.

Sources

Fees, limits and rules on this page were checked against these official sources. Market figures come from Dubuy’s DLD and Ejari datasets, linked where used.

General information, not financial, legal or tax advice. Fees and rules change; confirm current figures with the Dubai Land Department, your lender and a licensed adviser before you commit.

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