Same fees for every nationality. Buying from abroad: India · UK · USA and others
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Dubai property purchase fees in 2026: the short answer
Fees checked against dubailand.gov.ae on 25 October 2026. When you buy a property in Dubai you pay the Dubai Land Department transfer fee of 4% of the price, normally all of it paid by the buyer; a trustee office fee of AED 4,000 + 5% VAT (AED 2,000 + VAT if the price is under AED 500,000); and a title deed fee of AED 250, plus AED 250 for the map and AED 20 in knowledge and innovation fees. With a mortgage, add mortgage registration of 0.25% of the loan plus AED 270 in DLD issuance fees. A broker's commission, usually 2% + VAT on a resale, is a market charge, not a government fee. Off-plan, the 4% is paid at booking and the developer registers the sale on the Land Department's Oqood portal (AED 1,000).
On the median off-plan sale recorded by the DLD in October 2026, AED 1,200,000, the 4% alone was AED 48,000, due up front and outside any payment plan.
| Worked example | AED 1,000,000, cash | AED 2,000,000, 80% mortgage |
|---|---|---|
| DLD transfer fee (4%) | AED 40,000 | AED 80,000 |
| Trustee office fee, incl. 5% VAT | AED 4,200 | AED 4,200 |
| Title deed, map, knowledge & innovation fees | AED 520 | AED 520 |
| Mortgage registration (0.25% of loan + AED 270) | — | AED 4,270 |
| Government and trustee fees | AED 44,720 | AED 88,990 |
Excludes broker commission, the bank's own arrangement and valuation fees, and any developer admin fee. Fees are set by the Dubai Land Department and can change: confirm the final figure on your trustee office invoice. The full list, with when each one is paid, is further down this page.
Every fee you pay when buying property in Dubai
The calculator above estimates your cash position. This is the reference behind it — what each charge is, roughly what it costs, and when it lands. Figures are indicative and change; confirm each one against your own sale agreement and the Dubai Land Department before transferring money.
| Fee | Typical amount | When it is paid | Who charges it |
|---|---|---|---|
| DLD transfer fee | 4% of purchase price | On purchase | Dubai Land Department |
| Oqood registration (off-plan) | AED 1,000 if the developer registers it on the Oqood portal; AED 5,000 + VAT through a trustee office | On purchase | DLD / developer |
| Title deed issuance | AED 250 (+ AED 250 map, AED 20 knowledge & innovation) | On transfer | Dubai Land Department |
| Trustee / registration office | AED 4,000 + VAT (AED 2,000 + VAT under AED 500,000) | On transfer | Registration trustee |
| Agency commission | 2% + VAT (resale; usually nil on direct off-plan) | On purchase | Broker |
| Developer NOC | AED 500–5,000 | On resale or assignment | Developer |
| Mortgage arrangement | ~1% of loan + AED 2,500–3,500 valuation | At drawdown | Bank |
| Mortgage registration | 0.25% of loan + AED 270 (AED 250 title deed + AED 20) | At drawdown | Dubai Land Department |
| Service charges | AED 10–25 per sqft per year | From handover, annually | Owners association |
The number most buyers miss: on a AED 1.5 million apartment the DLD transfer fee alone is AED 60,000, payable up front and included in no payment plan you will be quoted. Add trustee and registration and you are close to AED 65,000 before a single instalment.
Is the 4% DLD fee negotiable?
Not with the Land Department — the rate is fixed. What varies is who pays it. Developers frequently run "DLD waiver" promotions in which they absorb the 4% themselves, and on a new launch this is one of the more valuable concessions available. Get any waiver written into the sale agreement rather than accepting it verbally, and check whether it is a true waiver or simply added back into the price: check a project's price against its area.
Do off-plan buyers pay the same fees as ready-property buyers?
Broadly yes, with two differences. Off-plan purchases register through Oqood rather than a full title deed, and that registration usually sits within the 4%. Agency commission is often nil when buying directly from the developer, because the developer pays the broker instead. You still pay the 4% either way.
When do service charges start?
At handover, not at purchase — but they are the cost that most damages a yield calculation because they recur every year. AED 15 per sqft on a 700 sqft apartment is AED 10,500 annually, which on a AED 70,000 rent is fifteen per cent of gross income gone before management or vacancy. Ask for the projected service charge in writing before you buy, and treat any project with resort-style amenities as sitting at the top of the range.
What is the Oqood fee?
Oqood is the Dubai Land Department's register for off-plan sales. When you buy off-plan, the sale is registered in Oqood at booking and you pay the same 4% DLD fee then, not at handover. The Land Department charges AED 1,000 when the developer registers the sale on its Oqood portal. Many developers also charge their own admin fee, so ask for the amount in writing before you book. At handover the Oqood registration is converted into a title deed.
Same fees for every nationality. There is no foreign-buyer surcharge in Dubai: Indian, British and American buyers pay the same 4%, trustee and title deed fees as anyone else. What changes is the rulebook at home. Fees and home-country rules for US, UK and Indian buyers.
Selling property in Dubai: what fees does the seller pay?
| Seller cost | Typical amount |
|---|---|
| Developer NOC (no objection certificate) | AED 500–5,000 |
| Broker commission, if agreed | Often 2% + VAT |
| Mortgage release, if mortgaged | Bank's early settlement fee + DLD release charge |
| The 4% DLD fee | Normally paid by the buyer, unless the contract splits it |
Want to know what your property would sell for? See what similar units actually sold for this year, from DLD records.