The property transfer procedure in Dubai comes down to five stages: agree the sale and sign a contract, get the developer's no objection certificate (NOC), settle any mortgage, book a Real Estate Registration Trustee office, then pay the Dubai Land Department (DLD) fees so the DLD issues an electronic title deed in the buyer's name. The registration itself takes about 20 minutes at the trustee office once every document is ready. The DLD transfer fee is 4 percent of the sale value, officially 2 percent from the buyer and 2 percent from the seller, plus a trustee fee of AED 4,000 plus VAT on sales of AED 500,000 or more (as of November 2026). This guide sets out each step, the documents, every fee and the cases that work differently.
| Step | What happens | Who does it | Official cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Agree terms and sign | Buyer and seller sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) setting the price and the transfer date | Buyer, seller, agent if used | No DLD fee |
| 2. Developer NOC | The developer confirms the seller owes it nothing and issues an electronic NOC through the Dubai REST app | Seller | Set by the developer |
| 3. Mortgage clearance | If the seller has a loan, it is paid off and released on or before transfer day | Seller, banks | DLD release fees apply |
| 4. Trustee office appointment | Documents are checked and uploaded to the DLD digital vault; payments are prepared | Both parties or their attorneys | AED 4,000 + VAT (AED 2,000 + VAT under AED 500,000) |
| 5. Fees paid, title deed issued | The DLD registers the sale and emails the new title deed and map | Trustee office, DLD | 4% of sale value plus title deed and map fees |
Every freehold sale in Dubai is registered by the DLD. Ownership only changes when the DLD cancels the seller's title deed and issues a new one to the buyer, so the steps below all lead to that moment.
The buyer and seller agree the price, the deposit and the date of transfer, and sign a memorandum of understanding, widely known as Form F when a licensed agent is involved. It is the binding contract for the sale. A deposit is usually held until transfer day, and the MOU sets out what happens if either side pulls out, so read those clauses before signing.
In freehold areas the DLD requires an electronic NOC from the developer, requested through the Dubai REST app. The developer issues it once the seller has cleared any service charges or other amounts owed. The developer sets its own NOC fee and processing time, so the seller should apply as soon as the MOU is signed. See the no objection certificate explained for what developers check.
If the seller has a mortgage, the bank gives a liability letter showing the amount owed, and the debt is paid off at the transfer. If the buyer is borrowing, the buyer's bank arranges a valuation and a mortgage that is registered on the same day. See our guide to getting a mortgage in Dubai as an expat if you are clearing an existing loan or arranging a new one.
Transfers are handled by Real Estate Registration Trustee offices, the DLD's licensed service centres. You can find the nearest one on the DLD website or the Dubai REST app. The trustee employee checks the documents, uploads them to the DLD digital vault and enters the transaction into the system.
Fees are paid at the trustee office by ePay, Dubai Pay, Noqodi wallet or manager's cheque. Manager's cheques are also used to pay the seller and, where there is a mortgage, the seller's bank.
Both parties, or their legal representatives under a power of attorney, attend the trustee office. The employee audits the transaction and the DLD approves it. The DLD lists the service time as 20 minutes. Our guide to what happens on transfer day in Dubai covers the appointment itself and what to bring.
Once approved, the DLD issues an electronic title deed and an electronic map in the buyer's name, sent by email. The buyer can check that the deed is genuine using the DLD's free Title Deed Verification service on the website or the Dubai REST app.
The DLD's own list for registering a sale of a completed property is short:
Depending on the sale, the trustee office will also ask for:
These are the DLD's published fees for registering the sale of a completed apartment or villa, as of November 2026. For the full breakdown by transaction type, see our guide to Dubai Land Department fees.
| Fee | Amount | Example: AED 2,000,000 apartment |
|---|---|---|
| DLD transfer fee | 2% from the buyer and 2% from the seller (4% in total) | AED 80,000 |
| Title deed issuance | AED 250 | AED 250 |
| Map fee, villas and apartments | AED 250 | AED 250 |
| Knowledge and innovation fees | AED 10 each | AED 20 |
| Trustee office (service partner) fee | AED 4,000 + VAT for sales of AED 500,000 or more; AED 2,000 + VAT below that | AED 4,200 |
| Mortgage registration, if the buyer borrows | 0.25% of the loan | Depends on the loan |
| Official total without a mortgage | AED 84,720 |
Land plots use a different map fee: AED 225 for land on the Dubai Municipality unified map and AED 100 for land outside it. Charges outside the DLD schedule include the developer's NOC fee and any agency commission, which is agreed in the agency contract rather than set by the DLD. Who pays the 4 percent is a matter for the contract. The DLD splits it equally, but the MOU can say otherwise.
When people search for property transfer services in Dubai, they mean one of two official channels.
| Trustee office | Dubai Now app | |
|---|---|---|
| Who can use it | All buyers and sellers, resident or not | Individuals with a UAE ID and UAE PASS |
| Property | Any property | Freehold apartments, offices and townhouses with no mortgage or restriction |
| How you pay | ePay, Dubai Pay, Noqodi or manager's cheque | Price and fees through a DLD approved escrow account |
| Service partner fee | AED 4,000 + VAT (AED 2,000 + VAT under AED 500,000) | AED 1,000 + VAT (AED 500 + VAT under AED 500,000) |
| Other fees | 4%, AED 250 deed, AED 250 map, AED 10 knowledge, AED 10 innovation | 4%, AED 250 deed, AED 250 map, AED 30 knowledge, AED 30 innovation |
| Time | About 20 minutes at the appointment | Instant once both sign |
On Dubai Now, the seller creates a sale request, both parties sign the sale and purchase agreement digitally, the money goes into escrow and the title deed is issued. Either party can cancel before signing, and the request cancels itself if it is not signed within 7 days. It suits a simple sale between two UAE residents. Anything involving a mortgage, a non-resident or a power of attorney goes through a trustee office.
A title deed is the Dubai Land Department’s legal record of who owns a property. When a transfer completes, the DLD cancels the seller’s title deed and issues a new one in the buyer’s name, which is the step that actually changes ownership in law. Before a project is handed over, buyers hold an Oqood certificate instead, a provisional registration that converts into a full title deed once the building is complete. Our guide to title deeds and Oqood in Dubai explained covers the difference in full.
Under Law No. 7 of 2006, UAE nationals, GCC nationals and companies wholly owned by them can own property anywhere in Dubai. Other foreigners can buy in the areas designated for them, either as freehold with no time limit or as a usufruct or leasehold of up to 99 years. You do not need a UAE visa: non-resident foreigners register with a valid passport.
Freehold gives full ownership of the property and the land share with no time limit, including the right to resell, lease or pass it on. Most homes bought by foreigners in Dubai are freehold. More on this in our guide to freehold property in Dubai.
Leasehold grants long-term rights for a fixed period of up to 99 years without ownership of the land, which stays with the landowner or developer.
If the seller still owes money to a bank, the DLD uses a separate service. The buyer and seller attend the trustee office with the bank's liability letter and three manager's cheques: one to the bank or developer for the debt, one to the seller for the balance and one to the DLD for the 4 percent fee. The DLD registers the sale, the seller takes the debt cheque to the bank, and the sale completes once the bank's mortgage release letter is submitted. Extra DLD fees apply, including AED 1,290 for the mortgage release procedure and AED 315 for the registrar (as of November 2026). If the buyer's own mortgage is registered on the same day, the second trustee fee is waived. Our guide to buying a Dubai property that has a mortgage on it covers the order of payments.
A transfer to a first-degree relative (mother, father, spouse or children) without payment is registered as a gift. The DLD fee is 0.125 percent of the property valuation, with a minimum of AED 2,000, plus the title deed and map fees. The trustee fee is AED 4,000 + VAT for property valued at AED 2,000,000 or more and AED 2,000 + VAT below that. Proof of the relationship is required: a marriage or birth certificate translated and attested by the UAE embassy and the foreign ministry of the issuing country, plus proof of kinship from your embassy in the UAE. See transferring a Dubai property to a family member.
An off-plan unit has no title deed yet. It is recorded in the DLD's provisional register, Oqood, and a resale moves that registration to the new buyer. The developer must approve the sale and usually requires a minimum share of the price to have been paid first, and the remaining installments pass to the buyer. Our guide to selling an off-plan property before handover explains the approval and the costs.
The process is the same for every nationality. A buyer or seller living abroad can register with a valid passport, and can either fly in for the trustee appointment or appoint someone in Dubai under a legal power of attorney. A power of attorney signed outside the UAE usually needs attestation before a trustee office will accept it, so confirm the requirements with the trustee office before you sign one abroad. Our guide to power of attorney for a Dubai property purchase covers the steps, and buying Dubai property from the UK covers the rest of the purchase from Britain.
Always request the NOC early. The developer will not issue it while service charges or other dues are unpaid, and some developers charge a fee or set conditions.
Ask the seller's bank for the liability letter as soon as the MOU is signed, and confirm the buyer's mortgage approval and valuation are complete before booking the trustee appointment.
Ensure names, passport numbers, figures and property details match across every document. A mismatch is enough for the trustee office to stop the transaction. Legal support may be needed in a dispute.
It is not mandatory. A buyer and seller who already have a signed agreement can complete the transfer directly with the developer and the trustee office, or through Dubai Now if they qualify. Most people still use a RERA-licensed agent, because the agent manages the NOC request, checks the documents the DLD will reject on sight, and handles the trustee office appointment. If you are starting from the beginning rather than mid-transfer, our guide to the buying process covers the steps before the sale agreement is signed.
Buying or renting in Dubai?
Have a question about this guide? Ask one of our agents on WhatsApp.
Have a question about this guide? Ask one of our agents on WhatsApp.
The buyer and seller sign an MOU, the developer issues an electronic NOC, any mortgage is settled, and both parties attend a Real Estate Registration Trustee office. Once the Dubai Land Department fees are paid, the DLD registers the sale and emails a new title deed in the buyer's name.
The registration at the trustee office takes about 20 minutes according to the Dubai Land Department. The overall timeline depends on how quickly the developer issues the NOC and, for mortgaged homes, how quickly the banks release and register the loans.
The DLD transfer fee is 4 percent of the sale value, officially 2 percent from each side, plus AED 250 for the title deed, AED 250 for the map, AED 20 in knowledge and innovation fees, and a trustee fee of AED 4,000 plus VAT on sales of AED 500,000 or more (AED 2,000 plus VAT below), as of November 2026.
The 4 percent rate is set by the Dubai Land Department and cannot be negotiated with the DLD. What buyer and seller can negotiate is who pays it: the DLD splits it equally, but the MOU can assign all of it to one side.
Yes. A non-resident can register with a valid passport and appoint someone in Dubai under a legal power of attorney to attend the trustee office. Residents with UAE PASS can complete a simple unmortgaged freehold sale online through the Dubai Now app.
A gift to a first-degree relative (parent, spouse or child) costs 0.125 percent of the property valuation, with a minimum of AED 2,000, plus title deed and map fees. The trustee fee is AED 4,000 plus VAT for property valued at AED 2 million or more, and AED 2,000 plus VAT below that.
The buyer pays the outstanding debt to the seller's bank by manager's cheque at the trustee office, the bank releases the mortgage and the sale completes once the release letter is submitted. Extra DLD fees apply for the mortgage release.
The developer's no objection certificate confirms the seller owes the developer nothing, such as unpaid service charges. In freehold areas the DLD will not register the sale without the electronic NOC, which is requested through the Dubai REST app.
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TRPE Real Estate is a company registered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Trade License No. 999314 · RERA ORN 28357 · Office 1201, Ascott Park Place, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai. Regulated by the Real Estate Regulatory Agency (RERA).
