Dubai Property Fees Explained: DLD, Agent, Mortgage & More

Overview: How Much Extra Do You Pay Beyond the Property Price?

When budgeting for a Dubai property purchase, plan for an additional 5–7% on top of the purchase price for transaction costs. The biggest single cost is the DLD transfer fee at 4%.

1. DLD Transfer Fee — 4%

The Dubai Land Department (DLD) Transfer Fee is 4% of the property's purchase price (or SPA price for off-plan). This is the largest single transaction cost and is paid at time of registration.

For off-plan, the 4% is typically paid at SPA signing — not at handover. Some developers offer to share or absorb this fee as a promotion, particularly during off-plan launches.

• AED 500,000 property → AED 20,000 DLD fee
• AED 1,000,000 property → AED 40,000 DLD fee
• AED 2,000,000 property → AED 80,000 DLD fee
• AED 5,000,000 property → AED 200,000 DLD fee

2. DLD Admin Fee — AED 4,200

A fixed administrative fee of AED 4,200 charged by DLD for processing the transfer. This is separate from the 4% and applies to all transactions. Broken down as: AED 4,000 to DLD, AED 200 for knowledge and innovation fees.

3. Real Estate Agent Commission — 2%

In the secondary market (resale), both buyer and seller typically each pay the agent 2% commission of the sale price. The buyer pays 2% to their agent; the seller pays 2% to their agent.

For off-plan, the developer pays the agent — the buyer pays no agent commission. This is a major cost saving for off-plan purchases.

4. Mortgage Registration Fee — 0.25%

If you finance with a bank mortgage, DLD charges a mortgage registration fee of 0.25% of the loan amount, plus a fixed AED 290 admin fee. Example: AED 1,237,500 mortgage (75% of AED 1,650,000) → AED 3,094 mortgage registration fee.

5. Property Valuation Fee — AED 2,000–3,500

Required when getting a mortgage. An approved DLD valuer inspects the property and issues a certificate. Fee varies by property type: studios/1BR ~AED 2,000–2,500; 2BR+ ~AED 2,500–3,500; villas AED 3,000–5,000.

6. NOC (No Objection Certificate) — AED 500–5,000

When buying in the secondary market, the developer issues an NOC confirming no dues on the property. Fees vary by developer: Emaar ~AED 5,000; DAMAC ~AED 3,000; smaller developers ~AED 500–1,500. This is typically paid by the seller.

7. Title Deed / Ownership Certificate — AED 580

DLD issues the official title deed certificate at a cost of AED 580 (AED 500 issuance + AED 80 map fee). This is your proof of ownership.

Complete Fee Summary Table

Annual Running Costs

After purchase, budget for annual recurring charges:

• Service Charge: AED 10–35/sqft/year depending on building. Covers common area maintenance, building management, shared facilities. A 700sqft apartment at AED 20/sqft = AED 14,000/year.
• DEWA (utilities): Resident: AED 500–2,000/month depending on consumption. Vacant/landlord: minimal (~AED 300/month for connection fees).
• Building insurance: AED 1,000–3,000/year (mandatory through OA).
• Property management: 5–10% of annual rent if using a management company.

Tips to Minimise Transaction Costs

• Buy off-plan to avoid agent commission (2% saving).
• Negotiate DLD fee-waiver promotions with developers — common at launch events.
• Compare mortgage offers across banks — arrangement fees (0.5–1%) vary.
• For high-value transactions, use a property lawyer to avoid costly contract errors.

When you eventually sell, the cost structure shifts: the seller pays the NOC fee, the agent's 2% on the seller side, and any mortgage discharge costs. For a full guide to vendor-side costs and the selling process, see our how to sell property in Dubai 2026 guide.

Frequently Asked Questions