Dubai Property Transaction Costs & Fees Explained
Beyond the purchase price: DLD transfer fee, agency commission, mortgage registration and other costs to budget for when buying property in Dubai.
Updated 2 October 2026
Why the sticker price isn't the full cost
Budgeting only the advertised sale price is one of the most common mistakes first-time buyers make in Dubai. Several fees are added on top at the point of transfer — knowing them upfront avoids a scramble for extra funds at the DLD trustee office.
DLD transfer fee — the biggest one
The Dubai Land Department charges a transfer fee of 4% of the property's purchase price to register a change of ownership. This is the single largest cost beyond the price itself, and by long-standing market convention it is usually split or paid by the buyer (practice varies by deal — confirm who pays what in your MOU/SPA).
Agency commission
Buyers and sellers working with a real estate agent typically pay a commission of around 2% of the purchase price plus 5% VAT on the commission amount to their respective agent, though this is a matter of agreement between the parties and the specific agency, not a fixed government rate.
Mortgage-related fees (if financing)
If you're buying with a mortgage, expect additional costs:
- Mortgage registration fee: paid to DLD to register the bank's interest against the title, commonly a small percentage of the loan amount.
- Bank arrangement/processing fee: charged by the lender itself, varies by bank and loan size.
- Property valuation fee: most banks require an independent valuation before approving a mortgage.
Exact percentages and flat fees vary by bank and are updated periodically — get a current fee schedule directly from your lender before committing.
Developer / trustee administrative fees
Smaller fixed administrative charges apply at various points — for example, a developer's No Objection Certificate (NOC) fee for a resale transfer, and DLD's own title deed issuance and admin charges at the trustee office. These are modest relative to the transfer fee and commission above, but worth asking your agent or conveyancer to itemise for your specific transaction.
Off-plan: a different cost rhythm
Buying directly from a developer generally avoids resale-specific costs like the NOC fee, but introduces Oqood registration fees (interim registration of an off-plan interest with DLD) and the developer's own administrative charges, on top of the payment-plan instalments themselves.
A rough way to think about total closing costs
As a rough rule of thumb, buyers commonly budget somewhere in the region of 6–8% of the purchase price on top of the price itself to cover DLD transfer fee, agency commission and incidental administrative charges (more if financing, due to mortgage-specific fees). This is a planning heuristic, not a quoted guarantee — your actual total depends on financing, the specific developer/bank, and the deal terms.
Percentages and flat fees referenced here reflect DLD's long-standing, publicly known fee structure as of this writing. Government and lender fees can be revised — always confirm the current fee schedule with DLD, your bank, and your agent before budgeting a transaction.