How to Buy Property in Dubai: The Complete Guide for Foreign Buyers
Buying property in Dubai is simpler than in most countries: foreigners can own freehold, there is no income or capital gains tax, and a purchase can be completed in days for off-plan or a few weeks for a ready home. This guide from Cevitas, a RERA-licensed Dubai brokerage founded by Ahmed Benjas, walks through the process, the documents, the true costs and the mistakes we see buyers make most often.
Can foreigners buy property in Dubai?
Yes. Under Dubai Law No. 7 of 2006, non-UAE and non-GCC nationals can own property on a freehold basis in areas designated by the Ruler of Dubai, and on a long leasehold basis (up to 99 years) elsewhere. Freehold means full ownership of the unit and a share of the land, registered with the Dubai Land Department (DLD), with the right to sell, let, mortgage and pass the property on to heirs. There is no requirement to hold a residency visa, to set up a company or to have a local partner.
The freehold zones now cover most of the city built after 2000. The main ones are Downtown Dubai, Dubai Marina, Business Bay, Palm Jumeirah, Dubai Hills Estate, Jumeirah Village Circle, Dubai Creek Harbour, MBR City and Dubai South, alongside Jumeirah Lake Towers, Arjan, Dubai Sports City, Damac Hills, Emirates Living and Jumeirah Beach Residence. In 2024 and 2025 the DLD extended freehold eligibility to parts of Sheikh Zayed Road and Al Jaddaf, and the list continues to grow. Older districts such as Deira, Bur Dubai and Jumeirah proper remain reserved for UAE and GCC nationals, with a few exceptions.
Whether you want to buy an apartment in Dubai as a rental investment, a family home or a Golden Visa qualifying asset, the ownership structure is the same. Our companion guide on how to invest in Dubai real estate covers the investment case; this page focuses on execution.
How to buy property in Dubai: the 7-step process and timeline
- Set the budget and get pre-approved (week 0). Decide between cash and mortgage. If borrowing, obtain a bank pre-approval before viewing; it takes 5 to 10 working days and is valid for about 60 days.
- Appoint a RERA-licensed broker (week 0). Every legitimate agent holds a RERA broker card with a BRN number and works for a brokerage with an ORN number. Verify both on the Dubai REST app. Cevitas Real Estate LLC is licensed and registered with RERA.
- Shortlist and view (weeks 1 to 2). For ready units, inspect in person or by video, review the title deed and service charge history. For off-plan, check the project's RERA registration and escrow account number, the developer's delivered projects and the payment plan.
- Make an offer and reserve (week 2). Ready: sign the Memorandum of Understanding (Form F) with the seller and pay a 10 percent deposit, usually held as a security cheque by the brokerage. Off-plan: sign the developer's reservation form and pay the booking amount, typically 5 to 20 percent, into the escrow account.
- Contract and NOC (weeks 2 to 4). Ready: the seller applies for a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the developer confirming that service charges are settled; this takes 3 to 10 working days. If there is a mortgage on the seller's side, the buyer's bank or the buyer settles it first against a liability letter. Off-plan: sign the Sales and Purchase Agreement (SPA) with the developer.
- Transfer and registration (week 3 to 5). Ready: buyer and seller (or their power-of-attorney holders) meet at a DLD registration trustee office, the balance is paid by manager's cheque, the 4 percent fee is settled and the title deed is issued the same day. Off-plan: the developer registers the SPA on the DLD's Oqood system and you receive an Oqood certificate.
- Handover and utilities (immediately for ready, at completion for off-plan). Collect keys and access cards, transfer DEWA and chiller accounts, register the tenancy on Ejari if letting.
A cash secondary purchase realistically takes 2 to 4 weeks from offer to title deed; a mortgaged purchase 4 to 8 weeks; an off-plan reservation can be signed and registered within days. First-time buyers may also find our first-time buyer guide to Dubai property useful.
Documents needed to buy property in Dubai
The paperwork is lighter than in most jurisdictions. For a cash purchase by an individual you will need:
- Passport (valid for at least six months) and, for residents, Emirates ID and residency visa copy.
- Proof of address in your home country, such as a utility bill or bank statement, required by brokers and developers for anti-money-laundering (AML) checks.
- Source of funds declaration, now standard under UAE AML rules for real estate; a bank statement or sale contract for the funds used is usually enough.
- Signed Form F (MOU) for secondary purchases, or the developer's reservation form and SPA for off-plan.
- Manager's cheques for the balance, DLD fee and trustee fee on transfer day (or a bank transfer to the escrow account for off-plan).
- Power of attorney, notarised and, if signed abroad, attested by the UAE embassy and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, if you will not attend the transfer in person.
Buyers purchasing through a company must additionally provide the trade licence, memorandum of association, board resolution and passport copies of shareholders. Offshore companies must be registered with the DLD, which in practice restricts corporate buyers to JAFZA offshore, DIFC, ADGM and a handful of other approved jurisdictions. Mortgage buyers add salary certificates or audited accounts, six months of bank statements and a credit report.
Costs of buying property in Dubai: worked example on an AED 1.5M apartment
The purchase price is only part of the outlay. The table below shows the typical one-off costs for a AED 1.5 million apartment, comparing a ready unit bought on the secondary market with an off-plan unit bought from a developer through Cevitas. Figures are current DLD tariffs and market norms for 2025 to 2026 and exclude any mortgage costs.
| Cost item | Ready (secondary), AED | Off-plan via Cevitas, AED |
|---|---|---|
| DLD transfer fee (4%) | 60,000 | 60,000 |
| DLD admin fee | 580 | 580 |
| Registration trustee fee (incl. 5% VAT) | 4,200 | n/a |
| Oqood registration (DLD + developer admin) | n/a | 3,000 - 5,000 |
| Agency commission (2% + 5% VAT) | 31,500 | 0 |
| Developer NOC (usually paid by seller) | 0 - 5,000 | n/a |
| Title deed issuance | 250 | at handover |
| Total on top of price | approx. 96,500 - 101,500 (6.4 - 6.8%) | approx. 63,600 - 65,600 (4.2 - 4.4%) |
Adding a mortgage to the ready purchase increases costs by roughly AED 20,000 to 25,000: 0.25 percent of the loan for DLD mortgage registration (AED 2,600 on a AED 1.05M loan at 70 percent LTV), a bank arrangement fee of up to 1 percent (AED 10,500), valuation of AED 2,500 to 3,500, plus property and life insurance. Some developers run promotions that absorb the 4 percent DLD fee or waive service charges for one to three years; these are real savings and worth factoring in when comparing a launch against a resale. The full cost breakdown across scenarios is on our Dubai real estate investment guide.
Mortgage rules for residents and non-residents
UAE mortgages are regulated by the Central Bank, which sets maximum loan-to-value ratios. The rules as applied in 2025 to 2026 are:
| Borrower | Property under AED 5M | Property over AED 5M | Second or later property |
|---|---|---|---|
| UAE national | Up to 85% LTV | Up to 75% | Up to 65% |
| Expatriate resident | Up to 80% LTV | Up to 70% | Up to 60% |
| Non-resident | Typically 50 - 60% LTV (bank policy) | Typically 50% | Case by case |
| Off-plan (any borrower) | Maximum 50% LTV; usually only from selected developers and after a construction milestone | ||
Other constraints: total monthly debt repayments cannot exceed 50 percent of income, the maximum term is 25 years and the borrower must be under 65 (70 for the self-employed) at final repayment. Rates in 2025 to 2026 have generally sat between 3.9 and 5.5 percent, with two to five-year fixed periods reverting to a margin over EIBOR. Non-residents should expect a shorter list of lenders, a minimum loan of around AED 1M and more documentation, but the process is routine. Keep in mind that if you are financing the DLD fee and agency commission from savings, the effective cash requirement on an 80 percent mortgage is about 27 percent of the price, not 20.
Buying off-plan: SPA, Oqood, escrow and payment plans
Off-plan purchases follow a distinct legal path designed to protect buyers after the 2008 downturn. Every off-plan project must be registered with RERA and every dirham the buyer pays goes into a project-specific escrow account supervised by the DLD, from which the developer can only draw as construction milestones are certified. Buyers can check the escrow account number and project completion percentage on the Dubai REST app.
The Sales and Purchase Agreement (SPA) is the binding contract with the developer and should be read carefully for: the anticipated completion date and the grace period (usually 6 to 12 months), the compensation for delay, the permitted variation in unit area (typically up to 5 percent without price adjustment), the service charge estimate and the resale conditions before handover, which normally require 30 to 40 percent of the price to be paid and a developer NOC. After signing, the developer registers the SPA on Oqood, the DLD's interim property register, and you pay the 4 percent DLD fee at that stage. The Oqood certificate is your proof of ownership until the title deed is issued at handover.
Payment plans are the main attraction. Common structures in 2026 include 60/40 (60 percent during construction, 40 percent at handover), 80/20, and post-handover plans where 30 to 50 percent is paid over two to five years after you receive the keys, sometimes offered by Damac, Samana, Danube and Ellington. Through Cevitas, buyers pay no agency commission on off-plan because the developer remunerates the broker. Our off-plan property Dubai guide and the listings on off-plan properties in Dubai cover current launches; the free OffPlanSimulator lets you compare the cash flow of different payment plans.
Buying a ready property: Form F, NOC and DLD trustee transfer
A secondary-market purchase is governed by the DLD's standard forms. Once the price is agreed, buyer and seller sign Form F, the Memorandum of Understanding, which records the price, deposit, completion date, who pays which fees and the penalty (usually forfeiture of the 10 percent deposit) if either side withdraws. The broker registers the listing and the transaction with the DLD through Form A (seller's agreement with the broker) and Form B (buyer's).
The seller then applies to the master developer for an NOC, which confirms that service charges and any developer dues are paid and that there is no objection to the transfer. If the seller has a mortgage, the buyer's bank (or the buyer, in a cash deal) settles it against a liability letter and the bank releases the original title deed, adding one to two weeks. On transfer day, all parties attend a DLD registration trustee office with the original title deed, passports, NOC and manager's cheques for the balance, the 4 percent fee and the trustee fee. The DLD verifies the documents, the seller receives the cheque and a new title deed is issued in the buyer's name, typically within the same hour. Buyers based abroad routinely complete through a power of attorney.
Common mistakes when buying property in Dubai
- Paying a deposit to an unlicensed intermediary. Always verify the BRN and ORN, and pay reservation amounts only to a developer escrow account or against a receipt from a licensed brokerage.
- Ignoring service charges. They range from around AED 12 to over AED 40 per square foot a year and can turn a 7 percent gross yield into 4.5 percent net. Check the RERA service charge index and the building's arrears before you commit.
- Underwriting on the developer's projected rent. Use current Ejari-registered rents for comparable units, discounted by 10 percent, and confirm the figure with our team or the rental yield benchmarks.
- Not reading the SPA's delay and resale clauses. A 12-month grace period with modest compensation is standard; anything beyond that deserves negotiation or a different project.
- Choosing the area before the unit. In supply-heavy communities, the difference between a well-specified corner unit from a strong developer and an average unit in the same area can be 15 to 20 percent on resale.
- Forgetting home-country tax. Dubai charges nothing on rent or gains, but your country of tax residence may. Take advice before completing, not after.
- Skipping the snagging inspection at handover. Developers give a defect liability period, usually one year for finishes and ten years for structure, but issues noted at handover are resolved far faster.
After the purchase: Ejari, service charges and renting out
Once the title deed or Oqood is in your name, three things keep the asset compliant and productive. First, utilities: open a DEWA account (deposit of AED 2,000 for apartments, AED 4,000 for villas) and, in district-cooled buildings, a chiller account with Empower or Emicool. Second, service charges: these are billed quarterly or annually by the owners' association management company at the rate approved by RERA for your building; paying on time matters because the developer will not issue an NOC for a future resale while arrears exist.
Third, letting. Every tenancy in Dubai must be registered on Ejari, the DLD's rental contract system; the fee is around AED 220 and registration is required for the tenant to connect DEWA and for the landlord to enforce the contract at the Rental Dispute Centre. Annual rent increases are capped by the RERA rental index calculator. Landlords can let long-term (standard one-year contracts, rent usually paid in one to four cheques) or, in most communities, short-term through a DET-licensed holiday home operator, which can lift gross income by 20 to 40 percent at the cost of higher management fees and vacancy risk. Overseas owners typically appoint a property manager at 5 to 8 percent of annual rent for long-term lets, or 15 to 25 percent for short-term.
Cevitas supports buyers through all of this. We are a RERA-licensed brokerage founded in 2023 by Ahmed Benjas, based at NGI House, Port Saeed, Deira, and we handle sourcing, negotiation, SPA review, transfer, handover inspection and letting for clients in Dubai and abroad. If you are ready to buy property in Dubai or want a second opinion on a unit you have been offered, contact our team or read more about Cevitas. Buyers targeting residency should also read our guide to Golden Visa property in Dubai.
Frequently asked questions
Can a foreigner buy property in Dubai without residency?
Yes. Non-residents can buy freehold property in designated zones with only a valid passport and proof of funds. No visa, local partner or company is required, and the purchase can be completed remotely through a notarised power of attorney. Owning property does not automatically grant residency, but properties worth AED 750,000 or more can qualify for an investor visa, and AED 2 million or more for the 10-year Golden Visa.
How much are the fees when buying property in Dubai?
Budget roughly 6.5 to 7 percent on top of the price for a ready property: 4 percent DLD transfer fee, AED 4,200 trustee fee, 2 percent agency commission plus VAT and small admin charges. An off-plan purchase through Cevitas costs about 4.5 percent because there is no buyer commission and Oqood registration replaces the trustee fee. Mortgage buyers add roughly 1.5 to 2 percent for bank, valuation and registration fees.
How long does it take to buy property in Dubai?
A cash purchase on the secondary market usually completes in two to four weeks from signed Form F to title deed, with the developer NOC being the main variable. A mortgaged purchase takes four to eight weeks because of valuation, final offer and, where applicable, settlement of the seller's loan. An off-plan reservation can be signed and paid within a day, with Oqood registration following in a few weeks.
Can I get a mortgage in Dubai as a non-resident?
Yes, from a limited number of UAE banks. Non-residents are typically offered 50 to 60 percent loan-to-value on completed properties, a minimum loan of around AED 1 million and rates similar to residents, subject to full income documentation from the home country. Off-plan financing for non-residents is rare, so most overseas buyers use the developer's payment plan and refinance after handover if they wish.
What is the difference between Oqood and a title deed?
Oqood is the Dubai Land Department's interim register for off-plan property. When you sign an SPA with a developer, the contract is registered on Oqood and you receive a certificate proving your contractual ownership. On completion, once the developer obtains the building completion certificate, the Oqood record is converted into a full title deed in your name. Both are official DLD documents and both can be used to resell the unit.
Is it safe to buy off-plan property in Dubai?
It is considerably safer than before 2008. Developers must register projects with RERA, hold buyer funds in a DLD-supervised escrow account and can only draw money as construction milestones are certified. The residual risks are delays, usually 6 to 18 months, and specification changes. Choosing developers with a delivered track record, verifying the escrow account and reading the SPA's delay clause reduce these risks substantially.
What is Form F in Dubai real estate?
Form F is the standard Memorandum of Understanding issued by the Dubai Land Department for secondary-market sales. It sets out the agreed price, the deposit (normally 10 percent), the completion date, the allocation of fees between buyer and seller and the consequences if either party withdraws. Signing Form F with a RERA-licensed broker as witness makes the sale legally enforceable while the NOC and transfer are arranged.
Do I have to pay tax when I buy an apartment in Dubai?
There is no purchase tax, stamp duty or annual property tax in Dubai. The one-off 4 percent DLD transfer fee is the closest equivalent, and 5 percent VAT applies to agency commission and some service fees, but not to the sale of residential property itself. Rental income and capital gains are untaxed in the UAE, although your home country may tax them depending on its rules and any double taxation treaty.
Ready to buy property in Dubai?
Share your budget, preferred areas and timeline. A RERA-licensed Cevitas advisor will shortlist verified units, check every contract and manage the transfer from reservation to keys, with 0% buyer commission on off-plan.