How to Buy Property in Dubai: Steps for Foreign Buyers

Dubai Law No. 7 of 2006 on real property registration limits ownership to UAE and GCC nationals and certain companies, with one important exception. In areas designated by the Ruler, non-UAE nationals may hold freehold ownership without a time limit, or usufruct or leasehold rights for up to 99 years. These are usually called freehold areas. The Dubai Land Department (DLD) accepts a valid passport from non-resident foreign buyers when registering a sale, so living in the UAE is not a condition for buying.

The same law puts registration at the centre of ownership. A transaction that creates or transfers a property right is not valid unless it is recorded in the Property Register kept by DLD. The title deed that DLD issues is the legal evidence of ownership. For units sold off-plan, Law No. 13 of 2008 applies the same principle to the Interim Property Register, known as Oqood.

Before you shortlist a property, confirm in writing that it is in a freehold area, whether the right on offer is freehold or leasehold, and who the registered owner or developer is.

• Developer. Builds and sells units, including off-plan. Law No. 8 of 2007 requires developers to be entered in DLD's Register of Real Estate Developers and to open a separate escrow account for each off-plan project.
• Broker. Must be registered with the Real Estate Regulatory Agency (RERA), the regulatory arm of DLD, and hold a RERA broker card. Brokers use RERA's standard contracts: Contract A (seller and brokerage), Contract B (buyer and broker) and Contract F (the sale agreement between seller and buyer). Every property advertisement needs a Trakheesi permit.
• Real estate registration trustee office. An office that represents DLD in registering sales. The transfer of a ready property is completed here.
• Conveyancer or lawyer. Not required by DLD. Many international buyers appoint one to review contracts, collect clearances and coordinate the transfer.
• Bank. If you borrow, the lender registers its mortgage with DLD.

This website is an information service, not a brokerage. When you send an enquiry through it, the request is passed to licensed agents, who are responsible for the advice and service they provide.

1. Agree terms and sign Contract F. The sale agreement records the price, the deposit, the transfer date and which party pays each fee. Read it carefully before signing, ideally with a lawyer.
2. The seller obtains clearances. DLD requires an electronic no-objection certificate (e-NOC) from the developer for transfers in freehold areas, issued through the Dubai REST app. In buildings managed through DLD's Mollak system, the management company also issues an eNOC. DLD states that this request takes 3 to 5 working days.
3. Deal with any existing mortgage. If the seller's property is mortgaged, the lender has to be involved before or at transfer. DLD runs a separate service for registering the sale of a mortgaged property.
4. Transfer at a trustee office. The parties present identification (Emirates ID, or a passport for non-resident foreigners). The file is checked, fees are paid and DLD issues an electronic title deed in the buyer's name. DLD lists a service time of 25 minutes once the file is complete.
5. After transfer. Open utility accounts, register with the building's management company and confirm your service charge account.

Fee amounts are covered in our guide to buying costs and fees.

1. Check the project first. DLD's Project Status service (Mashrooi, in the Dubai REST app) shows the project number, the developer, registration, start and completion dates, inspection details and the escrow bank. Our due diligence checklist covers this in detail.
2. Reserve and sign the sale and purchase agreement (SPA) with the developer. The SPA sets the payment plan, the completion date and the handover conditions.
3. Pay into the project escrow account only. DLD's brokerage practice guide requires brokers who market off-plan projects to instruct buyers to deposit money only into the project's escrow account.
4. Oqood registration. The developer registers the sale in the Interim Property Register through DLD's Oqood portal. The buyer receives the registration by email. Under Law No. 13 of 2008, a sale of an off-plan unit that is not entered in this register is void.
5. Instalments during construction, as scheduled in the SPA.
6. Completion and title deed. After the completion certificate is issued, the developer registers the completed project. A buyer who has met all contractual obligations can then be issued a title deed, and handover follows.

Registration with DLD is what gives a purchase legal effect. It is worth checking the records yourself rather than relying on copies.

• DLD's Verify Title Deed service, on its website and in the Dubai REST app, confirms whether a title deed issued by DLD is valid. DLD lists the result as immediate and shows no fee.
• The Property Status Enquiry service shows the status of a property using details such as the area and land number.
• For off-plan units, keep the Oqood registration you receive by email. It records your interest until a title deed is issued.

If you buy with a mortgage, the lender's charge is also registered with DLD. DLD's mortgage registration service lists a fee of 0.25% of the mortgage value plus fixed charges. It covers both ready property and provisional (Oqood) registrations.

In a jointly owned building, Dubai Law No. 6 of 2019 provides that the plans, the Master Community Declaration and the Building Management Regulation form part of the title deed. Ask for copies before you commit.

Mortgages. Mortgage lending in the UAE is regulated by the UAE Central Bank, and each bank applies its own policy on top. Ask lenders to confirm in writing the maximum loan, the required down payment and whether they finance off-plan units. Get a pre-approval before you sign a sale agreement, and check what the agreement says if financing is delayed.

Residency. A residence permit is a separate application; buying property does not create one automatically. As of September 2026, DLD's Golden Visa (Investor) service describes a 10-year renewable residence permit for an investor who owns property with a purchase value of AED 2 million or more at the time of purchase. The property must be wholly owned by the investor and in the applicant's name. For a mortgaged property, DLD asks for a bank letter showing that AED 2 million has been paid. The applicant must be inside the UAE when applying.

These conditions are set by the authorities and can change. Confirm them with DLD or the residency authorities, and take professional advice before relying on a purchase for residency.

This guide summarises processes and fees published by the Dubai Land Department and in Dubai legislation, as checked on 28 September 2026. It is general information, not legal, tax or immigration advice. Fees, services and requirements change. The Arabic text of Dubai legislation prevails over English translations.

Before paying a deposit or signing an agreement, confirm current fees with DLD or a registration trustee office. Consider appointing an independent lawyer licensed in the UAE to review the contract. This website does not act as a broker; enquiries submitted through it are passed to licensed agents.