Dubai Property Transfer Fee Calculator
The Dubai Land Department fee and all the other costs of buying a home in Dubai, with the cash you need on the day.
Fee rates typical — check the current figure
These are typical figures, not confirmed on the official DLD page. Leave a box empty to use the typical figure. Check the current fees with DLD, your trustee office or your bank.
The developer's No Objection Certificate is usually paid by the seller and typically costs AED 500 to 5,000 (check with the developer). Add it only if you are paying it.
How your buying costs are worked out
Transfer fee → fixed and bank fees → agent → cash you need on the day.
- 1
DLD transfer fee
1,500,000 × 4%
= AED 60,000 - 2
Fixed and bank fees
4,780 + 19,040
= AED 23,820 - 3
Agent + 5% VAT
30,000 + 1,500
= AED 31,500 - 4
Cash on the day
300,000 + 115,320
= AED 415,320
Read more: the formula, a worked example and the fee table
The formula
DLD fee = price × DLD % × your share (buyer 1, split ½, seller 0)
Trustee fee = lower fee if price is below the threshold, else higher fee, + VAT
Mortgage registration = loan × % + admin fee
Bank fees = valuation fee + loan × arrangement %, + VAT
Agent = price × agent % + VAT
Total costs = all of these added up
Cash upfront = (price − loan) + total costs
Off-plan: cash at booking = price × first payment % + DLD fee + Oqood admin (+ agent, if any)
Worked example
You buy a ready home for AED 1,500,000 with an 80% mortgage, you pay the DLD fee, and the agent charges 2%. Using the typical figures:
- DLD transfer fee: 1,500,000 × 4% = AED 60,000
- Admin and title deed fee: AED 580
- Trustee office fee (price is AED 500,000 or more): 4,000 + 5% VAT of 200 = AED 4,200
- Loan: 1,500,000 × 80% = AED 1,200,000. Mortgage registration: 1,200,000 × 0.25% = 3,000 + 290 = AED 3,290
- Bank valuation: 3,000 + 150 VAT = AED 3,150
- Bank arrangement: 1,200,000 × 1% = 12,000 + 600 VAT = AED 12,600
- Agent: 1,500,000 × 2% = 30,000 + 1,500 VAT = AED 31,500
Total costs: 60,000 + 580 + 4,200 + 3,290 + 3,150 + 12,600 + 31,500 = AED 115,320, which is 115,320 ÷ 1,500,000 = 7.69% of the price. The deposit is 1,500,000 − 1,200,000 = AED 300,000, so the cash you need upfront is 300,000 + 115,320 = AED 415,320.
Paid in cash instead, there is no mortgage registration or bank fee: 60,000 + 580 + 4,200 + 31,500 = AED 96,280 in costs, and AED 1,596,280 in all. If the DLD fee is split 50:50, you pay AED 30,000 of it and the seller pays the other AED 30,000.
Typical fees used
| Fee | Typical figure | Applies to |
|---|---|---|
| DLD transfer fee | 4% of the price | Ready and off-plan |
| Admin and title deed fee | AED 580 | Ready |
| Oqood admin fee | AED 40 | Off-plan |
| Trustee office fee | AED 2,000 below AED 500,000, AED 4,000 at or above, + VAT | Ready |
| Mortgage registration | 0.25% of the loan + AED 290 | Ready, with a mortgage |
| Bank valuation fee | AED 3,000 + VAT | With a mortgage |
| Bank arrangement fee | 1% of the loan + VAT | With a mortgage |
| Agent commission | 2% of the price + VAT | Most resales |
| VAT on service fees | 5% | Trustee, agent, bank fees |
Good to know
- Banks usually don't lend for the fees, so plan to pay them in cash on top of your deposit.
- Many UAE banks lend up to about 75% to 80% of the price on a first home (typical; ask your bank for your limit).
- Off-plan: the DLD fee is paid when the sale is registered in Oqood, the interim register. Developers sometimes pay part or all of it as an offer.
- Some firms quote fees with VAT already in. Check your invoices so VAT isn't counted twice.
- Not covered: service charges, moving costs, DEWA connection deposits and home insurance.
For general information only. Fees checked on 17 Oct 2026: the official Dubai Land Department page could not be reached to confirm them, so every figure here is a typical figure, labelled "typical — check the current figure", and you can change it in Advanced. Check the current fees with DLD, your trustee office, your bank or your conveyancer before you rely on them.
Common questions
How much is the DLD transfer fee in Dubai?
The Dubai Land Department transfer fee is commonly quoted as 4% of the price, so AED 60,000 on a AED 1,500,000 home. On top come fixed fees such as the admin and title deed fee and the trustee office fee. Fees can change, so check the current figures with DLD or your trustee office; you can change every rate in Advanced.
Who pays the 4% DLD fee, the buyer or the seller?
It is usually the buyer, but buyer and seller can agree to split it 50:50 or for the seller to pay it. Pick who pays and the calculator shows the buyer's share and the seller's share.
How much cash do I need to buy a property in Dubai?
Your deposit (the price minus the loan) plus all the buying costs. On a AED 1,500,000 home with an 80% mortgage, the deposit is AED 300,000 and the typical costs are about AED 115,320, so about AED 415,320 upfront. Banks usually don't lend for the fees.
What fees do I pay on an off-plan property?
For off-plan, the DLD fee (typically 4%) is paid when the sale is registered in Oqood, the interim register, plus a small admin fee. There is usually no trustee office fee and, buying straight from the developer, no agent fee. You then pay the price in stages under the developer's payment plan.
Is there VAT on property buying costs in Dubai?
In this calculator VAT (typically 5%) is added to service fees: the trustee office fee, agent commission, bank valuation and arrangement fees. The DLD transfer fee and registration fees are shown without VAT. Check your invoices, as some firms quote fees with VAT already in.
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