The DLD transfer fee — the 4%
The headline fee. 4% of the recorded property value, paid at the trustee office on transfer day. Conventionally split 50/50 between buyer and seller in MoU negotiation, though by law the buyer is liable for the full amount unless the contract specifies otherwise. Plus AED 580 administrative fee.
Trustee office fees
Every Dubai property transfer happens at a registered trustee office. Their fee is fixed by DLD: - AED 4,000 for properties up to AED 500,000 - AED 4,200 for properties above AED 500,000
Plus 5% VAT.
Title deed issuance
A flat AED 250 to issue your new title deed. Same day as transfer.
If you're mortgaging
Two extra fees: - Mortgage registration: 0.25% of the loan amount + AED 290 admin - Bank processing fee: 0.5%–1% of the loan, varies by bank - Property valuation by bank-approved valuer: AED 2,500–3,500
Agent commission
Buyer-side: typically 2% + 5% VAT on the property value. Paid at the trustee office on transfer day.
NOC fee from the developer / community management
Issued by the master developer (Emaar, Damac, etc.) confirming there are no outstanding service charges. Fee varies AED 500–5,000 depending on the developer. Paid by seller in most cases.
Quick total — example
For a AED 1.5M apartment, cash purchase: | Item | Amount | |---|---| | DLD transfer (4%) + admin | AED 60,580 | | Trustee fee + VAT | AED 4,410 | | Title deed | AED 250 | | Agent commission (2% + VAT) | AED 31,500 | | Total | ~AED 96,740 (6.4%) |
For the same property mortgaged at 80% LTV: | Item | Amount | |---|---| | Above | AED 96,740 | | Mortgage registration + admin | AED 3,290 | | Bank processing (1%) | AED 12,000 | | Bank valuation | AED 3,000 | | Total | ~AED 115,030 (7.7%) |
What's negotiable
The 4% DLD fee is not negotiable — it's a state fee. The agent commission can sometimes be split or absorbed (we sometimes do this to win a bid). Bank processing fees are negotiable, especially if you're transferring salary.
Frequently asked
Yes — sometimes negotiated as part of the MoU. In a buyer's market it happens occasionally; in a seller's market it doesn't. We always model both scenarios in our valuation pre-bid analysis.
Not in the UAE (no personal income tax). Some buyers can capitalise the fees against their cost basis for capital gains in their home country — speak to a cross-border tax advisor.
Off-plan uses an Oqood (interim registration) initially. The 4% DLD fee on Oqood is split — typically 4% on launch, then a small additional fee at handover when the title deed issues. Total still ~4% of price.
Muhammad Adnan founded Al Amman Properties in 2012 after a decade in Dubai's brokerage and property-management space. Under his leadership, Al Amman has closed 500+ sales transactions and built a 2,000-unit management bo…
