Finance guide
Moving a Dubai property to a parent, child, or spouse doesn't have to be a full 4% sale. A gift transfer re-registers title to a first-degree relative at a reduced DLD fee. Here's how it works, who qualifies, and where it fits ownership and estate planning.
A gift (Hiba) transfer re-registers a property from one owner to a close relative without a sale. Title moves at the DLD just like a normal transfer, but the basis is a gift, not a purchase price — which changes the fee treatment.
Standard transfers carry the 4% DLD fee. A qualifying gift transfer between first-degree relatives is charged at a reduced rate (commonly cited around 0.125% of the property value) plus the usual admin and trustee fees. Confirm the current rate with the DLD.
First-degree typically means parents, children, and spouses. Transfers to siblings or more distant relatives generally do not get the reduced gift rate and are treated as standard transfers. The DLD sets the eligible relationships.
The title deed, both parties' IDs/passports, proof of the relationship (e.g. attested birth/marriage certificates), and a property valuation. A mortgaged property must usually be cleared or the lender must consent first.
The reduced rate hinges on documented first-degree kinship. Certificates issued abroad usually need attestation + legal Arabic translation, like any foreign document the DLD relies on.
You can't simply gift away a financed property — the loan must be settled or the bank must approve the transfer. Sort the lender's position before booking the DLD appointment.
Gift transfers are a legitimate way to move property within a family at lower cost — useful alongside a will. They don't replace proper succession planning; pair with the inheritance guide.
Even though no money changes hands, the DLD assesses the property's value to compute the (reduced) fee. Budget for the valuation and the trustee/admin charges on top.