Budget ~7-8% on top of the price
For a cash secondary purchase, the 4% DLD + ~2% agency + trustee/registration fees typically land around 7-8% of the price in one-time costs. Financing adds the mortgage-registration + bank + valuation layer on top.
Finance guide
Transaction costs
The price on the listing isn't the cheque you write. A Dubai purchase carries a stack of one-time fees — the 4% DLD transfer chief among them — that you pay in cash on top of the price. Here's every line itemised, who pays it, and when.
Core purchase fees
Apply to every secondary (ready-property) purchase, financed or not.
| Fee | Typical amount | Payer | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| DLD transfer fee | 4% of price | buyer | The Dubai Land Department's title-transfer fee — the largest single cost. Sometimes split with the seller by negotiation, but contractually the buyer's by default. |
| DLD admin fee | AED 580 (apartment/office), AED 430 (land) | buyer | Fixed administrative charge alongside the 4% transfer fee. |
| Agency commission | 2% of price + 5% VAT | buyer | The broker's fee on a secondary (ready) purchase. VAT applies on the commission, not the property. |
| Trustee / registration office fee | AED 4,000 + VAT (price >= AED 500k) | buyer | Paid to the registration trustee office that processes the transfer. Lower (AED 2,000 + VAT) below AED 500k. |
| Title deed issuance | ~AED 250 - 580 | buyer | Issuance of the new title deed in your name. |
| Developer NOC | AED 500 - 5,000+ | shared | The No-Objection Certificate from the developer confirming no outstanding service charges. Amount varies by developer; often the seller's responsibility but confirm in the MOU. |
Additional costs if you finance
A mortgage adds three more one-time charges on top of the core fees.
| Fee | Typical amount | Payer | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mortgage registration (DLD) | 0.25% of loan + AED 290 | buyer (financed) | DLD fee to register the mortgage against the title — charged on the loan amount, not the price. |
| Bank arrangement fee | ~1% of loan + VAT | buyer (financed) | The lender's processing fee. Some banks discount or waive it on promotions. |
| Property valuation | AED 2,500 - 3,500 + VAT | buyer (financed) | The bank's mandatory valuation of the property before it lends. |
Four realities to budget around
These costs are not mortgageable
Banks lend against the property value, not the fees. The full transaction cost stack must be paid in cash, on top of your down payment — plan the liquidity.
Off-plan is different
New off-plan purchases from a developer skip the agency commission and use the Oqood interim registration; the 4% DLD still applies. See the developer payment-plans guide.
Get it in writing in the MOU
Who pays the NOC, whether the 4% is split, and the agency rate are all set in the Memorandum of Understanding (Form F). Confirm every line before signing.