Direct answer
How much is the DLD registration fee in Dubai?
For DLD's current completed-property sale-registration service, the published allocation is 2% of the sale value for the seller and 2% for the buyer. The service also lists title, applicable map/unit, knowledge, innovation and registration-trustee/service-partner fees. Do not treat “4%” as the buyer's complete all-in cost or assume the contract cannot allocate costs differently.
Official source: Property Sale RegistrationWritten by Arjun Mehta, Property Investment Analyst, Property Stellar. Reviewed by Omar Al Mansouri, Dubai Real Estate Investment Consultant · UAE Real Estate Market Specialist. Updated 15 September 2026. Read our editorial policy and research methodology.
Reviewed by Omar Al Mansouri · DLD fee page checked 15 September 2026
The old version of this guide combined different charges, described the service-partner fee as a property-registration fee and quoted an outdated AED 580 title amount. The table below follows the live DLD completed-sale page checked on 15 September 2026.
This is one transaction type. Off-plan initial registration, mortgage registration, gifts, inheritance, long leases and other procedures have their own service pages, documents and fees. Use the exact current service and trustee quote for the transaction being completed.
Current DLD completed-sale registration fees
| Fee item | Published amount | Application |
|---|---|---|
| Seller registration share | 2% of sale value | Published seller allocation |
| Buyer registration share | 2% of sale value | Published buyer allocation |
| Title Deed Certificate | AED 250 | Additional fee |
| Unified map under Dubai Municipality | AED 225 | Use when this map item applies |
| Map for land outside Dubai Municipality | AED 100 | Alternative applicable map item |
| Villa/apartment item | AED 250 | Additional fee for the stated property type |
| Knowledge fee | AED 10 | Additional fee |
| Innovation fee | AED 10 | Additional fee |
| Service partner: sale AED 500,000 or more | AED 4,000 + VAT | Value-band fee |
| Service partner: sale below AED 500,000 | AED 2,000 + VAT | Value-band fee |
Worked example: AED 1.5 million apartment
| Component | Calculation | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Buyer registration share | AED 1,500,000 × 2% | AED 30,000 |
| Title Deed Certificate | Published fixed item | AED 250 |
| Villa/apartment item | Published fixed item | AED 250 |
| Unified map | Illustrative applicable map | AED 225 |
| Knowledge + innovation | AED 10 + AED 10 | AED 20 |
| Service partner | Sale value is at least AED 500,000 | AED 4,000 + VAT |
| Published subtotal | Before VAT on the service-partner fee | AED 34,745 + applicable VAT |
The AED 34,745 subtotal is not an all-in buying cost. It assumes the AED 225 map and AED 250 apartment item apply, excludes the published seller's AED 30,000 share and excludes brokerage, developer NOC, mortgage/bank, valuation, insurance, conveyancing, inspection, moving, repairs and furnishing. Confirm which party actually pays each item in the agreement and transfer statement.
Official source: Property Sale RegistrationWhat the DLD 2% + 2% does not include
| Possible cost | Source of truth | Why it varies |
|---|---|---|
| Developer NOC/administration | Developer's current written quote | Project, service and transaction type |
| Brokerage | Signed brokerage agreement | Agreed scope and VAT treatment |
| Mortgage registration and bank charges | Current DLD mortgage service plus lender offer | Loan amount, product and bank |
| Valuation | Lender/valuer quote | Property and finance process |
| Conveyancing/POA | Engaged professional | Parties, complexity and representation |
| Service-charge clearance | Developer/management and DLD index context | Project account and timing |
| Insurance, inspection and moving | Provider quotes | Property and buyer choices |
Ready sale and off-plan initial sale are different services
| Transaction | Registration context | Official starting point |
|---|---|---|
| Completed-property sale | Seller-to-buyer registration of land, property or completed unit | DLD Property Sale Registration |
| Developer's off-plan initial sale | Developer registers the SPA in the provisional register through Oqood | DLD Request to Register the Initial Sale |
| Secondary off-plan resale | Eligibility, developer NOC and applicable provisional-register disposition | Developer instructions, DLD FAQ and applicable channel |
| Mortgage | Separate security registration | Current DLD/lender procedure and quote |
DLD's initial-sale service separately lists 2% for the seller and 2% for the purchaser, AED 10 knowledge, AED 10 innovation and AED 1,000 developer self-registration through Oqood. That developer-channel fee should not be relabeled as the buyer's completed-sale service-partner fee.
Official source: Request to Register the Initial SaleDocuments and payment methods on the current service page
For the completed-sale service, DLD lists Emirates ID for seller and buyer or a valid passport for a non-resident foreigner, plus an electronic developer NOC in freehold areas. The page lists ePay, Dubai Pay, Noqodi Wallet and manager's cheque as payment methods. Confirm the trustee's current instrument and payee instructions before transfer.
Official source: Property Sale Registration- Match the buyer, seller, unit, title and agreed value before payment.
- Obtain the final itemized trustee/transfer statement before issuing a manager's cheque.
- Verify payment instructions independently through the official channel.
- Keep the official receipt and updated registration/title output.
How to budget without double counting
| Budget section | Include |
|---|---|
| Purchase price | Agreed consideration only |
| DLD sale registration | Actual contractual share plus applicable DLD fixed/value-band items |
| Developer/trustee | Only the current, itemized figures not already included above |
| Finance | Valuation, arrangement, registration, insurance and other lender items |
| Professional | Broker, conveyancer, POA, inspection as applicable |
| Post-transfer | Service charges, utilities, insurance, repairs, furnishing and moving |
| Contingency | A visible reserve—not a hidden reduction of another line |
Frequently asked questions
Is the DLD transfer fee 4%?
The current completed-sale page publishes 2% for the seller and 2% for the buyer. People often call the combined 4% the transfer fee, but the contract can affect the practical allocation and additional fees still apply.
Official source: Property Sale RegistrationDoes the buyer always pay all 4%?
DLD's published allocation is 2% buyer and 2% seller. The parties may agree a different commercial allocation, so read the agreement and final transfer statement rather than assuming.
Is the title deed fee still AED 580?
The live completed-sale service page checked on 15 September 2026 lists AED 250 for the Title Deed Certificate, with separate applicable map/unit and knowledge/innovation items.
Official source: Property Sale RegistrationAre mortgage and brokerage included?
No. Obtain separate current DLD/lender, broker and other provider quotes and check that the final cost sheet does not duplicate a trustee or registration item.
Do residents and non-residents pay a different DLD sale percentage?
The current completed-sale fee table does not publish different buyer/seller percentages by residency. Eligibility, documents, finance and tax circumstances can differ, so verify the exact transaction separately.
Official source: Property Sale RegistrationPrimary-source register
Official pages used for this review
Continue with the right guide
Important: DLD, trustee, developer, lender and provider fees can change. The live official service, contract and transaction statement control the amount payable; this is budgeting information, not legal, tax or financial advice.
Set the all-in cash ceiling
Build a shortlist after reserving every purchase cost
Start with total deployable cash, not only the headline property price. Keep a current DLD/trustee quote beside every shortlisted unit.