Off-plan fees in Dubai: DLD registration, Oqood and other costs

The price on the contract is not the only money you pay. When you buy off-plan in Dubai, the Dubai Land Department (DLD) charges a registration fee, and further government and developer fees follow at handover and, if you borrow, when the mortgage is registered.

Many websites quote different figures for the same fee. Below, every number is copied from the DLD service page it belongs to. Where DLD does not publish a figure, we say so.

The main fee: 2% seller + 2% purchaser of the sale value [S1]

When a developer sells an off-plan unit, it registers the sale in DLD's provisional register through the Oqood portal. DLD's fee table for that service reads [S1, Fees]:

DLD's table lists 2% for the seller and 2% for the purchaser [S1]. Your SPA decides who actually pays each part. Read the fee clause and ask for it in writing.

When it is paid. The SPA must be registered within 90 days of signing [S1, Terms]. DLD lists the Noqodi wallet and deduction from the escrow account as payment methods [S1, Payment Method].

The AED 1,000 line is the developer's self-registration fee on the Oqood portal for provisional sale [S1, Fees]. Whether the developer passes it on to you is a contract matter.

At handover: title deed fees

DLD offers an Issue Title Deed service to register title deed issuance [S3]. Its fees are [S3, Fees]:

The developer often handles this step. Ask whether these fees are included in your final payment or billed separately.

If you take a mortgage: mortgage registration

When a bank lends against a property, the mortgage is registered at DLD. DLD's mortgage registration fee is 0.25% of the mortgage value [S4, Fees]. For an ordinary mortgage with an ordinary title deed or usufruct title deed, DLD also lists AED 250 for issuance of each title deed, plus an AED 10 knowledge fee and an AED 10 innovation fee for each drawing [S4, Fees]. DLD also lists service partner fees of AED 4,000 plus VAT, or AED 5,000 plus VAT for a provisional (Oqood) registration [S4, Fees]. For off-plan property, DLD also requires an e-NOC from the developer (through the Dubai REST app) [S4, Required documents].

See our mortgage guide.

Comparing with a ready (resale) purchase

If you buy a finished home from its owner instead, DLD's property sale registration service applies [S2, Fees]:

• Seller 2% and buyer 2% of the sale value;
• AED 250 title deed fee; a map fee of AED 225 under Dubai Municipality or AED 100 for lands not under it; and a separate AED 250 line for villas and apartments;
• AED 10 knowledge and AED 10 innovation fees;
• a service partner (registration trustee) fee of AED 4,000 + VAT if the sale value is AED 500,000 or more, or AED 2,000 + VAT below that.

So the headline percentage is the same; the extra lines differ.

If you sell before handover

Selling your off-plan position before completion is a new sale. The buyer and the developer will have to agree terms, the developer usually charges for its no-objection certificate, and DLD registers the transfer. Ask the developer and DLD for the current figures before you list.

Costs after handover

Service charges. In a building with shared areas, the management company charges owners a yearly service charge. Under Dubai's jointly owned property law, a management company may not charge or collect service charges without RERA's prior approval, and RERA may not approve the budget unless a certified audit firm recognised by RERA has approved it [S6, Art. 27]. Each owner's share is based on the unit's area relative to the total area [S6, Art. 25]. Ask the developer for the expected service charge before you sign, and check it again at handover.

Utilities and cooling. Connection deposits and district cooling fees depend on the provider. They are not DLD fees.

A checklist to take to the developer

• Is there a developer admin or "registration" fee on top? How much, and is it in the SPA?
• Are title deed fees included in the final payment?
• What is the expected yearly service charge, and has RERA approved a budget yet?
• If I sell before handover, what does the developer charge for its NOC?

What a missed payment can cost

Fees are predictable; penalties are not. If you miss instalments, the developer can ask DLD to start the process to cancel your provisional registration. DLD's service for that is filed by the developer, needs a warning period of not less than a month, and carries an AED 600 fee plus knowledge and innovation fees [S5]. How much of your money the developer may keep depends on construction progress; see our escrow and protection guide.

FAQ

What percentage does DLD list? DLD lists 2% for the seller and 2% for the purchaser of the sale value [S1]. Your SPA says who pays which part.

What is the AED 1,000 fee? DLD lists AED 1,000 as the developer self-registration fee on the Oqood portal for provisional sale [S1, Fees].

Can the developer pay the DLD fee for me? The fee table says who owes what to DLD; the SPA can allocate it differently. Developers sometimes offer to pay it. Get any such offer in the SPA.

How much does mortgage registration cost? DLD lists 0.25% of the mortgage value, plus other listed fees that depend on the type of mortgage [S4, Fees]. The bank's own fees are extra.

Are service charges a DLD fee? No. They are charged by the building's management company and need RERA's prior approval [S6, Art. 27].

Is this legal or tax advice? No. It is general information. Fees change; check the linked pages before you pay.

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Reviewed by the Vetted Property team. Related: How buying off-plan in Dubai works · See how we present Elevia Residences.

Sources

• [S1] DLD, Register the initial sale (provisional register / Oqood)
• [S2] DLD, Property Sale Registration (ready property)
• [S3] DLD, Issue Title Deed
• [S4] DLD, Mortgage registration
• [S5] DLD, Termination of initial registration
• [S6] Dubai Law No. 6 of 2019, Jointly Owned Real Property (Art. 25, 27)