DLD fees in Dubai, explained for brokers and buyers

Blog · Brokbase team · 15 September 2026 · 5 min read

Every buyer asks the same question after the price: what else do I pay? A broker who answers with a clear list wins trust in one message. Here is the list as it stands in 2026, and how to present it. Figures are the published rates; always confirm the current schedule with the Dubai Land Department before quoting.

The transfer fee

The Dubai Land Department charges a transfer fee of 4% of the purchase price on ready property, plus a fixed administrative amount. By custom the buyer pays it, although the contract can split it. It is paid at the trustee office on transfer day.

Off-plan: Oqood

For off-plan units the sale is registered in the interim register (Oqood) and the same 4% applies, paid to the developer or through the developer's registration, sometimes offered as a waiver during a launch. A waiver is a promotion with an end date; read the brochure's small print.

Trustee, admin and mortgage fees

Registration trustee: a fixed fee that depends on the price bracket, paid at the trustee office.
Title deed issuance: a fixed administrative fee.
Mortgage registration: 0.25% of the loan amount plus a fixed fee, if the buyer finances.
Agency commission: customarily 2% of the price plus VAT for ready property; off-plan commission is paid by the developer.

How to present it

One message, one table: price, transfer fee, trustee fee, deed fee, mortgage registration if any, commission with VAT, total cash needed on transfer day. Put the date on the message. Buyers forward it to their family and their bank; the broker who sent it is the one they remember.

If your workspace keeps the client's request and budget, the assistant can prepare this list from the card and the client's numbers; in Brokbase the broker reviews it and sends it themselves. The DLD fee calculator on this site does the same sum for anyone and copies it as a message.

Questions people ask

Who pays the DLD transfer fee?

By custom the buyer, unless the contract says otherwise. In some launches the developer covers part or all of the off-plan registration for a limited period.

Is VAT charged on the property price?

Residential property sales are generally exempt or zero-rated; VAT applies to the agency commission and to some fees. Confirm with a tax adviser for commercial property.