DLD fee calculator for Dubai and Abu Dhabi
By Tyler Newman, Host of The Off Plan ShowLast updated
In Dubai, budget about 4% of the price for the Dubai Land Department fee, plus a few hundred dirhams in fixed fees. On a ready resale add a trustee fee of AED 4,200 (AED 2,100 under AED 500,000), commission if you use an agent, and 0.25% of the loan if you take a mortgage.
In Abu Dhabi the registration fee is 2% of the price on DARI plus a small admin charge. Enter your price below for a line-by-line breakdown.
- Costs on top of the price
- AED 80,020
- Price plus costs
- AED 2,080,020
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| DLD registration fee (4% of price)Dubai Land Department. Officially 2% buyer and 2% seller; your contract says who actually pays. | AED 80,000 |
| DLD knowledge and innovation feesAED 10 + AED 10 on the Oqood (initial sale) registration. | AED 20 |
| Total | AED 80,020 |
Quick answers
Is the DLD fee 4% for off-plan too?
Yes. DLD charges 4% of the price on an off-plan (Oqood) registration, split on paper as 2% from the developer and 2% from the buyer, plus AED 20 in knowledge and innovation fees. Most developers ask the buyer to pay the full 4% with the first instalment, and some waive it as a promotion. Your booking form or SPA says which.
What is the trustee fee in Dubai?
On a ready resale registered at a trustee office, DLD lists a registration trustee fee of AED 4,000 plus VAT (AED 4,200) for prices of AED 500,000 or more, and AED 2,000 plus VAT (AED 2,100) below that. Off-plan purchases are registered by the developer on the Oqood system, so there is no trustee office fee.
How much is mortgage registration in Dubai?
DLD charges 0.25% of the loan amount, plus AED 250 for the title deed and AED 20 in knowledge and innovation fees. If the mortgage is registered on the same day as the sale, DLD waives the second trustee fee; on a later day a service partner fee of AED 4,000 plus VAT applies, or AED 5,000 plus VAT on an off-plan (Oqood) mortgage.
What does it cost to register a property in Abu Dhabi?
DARI charges 2% of the sale price for ownership (1% for musataha), plus an electronic admin allowance: AED 400 plus VAT on an off-plan unit sale, AED 450 on a developer first sale. DARI lists no fee for registering the mortgage on a first sale.
Do I pay VAT on the property itself?
Not on a home. VAT at 5% is charged on services such as agency commission and trustee or service partner fees, which the calculator adds. The Federal Tax Authority zero-rates the first sale of a new home within three years of completion and generally exempts later residential sales. Commercial property carries 5%.
Sources
- Dubai Land Department: Request to register the initial sale (off-plan / Oqood fees), checked 31 Oct 2026
- Dubai Land Department: Registering the sale of a mortgaged property (4% fee, trustee fee by price, title deed and map fees), checked 31 Oct 2026
- Dubai Land Department: Buy or sell property via Dubai Now (2% seller, 2% buyer), checked 31 Oct 2026
- Dubai Land Department: Mortgage registration application (0.25% and fixed fees), checked 31 Oct 2026
- DARI: Off-plan unit buy & sell registration (2%, AED 400 admin excl. VAT), checked 31 Oct 2026
- DARI: Register a unit for first sale (2%, AED 450 admin, AED 0 mortgage registration), checked 31 Oct 2026
- UAE Government portal: Value added tax (5%), checked 31 Oct 2026
- Federal Tax Authority FAQ: How will real estate be treated?, checked 31 Oct 2026
Illustrative only, not financial, legal or immigration advice. Fees and rules change, so confirm the current figures with the authority, your developer or your bank before you pay.