FAQs

The Dubai Land Department, as the exclusive and legally authorized entity, manages the registration and documentation of all real estate transactions. Utilizing the electronic e-register system and adhering to DLD’s specific procedures, transactions by real estate developers are recorded through a self-registration system. For other transactions, owners or their representatives, with an official power of attorney, must complete the process at the Real Estate Registration Trustee centers situated across various regions in Dubai.

There are two types of real estate residencies: a three-year residency on a property whose value is AED 750,000 or more, and a five-year residency on a property whose value exceeds AED 5 million.

Dubai’s real estate legislations emphasize the imperative to register all transactions—ownership, transfer, or change, with or without compensation—to safeguard the rights of investors. Any real estate transactions not registered in the Dubai Land Department’s registers are deemed invalid.

Initial registration involves recording real estate sales contracts and legal actions off-plan before their transfer to the real estate registry. This encompasses both off-plan and ready-made properties, with the issuance of an initial sale certificate signifying the property’s registration. This process is crucial for preserving the rights of both owners and investors.

According to the law, developers must promptly register completed projects with the Dubai Land Department upon receiving a certificate of completion from competent authorities. Consequently, fully paid real estate units transition from the initial register to the Real Estate Registry, culminating in the issuance of title deeds or usufruct certificates for the respective investors.

If the property exceeds the agreed-upon area in the sale contract, the increase in the unit’s net area is not considered, and the developer cannot claim additional value unless explicitly agreed otherwise. Conversely, if the property’s area is less than agreed, the developer is obligated to compensate the purchaser for any decrease exceeding (5%) of the net area of the unit.

If all the documents required for the procedure are available, it takes an average of 30 minutes to register a sale.

While Dubai’s property ownership laws don’t impose an age limit, transactions involving a property owned by a minor require a judgment from the competent judge approving the sale, donation, or mortgage. This judgment is issued by the Awqaf and Minors’ Affairs Foundation for citizens with a registration extract (Khulasat Qayed) from Dubai and from the competent court for other categories. In the case of a property purchase by a minor (under 21 years old), the legal guardian must sign the contract on behalf of the minor.

Per Dubai’s laws, any property can be mortgaged as debt security, provided it is registered with the Dubai Land Department, established, and has an existing insurance mortgage or verdict on the map at the time of the mortgage. Additionally, the insurance mortgage is applicable only to a property or real estate unit valid for transactions.

A mortgage portfolio means a mortgage of more than one property in one entry.