Selling property in Dubai: the transfer process, seller fees, tax and getting your money out

How to sell property in Dubai: the process step by step

Selling property in Dubai follows one route: a signed sale contract, a developer NOC and a DLD transfer at a Real Estate Registration Trustees Center. The DLD service page gives 25 minutes for the registration itself. Most of the time goes on the steps before it.

1. Check the title and the numbers. Confirm the property’s title deed through the DLD “Verify Title Deed” service, ask the bank for the outstanding mortgage balance and ask the owners’ association or developer for any unpaid service charges.
2. Set the price. Compare recent transactions for similar properties in the building through the DLD open data or the Dubai REST app. If you need an official figure, the DLD valuation service costs AED 4,000 + AED 20, plus AED 230 + VAT when filed at a trustee centre.
3. Appoint a broker, or sell privately. A listing broker works under Contract A, the DLD standard agreement between seller and brokerage.
4. Agree terms with the buyer in Contract F. This is the DLD unified sale contract that fixes the price, the deposit, the transfer date and who pays which fee.
5. Apply for the developer e-NOC through the Dubai REST app once service charges are paid.
6. Settle the mortgage, if there is one. The bank issues a liability letter and is paid from the buyer’s funds at transfer.
7. Transfer at the trustee centre. The DLD registers the property sale, the parties pay the DLD fees in the split agreed in Contract F and the seller receives manager’s cheques for the price.

Documents for a sale by individuals (DLD list, plus the sale contract):

Document	Who provides it	Note
Emirates ID, or a valid passport for a non-resident	Seller and buyer	The DLD checks identity; it does not ask for copies
Developer e-NOC	Seller, via Dubai REST	Required for property in freehold areas
Signed sale contract (Contract F)	Both parties	Not on the DLD list; the broker’s DLD system and the trustee centre work from it
Liability letter from the bank	Seller’s bank	Only for a mortgaged unit
Power of attorney	Attorney	Only if someone signs for the seller or buyer

In words: a non-resident seller with an unmortgaged property needs only a passport, the developer e-NOC and the signed contract. The DLD sale registration page does not list the original title deed; title deeds are now issued electronically. A company that owns property must first be registered with the DLD before it can sell.

Developer NOC and service charges: what must be cleared before a sale

A developer NOC to sell property in Dubai confirms that the developer has no objection to the transfer, and the DLD requires this e-NOC for every sale in freehold areas. The seller applies through the Dubai REST app, and the NOC is issued once the developer’s conditions are met.

The main condition is money owed on the property. Under Article 32(a) of Dubai Law No. 6 of 2019 on jointly owned property, the management entity has a lien on the unit for unpaid service charges, and a unit “may not be disposed of” unless those charges are paid. In practice, clear the service charge account, get a clearance statement and then request the NOC. For an off-plan property the developer also checks that your instalments meet the threshold in your sale and purchase agreement (SPA) before it allows a resale.

The DLD does not publish a standard developer NOC fee, and we found no published NOC amount on the websites of the large developers we checked (Emaar, DAMAC, Nakheel, Sobha Realty, Meraas, Dubai Properties); an Emaar FAQ refers only to an “admin fee” without a figure. Ask the developer for the fee in writing before you sign Contract F, and agree in the contract who pays it. For off-plan units, Law No. 13 of 2008 limits developers to the administrative charges the DLD approves.

Contract A and Contract F: the broker agreement and the sale contract

Contract F is the DLD unified sale contract between the seller and the buyer of a Dubai property, often called Form F or the MOU. The DLD Real Estate Brokerage Practice Guide (November 2024) names three standard contracts: Contract A between the seller and the brokerage, Contract B between the buyer and the broker, and Contract F between the seller and the buyer.

• Contract A gives the brokerage the right to market the property and sets the commission.
• Contract F records the property price, the deposit and who holds it, the transfer date, the treatment of the mortgage and the split of fees. Brokers create it through the DLD system, and it is the document the trustee centre relies on.

Commission is not fixed by regulation. Under Bylaw No. 85 of 2006 on the real estate brokers register (as published in a legislation database), commission is set by agreement, is earned when the sale is signed and registered and is paid by the party that appointed the broker. Gulf News wrote on 8 February 2026 that about 2% + VAT is typical on a resale, so treat 2% as a market reference, not a rule. When the seller signs Contract A and the buyer signs Contract B, each pays their own broker.

Selling property in Dubai: fees the seller pays

The main cost of selling property in Dubai is the 4% DLD transfer fee, which the DLD schedule splits as 2% for the seller and 2% for the buyer. Executive Council Resolution No. 30 of 2013 says the fee is shared equally “unless agreed otherwise”, so Contract F can move all of it to one side. The property sale fees below come from DLD service pages updated on 23 September 2026.

Item	Amount	Paid by
DLD sale registration fee	4% of the price	2% seller + 2% buyer under the DLD schedule, unless the contract says otherwise
Title deed issuance	AED 250	As agreed
Knowledge and innovation fees	AED 10 + AED 10	As agreed
Map fee	AED 250 for villas and apartments (AED 225 for the unified map)	As agreed
Trustee centre fee	AED 4,000 + VAT for a sale of AED 500,000 or more; AED 2,000 + VAT below	As agreed
Developer e-NOC	Set by the developer, not published	Seller
Mortgage release (DLD)	AED 1,290 (AED 1,000 + title deed and small fees) and AED 315 service partner fee (AED 300 + VAT)	Seller with a mortgage
Broker commission	By agreement; about 2% + VAT is typical on a resale (Gulf News, 8 February 2026)	Party that appointed the broker

A worked example with these rates, assuming a 2% listing commission agreed in Contract A (the Gulf News figure refers to resale commissions generally): a seller of an unmortgaged apartment for AED 1,500,000 who pays the 2% DLD share and that commission pays AED 30,000 to the DLD and AED 31,500 to the broker, including 5% VAT on the commission, plus the developer’s NOC fee. The buyer’s 2% share, the title deed, the map fee and the trustee fee are for the buyer unless Contract F says otherwise. Fees for selling property through the DLD’s digital Dubai Now service are different: knowledge and innovation fees of AED 30 each and a service partner fee of AED 1,000 (AED 500 below AED 500,000) + VAT.

Selling a mortgaged property in Dubai

A mortgaged property in Dubai can be sold before the loan is repaid, using money from the buyer: the DLD registers the sale first and completes it once the bank’s release letter arrives. The DLD service “Registering the sale of a mortgaged property” sets out the steps:

1. The seller asks the bank (or the developer, for a developer loan) for a liability letter stating the exact amount needed to clear the loan.
2. At the transfer the buyer’s funds are split into three manager’s cheques: one to the bank for the outstanding loan, one to the seller for the balance and one to the DLD for the fees.
3. The bank issues a release letter; once it is submitted, the DLD removes the mortgage and completes the registration of the new owner.

The DLD page for a mortgaged sale lists a release fee of AED 1,290 and a service partner fee of AED 315; the stand-alone mortgage termination service breaks this down as AED 1,000, plus AED 250 for the title deed, AED 10 + AED 10 in knowledge and innovation fees and AED 300 + VAT for the service partner. The same page shows the trustee fee including VAT: AED 4,200, or AED 2,100 below AED 500,000. The bank may also charge an early settlement fee under your loan agreement, so ask for it in the liability letter.

If the buyer also uses a mortgage to buy the property, two banks work on the same transfer, and the date depends on both. A seller whose outstanding loan plus fees is larger than the sale price must bring the difference in cash, because the bank will not release the property for less than the liability letter amount. Buyers financing an off-plan unit face different bank rules, covered in our guide to getting a mortgage on an off-plan property in Dubai.

Selling off-plan property before handover

An off-plan property in Dubai can be resold before handover under Law No. 13 of 2008, which allows units in the interim (Oqood) register to be sold; in practice the developer’s NOC and the terms of your SPA decide when. Every sale of an off-plan unit must be entered in the interim register; the law treats an unregistered disposition as void.

What decides whether you can sell the property:

• The developer’s threshold. Developers commonly allow a resale only after a set share of the price is paid; check the percentage in your SPA or the developer’s resale policy. We found no general DLD rule on it.
• The developer NOC. The developer issues it after checking the payments, and may charge an administrative fee within the limits the DLD approves.
• The buyer takes over your SPA. The new owner continues the payment plan into the project escrow account under Law No. 8 of 2007.

The DLD publishes the 4% fee (2% + 2%) for the initial registration of an off-plan sale, but we found no DLD page that sets the fee for a buyer-to-buyer resale of an Oqood unit. Confirm it with the developer and the trustee centre before you set the price.

Stopping payments is not a way out. Under Law No. 13 of 2008 as amended by Law No. 19 of 2020, a developer whose buyer defaults notifies the DLD, which gives the buyer 30 days’ notice. If the project is less than 60% complete, the developer may terminate and keep up to 25% of the unit value; between 60% and 80%, up to 40%. Selling while you are still paying is almost always cheaper than defaulting.

Selling a tenanted property in Dubai

A tenanted property in Dubai can be sold with the tenant in place, and a fixed-term lease continues with the new owner under Article 28 of Dubai Law No. 26 of 2007 on landlord-tenant relations. The buyer steps into the landlord’s role under the existing lease.

A seller who needs the unit empty has a longer road. Article 25(2)(d), as amended by Law No. 33 of 2008, lets a landlord evict a tenant at the end of the lease to sell the property, with 12 months’ notice served through a notary public or by registered mail. Tell buyers the property’s lease expiry date and the notice status up front: an investor looking for tenanted properties may prefer the rent, while an end-user needs vacant possession.

Myth: you can end the lease as soon as you find a buyer. Under Dubai Law No. 26 of 2007 a sale does not end a fixed-term lease; eviction for sale takes effect only at lease expiry after 12 months’ notice.

What if the unit is not sold after the tenant leaves? The law’s two-year ban on re-letting and its compensation rule are written for eviction for the owner’s own use, not for eviction to sell, and the law text does not set an equivalent rule for a sale that falls through. Keep proof that the property was genuinely marketed in case the former tenant disputes the eviction.

Selling property in Dubai from abroad with a power of attorney

A seller abroad can sell Dubai property through an attorney holding a legalised power of attorney (POA), and the DLD sale registration accepts a passport instead of an Emirates ID from non-resident owners. The DLD’s digital Dubai Now sale service does not help here: it needs a UAE ID and UAE PASS and covers only mortgage-free units.

DLD Circular No. 29/R/2025 of 16 July 2025 tightened the rules for a POA issued abroad. The circular is not published on the DLD website; the points below follow summaries by the law firms BSA (18 August 2025) and ANDERS (24 November 2025):

• the POA must be issued within the two years before it is used and must expressly name the type of transaction, such as a sale;
• it must be notarised, legalised by the UAE embassy or consulate in the country of issue, attested by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and translated into Arabic by a UAE-licensed translator;
• the original is required;
• sale proceeds are paid to the owner named on the title deed. According to ANDERS, a cheque can be issued to the attorney only if both the sale contract and the POA expressly say so; BSA describes the rule differently, allowing a cheque in the attorney’s name when the receipt states it is received on the seller’s behalf. Confirm the current practice with the trustee centre.

The last rule protects the seller, but it has a practical effect: the manager’s cheque will be in your name, and someone must deposit it in a UAE account you control. The legalisation chain takes several steps in two countries, so start it before you look for a buyer, not after.

Myth: any POA lets the attorney collect the sale money. Under the 2025 DLD circular as summarised by ANDERS, proceeds go to the owner unless both Contract F and the POA expressly allow payment to the attorney.

Is there tax on selling property in Dubai?

There is no tax on an individual’s gain from selling property in Dubai: the UAE does not levy income tax on individuals, according to the UAE government portal u.ae. UAE corporate tax does not reach a private owner either. The Federal Tax Authority’s guide on real estate investment by natural persons (October 2024) says income from an individual’s real estate investment that is not carried on under a licence is “not subject to Corporate Tax, regardless of the amount”, and its Example 7 applies this to selling a home at a gain.

VAT depends on the type of unit. Residential resales are exempt from VAT, while commercial units are taxed at the standard rate of 5%, according to the UAE Ministry of Finance. Broker commission is a service, so VAT at 5% is added to it.

Myth: selling property in Dubai is tax-free, so there is nothing to declare anywhere. The UAE does not tax the gain, but a seller who is tax resident in another country may owe tax there on the same gain and may have to report the proceeds and foreign bank accounts.

Before you sell, check three things with an adviser in your country of residence: whether it taxes foreign capital gains, whether a tax treaty with the UAE applies and how exchange rates are applied to the purchase and sale prices. The answers vary by country, and a UAE sale without UAE tax can still create a tax bill at home.

Getting the money out: manager’s cheques, bank transfer and AML checks

The seller of a Dubai property is paid at the trustee centre, normally by a manager’s cheque in the owner’s name, which is then deposited into a UAE bank account and transferred abroad. DLD fees can be paid by ePay, Dubai Pay, Noqodi wallet or manager’s cheque; the price itself is usually settled by cheques drawn on UAE banks.

How to plan it:

• Have a UAE account before transfer day. Some UAE banks open accounts for non-residents; First Abu Dhabi Bank, for example, opens a savings account for non-residents against a passport and proof of income. Opening remotely is not guaranteed.
• Keep the paper trail. The receiving bank abroad may ask why a large sum arrived. Keep Contract F, the new title deed data, the DLD fee receipts and the original purchase documents.
• Avoid cash and crypto. Under Ministry of Economy rules in force since July 2022, brokers and agents report to the UAE Financial Intelligence Unit any freehold purchase or sale paid in cash of AED 55,000 or more, or in virtual assets.

The UAE has not announced any restriction on moving money out: on 19 March 2026 the Ministry of Economy and Tourism denied claims of curbs on capital movement or fund transfers, as reported by Gulf News. Limits, if any, come from the rules of the receiving country and its banks.

What happens to a property-based residence visa after the sale

A residence visa granted for owning a home depends on keeping it, so a sale changes your status. A Golden Visa for property investors requires holdings worth at least AED 2 million, according to u.ae. Gulf News reported on 5 October 2022 that if the holdings left after a sale are worth less than AED 2 million, the sale can go through only after the visa is cancelled. Plan the visa before you sign Contract F; thresholds and conditions for both visa types are set out in our guide to the UAE property residency visa.

Ways to sell compared: broker, private sale, mortgaged, off-plan, tenanted

The route you use to sell property in Dubai changes the documents, the cost and the main risk, even though every route ends with the same DLD registration.

Route	Extra documents	Extra cost for the seller	Main risk
Ready unit through a broker	Contract A, Contract F, e-NOC	Commission by agreement (about 2% + VAT typical)	Price set too high, long listing
Private sale without a broker	Contract F, e-NOC	No commission; your own marketing	Checking the buyer and the funds yourself
Mortgaged unit	Liability letter, release letter	AED 1,000 DLD release + fees; possible bank early settlement fee	Loan balance above the sale price
Off-plan before handover	SPA, developer resale approval	Developer admin fee	Payments below the developer’s threshold
Tenanted unit	Lease, notice record if evicting	None by law	12 months’ notice; buyer expects vacant possession

In short: a private sale saves the commission but puts the checks on you; a mortgage adds a liability letter and a second set of cheques; off-plan and tenanted units depend on third parties — the developer and the tenant. Units priced for a quick exit can also be listed in distress alongside the main secondary market.

Pros and cons of a Dubai sale

The main advantage of selling in Dubai is a fast, digital transfer with no UAE tax on the gain; the main disadvantage is that timing depends on the developer, the bank and sometimes a tenant.

Pros:

• The registration itself takes 25 minutes at a trustee centre, and the title deed is issued electronically.
• The UAE does not tax an individual’s gain, and residential resales are VAT-exempt.
• A non-resident can sell with a passport or through a legalised POA.
• The DLD publishes its fees, so the seller’s costs can be calculated in advance.

Cons:

• No NOC is issued while service charges or developer payments are outstanding.
• Developer NOC fees and off-plan resale thresholds are not published.
• A tenant with a fixed-term lease stays after the sale; vacant possession needs 12 months’ notice.
• The proceeds arrive as a cheque in the UAE, so a seller abroad needs a UAE account.
• Prices fell in the second quarter of 2026: Cushman & Wakefield Core reported residential prices down 4% and rents down 6% quarter on quarter (24 July 2026).

Who should not sell in Dubai right now

Selling a Dubai home right now does not suit an owner whose Golden Visa depends on the unit and who would be left with holdings worth less than AED 2 million, unless they are ready to lose the visa. Other cases where selling now is a poor fit:

• Negative equity. The outstanding loan plus the release fees is larger than the price you can get. The sale completes only after the bank’s release letter, which the bank issues once the liability letter amount is paid.
• Off-plan below the threshold. You have paid less than your SPA requires for resale. The developer will not issue an NOC, and defaulting costs up to 25% of the unit value below 60% completion.
• A tenanted unit and a buyer who needs it empty soon. Vacant possession takes 12 months’ notice served before the lease expires.
• A seller abroad with no UAE account and no trusted attorney. The cheque is issued in your name and must be deposited in the UAE.
• Tax at home not yet checked. If your country taxes foreign gains, the absence of UAE tax does not mean the gain is tax-free.

Methodology and sources

All figures in this guide were checked on 25 September 2026, against primary sources where they exist: DLD service pages (updated 23 September 2026), Dubai legislation, the UAE government portal, the Ministry of Finance and the Federal Tax Authority. Secondary sources — law firms, media and research firms — are named in the text. Where a primary text is not public — DLD Circular No. 29/R/2025 — we name the law firms whose summaries we used, and media reports are attributed and dated. Commission levels and developer fees are not regulated; we say so rather than quote agency figures. We did not use listing portals or agency blogs as sources.

Sources:

• Dubai Land Department — Property Sale Registration; Registering the sale of a mortgaged property; Request for mortgage termination; Property Valuation; Buy or Sell Property via Dubai Now; Verify Title Deed; Request to register the initial sale (pages updated 23 September 2026); Real Estate Brokerage Practice Guide (November 2024); Unified Sale Contract (F) guide.
• Executive Council Resolution No. 30 of 2013 (DLD fees), Art. 3.
• Dubai Law No. 6 of 2019 on jointly owned property, Art. 32; Law No. 13 of 2008 on the interim register, Art. 3, 6, 7, 11 (as amended by Law No. 19 of 2020); Law No. 8 of 2007 on escrow accounts; Law No. 26 of 2007 on landlord-tenant relations, Art. 25 (as amended by Law No. 33 of 2008) and Art. 28 — Dubai Legislation Portal.
• Bylaw No. 85 of 2006 regulating the real estate brokers register, Art. 27, 28, 33 (legislation database text).
• u.ae — taxation; Golden Visa (updated 28 July 2026). Federal Tax Authority — Real Estate Investment for Natural Persons guide (October 2024). Ministry of Finance — VAT.
• Ministry of Economy — real estate AML reporting (reported by The National, 8 August 2022).
• BSA Law (18 August 2025) and ANDERS (24 November 2025) — summaries of DLD Circular No. 29/R/2025.
• Gulf News — broker commission (8 February 2026); Ministry of Economy and Tourism statement on capital movement (19 March 2026); Golden Visa and sales (5 October 2022).
• Cushman & Wakefield Core — Dubai Residential Marketbeat Q2 2026 (24 July 2026). REIDIN — UAE residential price report, August 2026 (11 September 2026).
• First Abu Dhabi Bank — non-resident savings account conditions.

Prepared by the East Property editorial team. Data as of 25 September 2026. Fees are reviewed when DLD service pages change.

FAQ

How do I sell my property in Dubai?

Clear service charges, get the developer e-NOC through Dubai REST, agree terms with the buyer in Contract F and transfer the title at a DLD trustee centre. If the unit is mortgaged, the bank’s liability letter is settled from the buyer’s funds and the sale completes after the bank’s release letter.

What fees does a seller pay when selling property in Dubai?

Under the DLD schedule the seller pays half of the 4% transfer fee, that is 2% of the price, plus the developer’s NOC fee and the broker’s commission if a broker was appointed. A seller with a mortgage also pays the DLD release fee of AED 1,000 plus small charges.

What is the 4% DLD fee?

It is the Dubai Land Department fee for registering a sale, equal to 4% of the price. The DLD schedule splits it 2% seller and 2% buyer, and Executive Council Resolution No. 30 of 2013 allows the parties to agree a different split.

Is there capital gains tax on property in Dubai?

No. The UAE does not levy income tax on individuals, and the Federal Tax Authority confirms that an individual’s unlicensed real estate investment income, including a gain on selling a home, is not subject to corporate tax. Your country of tax residence may still tax the gain.

Do I need an NOC to sell my property in Dubai?

Yes, for units in freehold areas. The DLD requires a developer e-NOC, issued through the Dubai REST app, and the developer issues it only after service charges and any developer payments are cleared.

What is Form F in Dubai?

Form F, or Contract F, is the DLD unified sale contract between the seller and the buyer. It records the price, deposit, transfer date and fee split, and the trustee centre relies on it at transfer.

Can I sell a mortgaged property in Dubai?

Yes. The bank issues a liability letter, the buyer’s funds are split into manager’s cheques for the bank, the seller and the DLD, and the sale completes once the bank’s release letter is submitted to the DLD.

Can I sell my off-plan property before handover?

Yes, once you have paid the share of the price your SPA requires and the developer issues an NOC. The resale is recorded in the interim (Oqood) register, and the buyer takes over the remaining payment plan.

Can I sell my property in Dubai from abroad?

Yes. A non-resident can attend with a passport or appoint an attorney under a legalised POA that names the sale. Under the 2025 DLD circular as summarised by the law firm ANDERS, the proceeds are paid to the owner unless the contract and the POA both allow payment to the attorney.

Can I sell property in Dubai without an agent?

Yes. A broker is not required: the seller and buyer can sign Contract F and transfer at a trustee centre themselves. You save the commission but check the buyer, the funds and the paperwork yourself.

How long does it take to sell property in Dubai?

The DLD registration takes 25 minutes at the trustee centre. The total time depends on finding a buyer, the developer NOC, the bank’s liability letter if there is a mortgage and, for a tenanted unit that must be vacated, 12 months’ notice.

Can I sell a tenanted property in Dubai?

Yes. A fixed-term lease continues with the new owner. To deliver the unit empty, the landlord must give 12 months’ notice through a notary public or registered mail and can evict only at the end of the lease.

What happens to my Golden Visa if I sell?

The visa depends on owning holdings worth at least AED 2 million. If what you keep is worth less, Gulf News reported in 2022 that the sale can be completed only after the visa is cancelled.

Is it a good time to sell property in Dubai?

The data for 2026 shows a cooling market: Cushman & Wakefield Core reported residential prices down 4% and rents down 6% quarter on quarter in the second quarter of 2026, and REIDIN’s sales index for August 2026 was 0.77% lower year on year. Compare recent transactions in your building before you set a price.