Guide
What it really costs to buy off-plan in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Ras Al Khaimah
On top of the price, budget for the registration fee set by the emirate, fixed administrative charges, trustee or e-services fees, mortgage registration if you borrow, and service charges once the home is handed over.
Five cost checks before you sign
Cash at signing
The booking amount plus every fee collected at the same time, confirmed in writing.
Fee clause
Which registration fees the SPA puts on you, and whether any are included in the price.
Financing costs
Mortgage registration, lender fees and any valuation charge, if you plan to borrow.
Running costs
Service charges on comparable completed buildings, checked on the official index where one exists.
Receipts
An official receipt for every fee and instalment, kept with your registration documents.
Price, cash at signing and total cost are three numbers
The price is what the home costs. The cash you need at signing is the booking amount plus any fees collected at that point. The total cost adds registration, administrative and financing charges and, after handover, service charges and other running costs. Budget for each separately, because a fee can fall due alongside an instalment.
Budget bands on this site are total purchase prices: apartments AED 1M–3M, townhouses AED 3M–6M and villas AED 5M–20M. The fees in this guide are calculated on top of those prices, not included in them.
The registration fee in each emirate
| Emirate | Transaction | Amount stated | Also note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dubai | Off-plan initial sale registration (Oqood) | 2% seller + 2% purchaser, plus AED 10 knowledge and AED 10 innovation fees | A developer registering the sale itself also pays AED 1,000 |
| Dubai | Ready-property sale registration | 2% seller + 2% buyer, plus AED 250 title deed, AED 250 map, AED 10 knowledge and AED 10 innovation fees | Registration trustee: AED 4,000 + VAT at AED 500,000 or more; AED 2,000 + VAT below |
| Abu Dhabi | Off-plan unit sale registration on DARI | 2% of the sale price (1% for Musataha), plus AED 50 registration and AED 400 e-services before VAT | ADREC says sale fees are split equally between seller and buyer unless agreed otherwise |
| Ras Al Khaimah | Real estate sale contract at RAK Municipality | 2% of market value from the seller + 2% from the buyer, plus AED 200 plan and AED 200 title deed | Ask RAK Municipality whether a separate off-plan registration fee applies |
The official split is not always your split
Official pages describe a seller share and a buyer share. Who actually pays is set in the sale and purchase agreement, and a developer sale can allocate fees differently. Find the fee clause in your SPA and get the amount due at signing in writing before you pay a booking amount.
Find the UAE home that fits your plans.
What the registration fee comes to on AED 2M
Take an illustrative total price of AED 2,000,000 for an off-plan apartment in Dubai. If the SPA leaves you with only the purchaser's 2% Oqood share, that share is AED 40,000, plus the AED 10 knowledge and AED 10 innovation fees. If the SPA puts both shares on you, the percentage element doubles to AED 80,000. This is arithmetic on the official rates, not a quote for any project.
In Abu Dhabi, DARI states 2% of the sale price for an off-plan ownership registration, plus AED 50 and an AED 400 e-services charge before VAT. On the same illustrative price the 2% is AED 40,000, and ADREC says sale fees are split equally between seller and buyer unless agreed otherwise, so ask the developer how that applies before you sign.
If you borrow: mortgage registration
| Emirate | Mortgage registration | Also note |
|---|---|---|
| Dubai | 0.25% of the loan plus AED 250 per title deed | Service-partner fees of AED 4,000 + VAT, or AED 5,000 + VAT through Oqood partners |
| Abu Dhabi | 0.1% of the loan, with a stated cap | Confirm the cap amount with your lender before budgeting |
| Ras Al Khaimah | Ask RAK Municipality for the current fee | Your lender can confirm it before you budget |
Five more costs to budget for
Agency commission
In Dubai, off-plan buyers normally pay no agency commission because the developer pays the agent, while ready resale buyers typically pay about 2%. This is custom, not a legal rate. In Abu Dhabi and RAK, ask the agent to confirm in writing who pays commission.
Service charges
Once a home is handed over, shared buildings and communities charge service fees. In Dubai, the free Service Charge Index shows RERA-approved fees for jointly owned properties by project, use and year.
VAT on service fees
Official pages quote trustee, service-partner and e-services charges before VAT, so add VAT when you total them.
Documents for remote buyers
If you sign through a power of attorney, budget for notarisation and legalisation. In the UK, the FCDO charges £45 per document for a paper apostille and £35 for an e-Apostille.
Moving money
Bank transfer charges and exchange spreads depend on your bank. Ask your bank before the first payment, and keep records for source-of-funds checks.
Six commitments behind every consultation.
How the firm is paid, and why it matters to youA purchase this size deserves someone who shows you the full picture, including what could go wrong, before you commit a deposit.
Every cost before you commit
Total price, registration fees and each payment stage, set out in your own currency before you pay anything.
Honest about fit
Up to three options, and fewer if fewer fit. If off-plan does not suit your plans, you are told plainly.
A second opinion on any offer
Bring an offer from a developer or another agent and have its cost, payment plan and contract points checked before you commit.
Told how the firm is paid
Before you decide on anything, including whether a developer on your shortlist pays the firm.
Checks before you see a home
Registration, the project escrow account, the developer’s record and a current price, checked before a home reaches you.
Your time, your privacy
Video, phone, WhatsApp or email in your time zone. Your details are used only to reply, and launch emails only if you ask.
Three steps, no obligation.
No account, no fee, no pressure to proceed. You decide whether to go further.
- 1
Share your requirements
Your contact details, then property type, price range, emirate, objective and timeframe. It takes about two minutes, and no financial documents are needed.
- 2
Review suitable options
Up to three opportunities, each with its costs, payment timings, the reasons it was selected and what to consider. If fewer fit, you get fewer.
- 3
Discuss next steps
Talk to an adviser about the options, what to verify independently and what reserving involves. There is no pressure to proceed.
Answers before you share any details.
If your question is not answered here, an adviser can go through it with you during a consultation.
DLD's Oqood page lists 2% for the seller and 2% for the purchaser, plus small fixed fees. In practice the SPA sets who pays, and it can differ from the official split. Check the fee clause and ask for the amount due at signing in writing.
In Dubai, off-plan buyers normally pay none because the developer pays the agent, while ready resale buyers typically pay about 2%. This is custom rather than law. In Abu Dhabi and Ras Al Khaimah, ask the agent in writing who pays.
No. Service charges are paid by owners after handover for the upkeep of shared buildings and communities. In Dubai you can look up RERA-approved charges for jointly owned properties on DLD's free Service Charge Index.
The headline figures differ: DARI lists 2% of the sale price for an off-plan registration in Abu Dhabi, while DLD lists 2% for each of seller and buyer in Dubai. What you personally pay depends on your SPA, so compare the fee clauses, not just the headline rates.
Apply this to a specific home, with every cost set out.
Receive up to three options that fit, each with its costs, payment stages and trade-offs explained.
- Every cost and payment stage set out
- Why each option was chosen, and what to weigh
- Free, with no obligation
Read before you decide
Payment plans
See when the price itself falls due, stage by stage.
GuideOff-plan buying process
Where registration fits in the wider purchase process.
ComparisonDubai vs Abu Dhabi
Fees, registers and regulators in Dubai and Abu Dhabi side by side.
ComparisonDubai vs Ras Al Khaimah
The same comparison for Dubai and Ras Al Khaimah.
GuideBuying remotely
How international buyers purchase UAE off-plan property from abroad: identity documents, power of attorney legalisation and source-of-funds checks.