Tax & Legal

What is the Dubai mortgage registration fee, how do you calculate 0.25% of the loan amount, what is the AED 290 admin fee, and when is it paid during the mortgage transfer process?

Dubai Mortgage Registration Fee, How It’s Calculated and When It’s Paid

Simple math, practical budgeting, and what to expect at the trustee appointment.

Direct Answer

Dubai’s mortgage registration fee is 0.25% of the loan (mortgage) value, recorded with Dubai Land Department. Many guides also budget about AED 290 as an admin fee. It’s usually paid during the transfer appointment at a trustee center as part of the sale and mortgage registration process.

Explanation

The Dubai mortgage registration fee is the government-side cost for recording a mortgage against a property, basically, it’s how the loan gets formally registered with Dubai Land Department (DLD). On DLD’s own mortgage registration service page (updated on the DLD website in January 2026), the core fee is stated as 0.25% of the mortgage value.

How to calculate 0.25% (the simple way)
0.25% is the same as 0.0025. So:
Mortgage registration fee = loan amount × 0.0025

A few quick examples people actually use when budgeting:

  • Loan AED 1,000,000 → 1,000,000 × 0.0025 = AED 2,500
  • Loan AED 2,000,000 → AED 5,000
  • Loan AED 3,500,000 → AED 8,750

What is the AED 290 “admin fee”?
You will see “0.25% of the loan amount + approximately AED 290 administrative fee” quoted in large consumer guides. Here’s the honest nuance: DLD’s live service pages clearly state the 0.25% component, but they also list other fixed line items and service partner fees that vary by channel and scenario, and they do not clearly label a standalone “AED 290 admin fee” on the DLD mortgage registration page itself. So treat AED 290 as a common planning number, then confirm the exact fixed charges at the trustee center or with your bank before the appointment.

When is it paid in the mortgage transfer process?

In a typical resale with financing, you pay the DLD-related amounts during the transfer appointment at a Real Estate Registration Trustee Center. DLD’s “Registering the Sale of a Mortgaged Property” workflow describes paying fees, receiving receipts, and completing the sale once the mortgage release and registration steps are satisfied, and it also references the 0.25% mortgage fee where applicable. DLD notes extra service partner fees can apply if actions happen on different days, so aligning sale and mortgage registration timing can reduce surprises.

Quick Fact Table

Item What it means Typical amount
Mortgage registration fee DLD fee to record the mortgage 0.25% of mortgage value
Calculation shortcut Convert percent to decimal Loan × 0.0025
“AED 290 admin” Commonly quoted extra admin line Approx AED 290
Where paid (resale) Trustee transfer appointment Paid during registration steps
VAT relevance Applies to “service partner fee” lines VAT is 5%
Timing tip Same-day processing can reduce extra partner fees DLD notes day difference impacts fees

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