Cost of Selling Property in Dubai: Seller Fees & Charges (2026)

Seller costs fall into four groups, and it helps to keep them apart when you work out your net proceeds:

• DLD fees: the 2% seller share of the sale registration fee, if your contract says you pay it.
• Private costs: agency commission, the developer NOC fee and any unpaid service charges.
• Mortgage costs: the bank's early settlement charges and DLD's mortgage release fees, only if the property is mortgaged.
• Optional costs: a DLD valuation, a lawyer, or a power of attorney if you sell from abroad.

Buyers pay most of the government fees in a typical Dubai sale, so a seller without a mortgage often pays mainly the agency commission and the NOC. Your sale contract decides who pays what, so check it before you sign. For the buyer's side, see our guide to the cost of buying property in Dubai.

DLD's property sale registration service lists the fee as 2% of the sale value for the seller and 2% for the buyer.

In the Dubai market, buyers commonly agree to pay the full 4%, but this is market practice, not a DLD rule. If your contract follows the DLD split, you pay 2%: AED 30,000 on a sale of AED 1,500,000.

The same DLD page lists a trustee centre (service partner) fee of AED 4,000 + VAT for sales of AED 500,000 or more, and AED 2,000 + VAT below that. Who pays it is also agreed between buyer and seller. The transfer itself takes place at a trustee office.

If you sell through a broker, the commission is agreed in your listing agreement with the agency. In Dubai it is commonly 2% of the sale price, plus 5% VAT, paid by the seller, but it is a private agreement and it can be negotiated.

Check three things before you sign: the percentage, whether VAT is included, and when the commission is due (usually on transfer). On AED 1,500,000, 2% is AED 30,000, plus AED 1,500 VAT.

In freehold areas, DLD requires a no-objection certificate (e-NOC) from the developer before the transfer, issued through the Dubai REST app. The developer issues it only once all service charges and other dues on the unit are paid.

• NOC fee: set by each developer, not by DLD. Check the amount with your developer before you list. Our guide to the developer NOC in Dubai explains the process.
• Service charges: any arrears have to be cleared before the NOC is issued, so check your balance early. See how service charges are set in our article on the Dubai service charge index.

If you still have a mortgage, the loan has to be paid off at or before the transfer, and the mortgage has to be released at DLD.

• Bank charges: your bank may charge an early settlement fee and its own processing fees. The amount is in your mortgage contract; ask the bank for a liability letter showing the balance and all charges.
• DLD mortgage release fees: DLD's page for registering the sale of a mortgaged property lists AED 1,290 for the mortgage release procedure and AED 315 for the registrar to release the mortgage.

The step-by-step process is in our guide on how to sell a mortgaged property in Dubai.

• DLD valuation: DLD's property valuation service lists AED 4,000 for a residential apartment, plus AED 20 in knowledge and innovation fees and trustee centre fees. It is optional, but it can help you set the asking price.
• Lawyer: optional for a standard sale; useful for company sellers, inherited property or disputes.
• Power of attorney: if you sell from abroad, your representative needs a valid power of attorney. See our guide to selling property in Dubai from abroad.

The Federal Tax Authority's corporate tax FAQ states that individuals are subject to corporate tax only if they are engaged in a business in the UAE. Selling a home or an investment property you hold personally is generally not treated as running a business, but the answer depends on your situation, and companies are treated differently.

Your home country may also tax the gain. Ask a tax adviser before you sell.

An apartment sells for AED 1,500,000. The seller has AED 600,000 left on the mortgage, the buyer has agreed to pay the full 4% DLD fee and the trustee fee, and the agency commission is 2% plus VAT.

• Agency commission (2%): AED 30,000
• VAT on commission (5%): AED 1,500
• Developer NOC: set by the developer (check the amount)
• DLD mortgage release fees: AED 1,290 + AED 315 = AED 1,605
• Bank early settlement fee: as per your mortgage contract
• Mortgage payoff: AED 600,000 (this is your loan, not a cost)

Known costs: about AED 33,105, plus the NOC fee and any bank charges. Net proceeds before those: about AED 866,895.

If the contract followed the DLD split instead, add the seller's 2% (AED 30,000) and, if agreed, half or all of the trustee fee.