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What does freehold mean in Dubai?

Freehold ownership in Dubai is the right to own real property, and usually the land beneath it, without any time restriction, registered in the owner's name in the DLD's property register. Law No. 7 of 2006 restricts property ownership in Dubai to:

 

• UAE nationals

• nationals of other Gulf Cooperation Council states

• companies wholly owned by those nationals, and public joint stock companies

 

Non-UAE nationals may, subject to the Ruler's approval, hold two kinds of rights in designated areas:

 

1. freehold ownership without time restriction

2. usufruct or leasehold for up to 99 years

 

For a Singaporean or Malaysian, the closest analogy is a freehold strata title, not a 99-year leasehold. Dubai freehold does not revert to the state at the end of a term.

 

Where can foreigners buy freehold in Dubai?

The designated areas are set by regulation. Regulation No. 3 of 2006 lists areas by specific plot numbers, among them:

 

• Emirates Hills

• Al Barsha South

• Jebel Ali

• Al Jaddaf

• The World Islands

• plots along Sheikh Zayed Road

 

It has since been amended and extended, including by Regulation No. 1 of 2010, Regulation No. 3 of 2012 and Resolution No. 6 of 2022. A January 2025 amendment, reported by Dubai law firms, added 457 plots along Sheikh Zayed Road and in Al Jaddaf. The large master-planned communities most investors look at sit within designated plots, among them Dubai Marina and Palm Jumeirah (both named in the 2006 Regulation), and others we have not individually verified. But the legal designation applies to the plot, not the marketing name.

 

How to check: the DLD's records (Dubai REST, or the DLD's property-status services) show whether a unit carries a freehold title deed or is in a project registered for off-plan sale. Never rely on an area name. Straits Properties to compile the current consolidated list of designating regulations before publication; we have not verified that the amendments we found are complete.

 

How is title registered?

The DLD keeps the property register, and a title deed is evidence of ownership.

 

• Ready property: registration happens at a trustee office on transfer day, after the 4% transfer fee and registration fees are paid. The new deed issues electronically.

• Off-plan: your purchase is registered on the DLD's interim register (Oqood) under Law No. 13 of 2008. It converts to a title deed at handover.

 

A non-resident registers with a passport. A UAE Emirates ID is not required.

 

What do I actually own in an apartment building?

Under Law No. 6 of 2019 on jointly owned real property (which replaced Law No. 27 of 2007), an apartment owner owns:

 

• The unit, as defined on the DLD's registered plan, outright

• An undivided share of the common areas, such as lobbies, lifts, pools and structure, in proportion to the unit's share. Owners cannot sell their share separately from the unit

 

The building is run by an owners association and a licensed management company. Owners pay service charges set against an approved budget, which the DLD's service-charge index publishes by building. Unpaid service charges block the developer's NOC and so block a resale (see our exit article).

 

Some master communities also charge a master-community fee on top of the building's service charge. Check both before buying.

 

Can I own Dubai property through a company?

Yes, in some structures. The DLD's initial-sale registration service lists document requirements for three kinds of company buyer:

 

• UAE limited liability companies: a trade licence and a legally translated memorandum of association

• Foreign companies: a trade licence and a memorandum translated into Arabic and ratified by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs. A no-objection letter is required from the free zone where relevant

 

Company ownership can help with succession and with pooling several owners. It adds costs: attestation, annual company maintenance, and possibly UAE corporate tax implications. Which company forms can hold freehold, and in which areas, should be confirmed with a UAE lawyer before you structure a purchase. We have not verified the rules for foreign-incorporated companies beyond the DLD's document list.

 

What happens to Dubai property when a foreign owner dies?

This is the point most Asian buyers underestimate. Without a valid UAE-recognised will, a non-Muslim foreigner's Dubai estate can fall under UAE succession rules. Federal Decree-Law No. 41 of 2022 on Civil Personal Status sets a default for non-Muslims: half to the surviving spouse and half shared equally among the children. For a couple with two children, each child would receive a quarter.

 

That may not match what your home country's law or your own wishes would provide. It also leaves your heirs to deal with UAE courts, possibly with accounts and assets frozen in the meantime.

 

The practical fix for non-Muslims is to register a will. The DIFC Courts Wills Service offers a "Property Will" covering up to five UAE properties, for AED 7,500 (single) or AED 10,000 (mirror wills for a couple), per its fee page on 17 October 2026. Muslims are subject to Sharia succession rules, and should take specialist advice.

 

This is a legal question. Whether your home country recognises a DIFC will, and how it interacts with a will made at home, needs advice from lawyers in both jurisdictions.

 

How does Dubai title compare with Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia?