Checklist
Documents Checklist for Selling a Property in Dubai
Choose what applies to your sale and the list narrows to what you need. Tick documents off as you collect them, then print or save the list.
Written by We Buy DubaiLast reviewed 23 sources citedEditorial standards
The short answer
Which documents do I need to sell my apartment or villa in Dubai?
Every Dubai resale needs the title deed, the seller's Emirates ID or passport, the developer's NOC, a sale contract (Form F), proof that service charges are paid and a DEWA clearance. A mortgage, a tenant, an inheritance or a seller abroad each add specific documents, listed below with who issues them.
Your documents
Every sale
From: Dubai Land Department (electronic title deed, viewable in the Dubai REST app)
Proves you own the property. The buyer receives a new electronic title deed when the transfer is registered. Source
From: ICP, or your passport authority
Required from every seller and buyer at the trustee office. Source
From: Your developer, usually through the Dubai REST app or its own portal
Required for sales in freehold areas. Issued only once service charges and any developer dues are paid, and valid for a limited time. Source
From: Your building's management company, through Dubai REST
DLD says it takes 3 to 5 working days and is not a substitute for a developer NOC. Check whether your building needs one, the other or both. Source
From: Generated by the broker in the DLD system and approved by you and the buyer
Records the price, payment plan, any tenancy and the contract duration. Agree the deposit and who pays the transfer costs here. Source
From: Your owners association or management company
Dubai law says a unit in a jointly owned building cannot be sold until its service charges are paid. Source
From: DEWA
Issued once your final bill is paid; your deposit is set against it. Requested before move-out it costs AED 10 and is valid for one month. Source
Selling through an agent
From: Your broker, through the Dubai Brokers app; you approve it by link
Sets the commission and duration. Your agent also needs a Trakheesi permit before advertising the property. Source
Mortgaged property
From: Your bank
States the amount needed to settle the loan. DLD requires it for the sale of a mortgaged property. Source
From: Arranged by the buyer (or their bank)
DLD lists three: one to your bank for the debt, one to you for the balance, and one to DLD for the 4% fee. Source
From: Your bank, after it receives the payoff cheque
Submitted to DLD to complete the registration. The release fees are AED 1,290 and AED 315. Source
Tenanted property
From: You and your tenant; Ejari is registered with DLD
The tenancy continues after a sale and the buyer becomes landlord, so the buyer needs the full terms. Source
From: A notary public, or registered mail
Only needed if you want vacant possession: the notice must be served at least 12 months before eviction and eviction only follows lease expiry. Source
From: You
Agree in the sale contract how the deposit and any post-dated rent cheques pass to the buyer; the landlord must return the deposit when the tenancy ends. Source
Off-plan (before handover)
From: Dubai Land Department, registered by the developer through the Oqood portal
An off-plan sale is void unless it is entered in the interim register. Source
From: Your developer
Shows how much of the price you have paid. Developers allow resale only above a minimum, for example 40% at Dubai Properties. Source
From: Your developer
Developers handle off-plan resales through an amended or new SPA or a novation agreement, and charge an administrative fee. Source
Inherited property
From: Dubai Courts, another UAE court, or the Awqaf
DLD registers the property to the heirs only on an official letter addressed to it. The fee is AED 1,000 per property. Source
From: Each heir
Needed for the registration to the heirs, and later for the sale. Source
From: The bank or developer
DLD asks for it before transferring a mortgaged or developer-financed property to heirs. Source
From: The seller's bank; DLD's investigation committee for residential property
DLD pays out sale proceeds through its trusts department. Source
From: DIFC Courts
DIFC Courts handle probate for wills registered with them. Ask your lawyer how the order is presented to DLD. Source
Seller outside the UAE
From: Notarised where you sign it, legalised by a UAE mission, attested by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs
It must name the specific act (selling this property). Law firms report a 2025 DLD circular requiring it to be recent (issued within two years), presented in original and translated into Arabic if needed. Source
Company-owned property
From: Dubai Land Department; your licensing authority
DLD requires the company to be registered first: for an LLC, the trade licence and memorandum or articles; for a free zone entity, its licence or certificate of incorporation. Source
Villas and townhouses
From: Your master developer or community management
Developers check before issuing the NOC: Emaar requires no Dubai Municipality or Emaar violations, and Nakheel asks for an inspection report on completed villas. Source
Timing
What to request first
Some documents take days to arrive, and some expire. A sensible order:
- Now: check your service charge statement and your mortgage balance. Arrears block the NOC, and the balance tells you what the sale must cover. The costs calculator shows what is left.
- Once you have a buyer: sign the sale contract, then ask your bank for the liability letter and your developer for the NOC.
- Close to transfer: the DEWA clearance and NOC have short validity (DEWA's certificate lasts a month; developer NOCs often 15 or 30 days), so time them for the trustee appointment.
Living abroad? Start the power of attorney early: notarising, legalisation and attestation can take a couple of weeks or more, depending on the country. Selling an inherited home? The inherited property guide explains the court process that comes before any of this.
FAQ
Common questions
Do I need the original title deed to sell?
Dubai now issues electronic title deeds, and the trustee office works from the registered record. Have your title deed details and a copy ready; the buyer receives a new electronic title deed after transfer.
Can I sell my Dubai property while I am abroad?
Yes, through a power of attorney. It must name the specific act (selling the property). A power of attorney signed abroad has to be notarised, legalised by a UAE mission and attested by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Under a 2025 DLD circular reported by law firms, it must also be recent (issued within two years) and translated into Arabic if needed.
How long is a DEWA clearance certificate valid?
DEWA says a clearance certificate requested before move-out costs AED 10 and is valid for one month, so request it close to your transfer date.
Sources
Fees, laws and procedures on this page were checked against these pages. Official sources are listed first where available. Rules change, so confirm the position for your own sale.
- Property Sale Registration (Dubai Land Department)
- Registering the sale of a mortgaged property (Dubai Land Department)
- Mortgage release application (Dubai Land Department)
- Electronic No Objection Certification (eNOC) (Dubai Land Department)
- Broker's journey to create Contract A (Dubai Land Department)
- Broker's journey to create Contract F (Dubai Land Department)
- Dubai Land Department announces the issuance of unified real estate contracts (Dubai Land Department)
- Law No. (6) of 2019 Concerning Ownership of Jointly Owned Real Property in the Emirate of Dubai (Dubai Legislation Portal)
- Clearance Certificate (DEWA)
- Deactivation of Electricity/Water (Move-out) (DEWA)
- Law No. (26) of 2007 Regulating the Relationship between Landlords and Tenants (Dubai Legislation Portal)
- Law No. (33) of 2008 Amending Law No. (26) of 2007 (Dubai Legislation Portal)
- Request to register the initial sale (Oqood) (Dubai Land Department)
- Law No. (13) of 2008 Regulating the Interim Real Property Register in the Emirate of Dubai (Dubai Legislation Portal)
- Request for registration of inherited property (Dubai Land Department)
- Sale procedure (heirs) (Dubai Land Department)
- Wills FAQ (DIFC Courts)
- Dubai's new standards for powers of attorney in property deals (BSA Law, August 2025)
- Documents Attestation (UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
- Request to register companies (Dubai Land Department)
- Property Transfer guide (Emaar, December 2020)
- Contact Us (Resale NOC) (Nakheel)
- FAQ (Dubai Properties)
Last reviewed 14 October 2026. This is general information only, not legal, financial or tax advice. Fees and requirements change, so confirm specifics for your own transaction.
Review history
- : First published. Fees and rules checked against the sources listed.
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