A Clear, Officially Aligned Guide To Gifting Real Estate Without a Sale
In Dubai, any formal gift transfer of real estate must be registered with the Dubai Land Department (DLD). For family gifts, this is done through the DLD “Property Gift Registration” service, which records a full or partial transfer of ownership without compensation and is mainly processed through Real Estate Registration Trustee Centres across the emirate.
This article explains how to use the Property Gift Registration service in practice: who is eligible to give and receive a gift, which properties can be transferred, which documents and relationship proofs you must prepare, how valuations and fees are calculated, the step‑by‑step process at Trustee Centres, and what title deeds and maps you receive at the end.
What Is Dubai’s Property Gift Registration Service?
The Dubai Land Department Property Gift Registration service is the official mechanism for recording a gift transfer of property in Dubai. It is used when an owner wishes to transfer full or partial ownership of real estate to another party without any payment or compensation, for example, when parents gift an apartment to their children.
According to the Dubai Land Department (DLD), this service covers gifts in favour of specified first-degree relatives (mother, father, spouse, children) and, in some cases, gifts in favour of companies. The outcome of a successful application is that the donee (recipient) is recorded as owner in the DLD’s land registry, and an updated title deed is issued in their name.
Not all properties are eligible. The DLD rules for Dubai property gift registration specify that the land must not be restricted land or granted land. Before you prepare documents, it is therefore important to confirm that your property is not subject to these restrictions.
The DLD registry is the official record of ownership in Dubai, and the UAE Government portal confirms that the Dubai Land Department issues title deeds in Dubai. Registering the gift through this service is what makes the transfer legally recognised.
Who Can Gift And Receive Property In Dubai?
The DLD clearly defines who can receive a property as a family gift. For individual recipients, the eligible first-degree relatives are:
- Mother
- Father
- Spouse
- Children
If your intended recipient is not on this list (for example, a sibling or cousin), your situation will not fall under the standard first-degree Dubai relatives property transfer mechanism, and you should expect different requirements.
In addition to individuals, the service can be used for a Dubai property gift to a company. Where the donee is a company, the DLD requires that the company be registered with the Dubai Land Department. If it is not yet registered, a company representative must complete the DLD’s company registration procedure before the gift request can be processed.
UAE citizens and residents can use the Property Gift Registration service. For context, the UAE Government portal confirms that foreigners and expatriate residents may own property in designated freehold areas of Dubai and that freehold, usufruct and long leasehold rights can be registered and transferred (including via gift) via the DLD. This means that, provided you meet the DLD’s residency and freehold-area conditions, expatriate owners can also gift property to family in Dubai.
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Documents Required For Gifting Property To Family
To complete a Dubai property gift transfer, the DLD requires a specific set of documents. Preparing them in advance will make your visit to the Real Estate Registration Trustee Centre faster and more efficient.
For individual owners, the core property documents are:
- Original title deed of the property to be gifted (this evidences current ownership and is essential for all cases).
- For properties in freehold areas, an electronic No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the developer is obtained via the Dubai REST application. This confirms the developer has no objection to the gift transfer.
Valuation documents are also required and differ depending on the property type:
- For land: you must first submit a property evaluation request at one of the Real Estate Trustee Centres. The valuation result will then be used to calculate fees.
- For apartments and villas: DLD allows the use of smart valuation instead of a manual valuation request, simplifying the process in many standard cases.
Alongside these property and valuation documents, you will need to provide relationship proofs, identity documents and (where applicable) a Power of Attorney, explained in more detail below.
Relationship Proof For Spouses, Children And Parents
Because the service is restricted to first-degree relatives, DLD places particular emphasis on documentary proof of the relationship between donor and recipient.
For spouses, the DLD requires:
- A marriage certificate,
- Translated into Arabic if necessary, and
- Attested by the UAE embassy in the issuing country and by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in that country.
For children, DLD requires:
- A birth certificate,
- Similarly, translated and attested by the UAE embassy in the issuing country and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in that country.
In addition to these civil status documents, the DLD requires proof of paternity or kinship from the client’s embassy in the UAE. This serves as an extra layer of confirmation that the claimed relationship (for example, parent-child) is correct and recognised by the home state.
For UAE citizen individuals, DLD also accepts:
- The marriage contract (for married applicants), and
- The Family Book as part of the relationship and identity documentation.
- These locally issued records may simplify the process for Emirati families compared with overseas attestations.
Being precise with relationship documentation is essential. Missing attestations or incomplete embassy confirmations are common reasons for delays when people try to transfer property to a spouse or children in Dubai.
Identity Documents And Use Of Power Of Attorney
The DLD rules also specify how each party’s identity must be verified.
- For UAE citizens and residents, the primary identity document is the Emirates ID, which must be presented in its original form at the Trustee Centre. The DLD notes whether the card is checked for verification and that copies are not accepted.
- For non-resident foreigners involved in the transaction, a valid passport copy is used instead of an Emirates ID.
If any party (either the donor or the recipient) does not attend in person and is represented, the DLD requires a Power of Attorney (POA):
- The POA must be valid and explicitly authorise the representative to handle a real estate gift transfer on behalf of the principal.
- The original POA (and, where relevant, its legalisation/attestation) must be presented at the Trustee Centre.
Carefully checking that the wording of your POA matches the intended real estate gift transfer Dubai transaction will avoid last‑minute issues when the DLD officer reviews your file.
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Valuation, Fees And Payment Options
Before calculating fees for Dubai Land Department property gift registration, the DLD determines the value of the property being gifted.
- For land, you must submit a property evaluation request at one of the Real Estate Trustee Centres before the gift application. The resulting valuation is then recorded in the DLD system.
- For apartments and villas, the DLD may use its smart valuation feature, which automates valuation for many standard properties, saving time compared with a manual request.
The DLD’s core fee for registering a property gift is:
- 0.125% of the property valuation,
- With a minimum fee of AED 2,000.
In addition to this, the DLD charges:
- AED 250 for issuing the Title Deed Certificate.
- Mapping fees, depending on the nature and location of the property:
- AED 225 for a unified map for properties under the Dubai Municipality;
- AED 100 for a land map where the property is not under the Dubai Municipality;
- AED 250 for maps of villas and apartments.
- Mandatory surcharges: AED 10 knowledge fee and AED 10 innovation fee.
The Real Estate Registration Trustee Centres in Dubai then apply service partner fees:
- AED 4,000 plus VAT if the sale/gift valuation is AED 2,000,000 or more;
- AED 2,000 plus VAT if the valuation is less than AED 2,000,000.
The DLD lists the following payment methods for these amounts:
- e-Pay
- Dubai Pay
- Noqodi Wallet
- Manager’s cheque
Understanding this structure allows you to anticipate DLD property gift fees and plan your payment method before attending the Trustee Centre.
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Step-By-Step Process At Real Estate Trustee Centres
The primary channel for completing a gift transfer of property in Dubai is through the network of Real Estate Registration Trustee Centres authorised by the DLD. The service flow published by the DLD can be summarised as follows.
- Step 1 – Visit a Real Estate Registration Trustee Centre, such as EGSH
Visit our authorised centre during working hours—no prior appointment is required. You may also book your visit online at a convenient time.
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Step 2 – Submit all required documents
At the centre, you submit:
- Original title deed
- Developer NOC from Dubai REST (for freehold properties where required)
- Valuation documents (evaluation request result for land, or smart valuation details for apartments/villas)
- Relationship proofs (marriage/birth certificates with attestations, embassy kinship proof, Family Book or marriage contract for UAE citizens, where applicable)
- Identity documents (Emirates ID, or passport copy for non-resident foreigners)
- Any Power of Attorney where a party is represente
It is critical to ensure that no required document is missing; otherwise, the DLD officer cannot proceed to approve the step-by-step process for Dubai Land Department property gift registration.
- Step 3 – Document review and approval in the DLD system
A DLD/Trustee Centre employee reviews the documentation against the Property Gift Registration rules. If satisfied, they approve the request and record the gift transfer in the DLD electronic system.
- Step 4 – Pay the calculated fees and receive a receipt
Once the application is approved in principle, the system calculates the total fees (DLD fees, mapping fees, surcharges and Trustee Centre service partner fees). You then pay via e-Pay, Dubai Pay, Noqodi Wallet or manager’s cheque, and receive an official payment receipt.
- Step 5 – Receive electronic title deed and maps
After payment, the DLD issues the outputs of the service electronically. You will receive the electronic title deed and any relevant map certificates by email to the address you have provided.
What You Receive: Title Deeds, Maps And Service Time
When a Dubai title deed is transferred after a gift is issued, it confirms that the recipient has become the new registered owner (or co‑owner) thanks to the gift.
According to the DLD, the main outputs of the Property Gift Registration service are:
- An Electronic Title Deed in the name of the new owner.
- A Usufruct Title Deed, where applicable (for example, where only a usufruct right rather than full freehold is being gifted).
- A Map Statement e‑Certificate, with the specific map type depending on whether the property is land, a villa or an apartment, and whether it falls under the Dubai Municipality.
The DLD’s indicative service time for completing the property gift registration at Trustee Centres is approximately 24 minutes, assuming documents are complete and in order.
FAQ About Dubai Property Gift Transfer
How To Gift Property To Family Members In Dubai
To gift property to family members in Dubai, you must use the DLD Property Gift Registration service. Confirm that your recipient is a first-degree relative (mother, father, spouse or child) and that the property is not restricted or granted land. Obtain any required valuation (land or smart valuation for apartments/villas), secure the developer’s NOC via Dubai REST for freehold properties, gather relationship and identity documents, and then submit everything at a Real Estate Registration Trustee Centre. After the DLD approves the request and you pay the fees, you will receive an electronic title deed in the family member’s name.
What Documents Are Required For Property Gift Transfer In Dubai?
You typically need: the original title deed; an electronic NOC from the developer for freehold properties (via Dubai REST); a valuation (evaluation request for land or smart valuation for apartments/villas); attested marriage or birth certificates and embassy proof of kinship for first-degree relatives; Emirates ID for citizens and residents or passport copy for non-resident foreigners; and any Power of Attorney if one of the parties is represented. UAE citizens may also use their Family Book and marriage contract as part of the documentation.
What Are The Fees For Gifting Property To Children In Dubai?
The fees for gifting property to children in Dubai follow the standard DLD schedule for property gifts: 0.125% of the property valuation, subject to a minimum of AED 2,000, plus AED 250 for the title deed, mapping fees (AED 225, AED 100 or AED 250 depending on property and location), and AED 10 each for the knowledge and innovation fees. In addition, the Real Estate Registration Trustee Centre charges AED 4,000 plus VAT for properties valued at AED 2,000,000 or more, or AED 2,000 plus VAT for lower-valued properties. All amounts are paid using approved DLD payment channels.
What Is The Step-By-Step Process For Dubai Land Department Property Gift Registration?
The process is:
- Ensure eligibility and complete any required valuation
- Visit a Real Estate Registration Trustee Centre
- Submit all required documents (title deed, NOC, valuation, relationship and identity documents, POA where applicable)
- Allow the DLD/Trustee Centre employee to review the documents and approve the request in the DLD system
- Pay the calculated fees and obtain a receipt
Receive the electronic title deed and any map e‑Certificates by email.
Can Expatriates Gift Property In Freehold Areas In Dubai?
The UAE Government portal confirms that expatriate residents can own freehold, usufruct or long leasehold rights in designated freehold areas, and DLD allows citizens and residents to use the Property Gift Registration service. If an expatriate resident owns property in a freehold area and the recipient is a qualifying first-degree relative, that property can generally be gifted through this service, subject to the DLD’s usual documentation, valuation and land‑type rules.
How To Register A Gifted Apartment Or Villa With the DLD?
To register a gifted apartment or villa with the DLD, obtain a smart valuation (if applicable), secure the developer NOC via Dubai REST if the building is in a freehold area, and gather all relationship and identity proofs. Then visit a Real Estate Registration Trustee Centre, submit the documents for review, pay the DLD and Trustee Centre fees and wait for the electronic title deed and apartment or villa map to be issued by email.
How Long Does DLD Property Gift Registration Take?
DLD specifies an approximate processing time of around 24 minutes at Real Estate Registration Trustee Centres. This applies when all documents are complete, valid, and accepted at the first review. The process may take longer if any document requires correction, additional attestation, or resubmission.
Where To Complete Property Gift Transfer In Dubai?
Property gift transfers in Dubai are completed at DLD-authorised Real Estate Registration Trustee Centres, such as EGSH. Our managers handle document submission, verification, fee payment, and issuance of the updated title deed.
What Payment Methods Are Available For DLD Property Gift Registration Fees?
The DLD accepts registration fee payments through e-Pay, Dubai Pay, Noqodi Wallet, and manager’s cheques. The Trustee Centre will advise which options are available for your transaction and will issue an official DLD receipt once payment is completed.
Reviewed by
Muneer Juma Al Balushi
Real Estate Registration Trustee Consultant
Muneer Juma Al Balushi has six years of experience in the real estate registration system of the Dubai Land Department. He specialises in accurate, secure, and legally compliant property registration.
This article summarises procedures and requirements published by the Dubai Land Department and the UAE Government portal at the time of writing. If there is any discrepancy between this guide and official DLD instructions or information provided at Real Estate Registration Trustee Centres, the official DLD sources prevail. Applicants should always consult the latest DLD service pages before proceeding.
