Dubai's First-Time Home Buyer Programme, run by the Dubai Land Department, gives first-time buyers priority access to new launches and easier terms on the registration fee. It is free to join and takes a couple of days to be approved. This page sets out what it actually gives you — including one benefit that is widely reported incorrectly.
Who qualifies
The Dubai Land Department sets four conditions:
- You must be a resident of the UAE, of any nationality
- You must not currently own any freehold residential property in Dubai
- You must be 18 or older
- The property must be valued at AED 5 million or less
Note the second condition carefully: it is about owning freehold residential property in Dubai. Owning property in another emirate, or in your home country, does not by itself disqualify you — but confirm your own position with the DLD before relying on it.
What the DLD fee benefit actually is
This is the part most coverage gets wrong. You will read that the programme gives a "100% waiver" or a "discount" on the 4% DLD registration fee. It does not.
What the Dubai Land Department actually offers is "relaxed payment plans for DLD registration fees through eligible credit cards, with interest-free instalment plans." In other words: you still pay the full 4%, but you can spread it over interest-free instalments on an eligible card rather than finding it all on transfer day.
That is a genuine cashflow benefit — on a AED 2,000,000 property the fee is AED 80,000, and being able to stage it matters. But it is not money saved, and you should budget accordingly. The rest of the roughly 7% in upfront costs is unaffected: agency commission, mortgage registration at 0.25%, valuation and the bank's arrangement fee are all still payable in cash.
The other benefits
- Priority access to units in new launches from participating developers
- Preferential prices on off-plan units from selected developers
- Flexible payment plans on off-plan units
- Preferential mortgage products from the partner banks
Twenty-one developers participate, including Emaar, Nakheel, Meraas, Azizi and DAMAC.
The five partner banks
Five lenders offer preferential mortgage products under the programme:
Two of those five are Islamic lenders, so the programme is compatible with Sharia-compliant home finance as well as conventional.
Worth being clear-eyed here: "preferential" does not automatically mean cheapest. A programme rate from one of these five can still be beaten by a lender outside the programme, depending on your profile. We compare the whole panel rather than only the five, and tell you honestly which wins for your case.
How to register
- Install the Dubai REST app, or use the DLD website
- Log in with UAE PASS, which verifies your residency and non-ownership status
- Submit your details
- Approval typically takes 24–48 hours
- You receive a confirmation email with a First-Time Home Buyer QR code
- Present that QR code to participating developers, brokers and banks to access the benefits
There is no fee to apply or participate.
Where the mortgage rules are unchanged
The programme does not alter UAE Central Bank lending rules, and it is worth knowing what still applies:
- Loan-to-value: up to 80% for expat residents on a first home under AED 5 million, 85% for UAE nationals. Since the programme caps out at AED 5 million, the higher tiers are the relevant ones.
- Debt burden ratio: total monthly commitments still capped at 50% of income
- Tenure: up to 25 years, and the loan must end by age 65 if salaried, 70 if self-employed
- Stress testing: banks still assess affordability above the pay rate, so approval comes in lower than a calculation at today's rate suggests
Use the affordability calculator for a starting figure, and the deposit guide for what you need in cash.
Should you use it?
If you qualify, there is little reason not to register — it costs nothing and the priority access to launches has real value in a fast-moving market. Just go in understanding that the headline fee benefit is a payment plan rather than a saving, and that the five partner banks are a starting point rather than the whole market.
Talk to an advisor and we will run your numbers against both the programme lenders and the rest of the panel, so you can see the difference rather than assume it.
Frequently asked questions
Does the programme waive the 4% DLD fee?
No. The Dubai Land Department offers interest-free instalment plans on the fee through eligible credit cards. You still pay the full 4% — you can just spread it. Several published guides describe this as a waiver or discount, which is incorrect.
Can non-residents join?
No. You must be a UAE resident, though your nationality does not matter.
What if I own property outside Dubai?
The stated condition is that you must not currently own freehold residential property in Dubai. Property elsewhere is not named in the criteria, but confirm your specific position with the DLD before relying on it.
Is there a property price limit?
Yes — AED 5 million. Above that, the programme does not apply.
Do I have to use one of the five partner banks?
Not at all. The partner banks offer preferential products under the programme, but you are free to finance with any lender. Whether a programme rate beats the open market depends on your profile, which is worth checking before you commit.
How long does approval take?
Typically 24–48 hours after registering through Dubai REST or the DLD website, after which you receive your QR code.