Dubai Property Laws Explained: The 7 Laws Every Buyer Should Know

Seven laws do most of the work in a Dubai property deal. They decide who can own, how your money is protected while a building is under construction, who regulates developers and agents, and what your rights are as an owner or landlord. You do not need to read them all, but knowing what each one does tells you which protections you have and where they stop. Each law below links to the full text in our document library.

The 7 laws at a glance

Law	What it covers	Why it matters to you
Law No. 7 of 2006	Property registration and foreign ownership	Lets foreigners own freehold in designated areas
Law No. 8 of 2007	Escrow accounts	Protects off-plan payments
Law No. 13 of 2008	The interim register (Oqood)	Registers off-plan sales and sets the rules if a buyer defaults
Law No. 16 of 2007	RERA	Creates the regulator for developers and brokers
Law No. 6 of 2019	Jointly owned property	Governs service charges and shared buildings
Law No. 26 of 2007, amended by Law No. 33 of 2008	Landlords and tenants	Sets tenancy rules and eviction grounds
Decree No. 43 of 2013	Rent increases	Caps how much rent can rise on renewal

1. Law No. 7 of 2006: who can own property

Law No. 7 of 2006 is the foundation of Dubai’s property market. It set up the property register at the Dubai Land Department (DLD) and, in Article 4, decided who may own land:

• UAE and GCC nationals can own anywhere in Dubai.
• Other nationalities can hold freehold ownership, a usufruct right or a long lease of up to 99 years in areas designated by the Ruler. The first list was issued as Regulation No. 3 of 2006.

The law also makes registration decisive. A sale is not valid against third parties until it is recorded in the DLD register. An unregistered deal leaves you with a contract, not a property. See why sale registration is mandatory and our guide to ownership types in Dubai.

2. Law No. 8 of 2007: the Escrow Law

The Escrow Law is the main protection for off-plan buyers. It requires that:

• Every off-plan project has its own escrow account with a DLD-approved bank.
• All buyer payments go into that account.
• The developer can draw the money only for that project, as construction milestones are verified.
• A percentage is held back after completion to cover defects.

What this means in practice: pay only into the escrow account named in your contract, never into a developer’s company account or to an individual. Read our guide to Dubai escrow accounts.

3. Law No. 13 of 2008: the interim register (Oqood)

An off-plan unit cannot have a title deed because it does not exist yet. Law No. 13 of 2008 created the interim register, known as Oqood, where every off-plan sale must be recorded. An off-plan sale that is not registered is void.

The law was amended in 2009 and again by Law No. 19 of 2017. The 2017 amendment set out what happens when an off-plan buyer stops paying, including how much a developer may keep depending on construction progress. Those rules are explained in our off-plan refund guide.

4. Law No. 16 of 2007: RERA

Yes, Dubai has its own RERA. Law No. 16 of 2007 created the Real Estate Regulatory Agency as the regulatory arm of the DLD. It licenses developers and brokers, approves off-plan projects, oversees escrow accounts, controls property advertising through Trakheesi permits and publishes the rental index.

It is not the same body as India’s RERA, which is a separate set of state authorities. See Dubai RERA vs India RERA.

5. Law No. 6 of 2019: jointly owned property

If you own an apartment, this is the law you live under. The Jointly Owned Property Law replaced the original strata law, Law No. 27 of 2007. It covers:

• Ownership of common areas such as lobbies, lifts, pools and parking.
• Management of the building through an owners’ committee and a management company supervised by RERA.
• Service charges, which must be approved by RERA and are paid through the Mollak system.
• The owner’s duty to pay, and the manager’s right to recover unpaid charges.

Older articles and contracts still refer to Law No. 27 of 2007. If you see it cited as current, the source is out of date.

6. Law No. 26 of 2007 and Law No. 33 of 2008: landlords and tenants

If you plan to rent out your property, the Landlord and Tenant Law sets the rules. The main ones:

• Every tenancy must be registered on Ejari.
• A landlord can evict during the term only on specific grounds, such as non-payment or illegal subletting.
• To take the property back at the end of the term for personal use or sale, the landlord must give 12 months’ written notice through a notary or registered mail.
• Disputes go to the Rental Disputes Centre.

See renewing a tenancy agreement in the UAE.

7. Decree No. 43 of 2013: rent increases

Decree No. 43 of 2013 limits how much a landlord can raise the rent at renewal. The permitted increase depends on how far the current rent is below the average for similar property in the RERA rental index:

Current rent compared with the index average	Maximum increase
Up to 10% below	None
11% to 20% below	5%
21% to 30% below	10%
31% to 40% below	15%
More than 40% below	20%

The landlord must also give 90 days’ notice of any change before the renewal date.

What these laws do not cover

• Inheritance. Who inherits your Dubai property is decided by personal status law and any will you have registered, not by property law. See the civil personal status law for non-Muslims.
• Tax. Property law sets fees such as the 4% DLD transfer fee. Tax in your home country is a separate question. See the Dubai property tax guide.
• Other emirates. These are Dubai laws. Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and the other emirates have their own.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which law allows foreigners to buy property in Dubai?

Article 4 of Law No. 7 of 2006, which permits non-GCC nationals to own freehold property, or hold a usufruct or long lease of up to 99 years, in designated areas.

Does Dubai have its own RERA?

Yes. The Real Estate Regulatory Agency was created by Law No. 16 of 2007 and is part of the Dubai Land Department. It is unrelated to India’s RERA.

Is Law No. 27 of 2007 still in force?

No. Dubai’s original strata law was replaced by Law No. 6 of 2019 on jointly owned property.

What protects my money when I buy off-plan in Dubai?

The Escrow Law, Law No. 8 of 2007, which requires your payments to be held in a project escrow account, and Law No. 13 of 2008, which requires the sale to be registered on Oqood.

Can a landlord increase the rent by any amount in Dubai?

No. Decree No. 43 of 2013 caps the increase at between 0% and 20%, depending on how far the rent is below the RERA index average.

Where can I read the full text of these laws?

In our free document library, which holds the official texts of the laws covered here.

This article summarises the law for general information and is not legal advice. Laws are amended, so check the current text and take advice from a UAE-licensed lawyer before acting.