Law No. (7) of 2006
Concerning
Real Property Registration in the Emirate of Dubai
We, Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Ruler of Dubai
After perusal of:
Federal Law No. (5) of 1985 Issuing the Civil Code of the United Arab Emirates and its
amendments;
Federal Law No. (11) of 1992 Issuing the Civil Procedures Code and its amendments;
Law No. (7) of 1997 Concerning Land Registration Fees; and
The Decree of 1960 Establishing the Land Affairs Committee,
Do hereby issue this Law:

Chapter One
Title and Definitions

Article (1)
This Law shall be cited as “Law No. (7) of 2006 Concerning Real Property Registration in
the Emirate of Dubai”.

Article (2)
The following words and expressions, wherever mentioned in this Law, shall have the
meaning indicated opposite each of them, unless the context implies otherwise:
UAE : The United Arab Emirates.
Emirate : The Emirate of Dubai.
Government : The Government of Dubai, including any of its departments,
authorities, or public corporations.
Ruler : His Highness the Ruler of the Emirate of Dubai.
DLD : The Land Department.
Chairman : The chairman of the DLD.
Director General : The director general of the DLD.
Real Property : Anything which is fixed and cannot be moved without damage
or alteration of its structure.
Real Property Right : Any principal or ancillary real right in Real Property.
Real Property Register : A set of documents which are created or maintained by the
DLD in paper format or in electronic format as part of its
electronic registry, and which state the description and location
of each Real Property and the rights attached thereto.
Real Property Unit : Land plot which is located in a Real Property Area, including
any buildings, plants, or other thing existing thereon, without
any part thereof being separated from other parts by any
public or private property, and without any part thereof having
rights or encumbrances other than those which the other parts
have.
Real Property Area : A set of Real Property Units which are demarcated by main
roads or fixed and clear landmarks and which have an approved
name and a distinct number, in accordance with the regulations
adopted by the DLD.
Person : Any natural or legal person.

Chapter Two
Scope of Application and Right of Ownership

Article (3)
The provisions of this Law shall apply to Real Property existing in the Emirate.

Article (4)
The right to own Real Property in the Emirate shall be restricted to UAE nationals, nationals
of the Gulf Cooperation Council Sates, companies fully owned by these nationals, and
public joint stock companies. Subject to the approval of the Ruler, non-UAE nationals may
be granted the following rights in the relevant areas determined by the Ruler:
a. Freehold ownership of Real Property, without time restrictions; and
b. Usufruct or lease rights in Real Property for up to ninety-nine (99) years.

Chapter Three
General Provisions

Article (5)
Original documents and court judgments pursuant to which Real Property is registered
shall be maintained by the DLD and may not be taken out of its premises. Pursuant
to the provisions of this Law, any interested parties, judicial authorities, or experts
and specialised committees appointed by judicial authorities may have access to the
documents maintained in the register and obtain certified copies thereof.
181180

Chapter Four
Functions of the DLD

Article (6)
The DLD shall be exclusively authorised to register Real Property Rights and long-term
lease contracts provided for in Article (4) of this Law. For this purpose, the DLD shall:
1. determine areas to be surveyed or re-surveyed and certify their plans;
2. prescribe rules relating to survey and inspection, and issue plans of Real Property
Units;
3. prepare contract templates relating to Real Property dispositions;
4. prescribe rules for organising, archiving, and destroying documents;
5. prescribe rules for using computers for storing and recording data;
6. prescribe rules for regulating and maintaining the Real Property brokers register;
7. prescribe rules for Real Property valuation;
8. prescribe rules for the sale of Real Property by voluntary public auctions, and
supervise these auctions;
9. determine fees for the services provided by the DLD; and
10. establish branches for the DLD as the Director General deems appropriate.

Chapter Five
Real Property Register

Article (7)
A Real Property Register shall be maintained by the DLD to record all Real Property Rights
and any variation thereto. This register shall have conclusive evidentiary value as against
all persons, and the authenticity of its data may only be challenged on grounds of fraud
or forgery.

Article (8)
Subject to the provisions of Article (7) of this Law, all Real Property documents and
instruments electronically stored in computers shall have the same evidentiary value as
original documents and instruments.

Chapter Six
Registration

Article (9)
All dispositions that create, transfer, change, or extinguish Real Property Rights, and all the
final rulings validating these dispositions, must be recorded in the Real Property Register.
These dispositions shall not be deemed effective unless recorded in the Real Property
Register.

Article (10)
Where a Person fails to comply with his undertaking to transfer a Real Property Right,
his liability shall be limited to the obligation to pay compensation, whether or not
compensation is stipulated in the undertaking.

Article (11)
Where an estate includes Real Property Rights, the decree of distribution shall be registered
on the Real Property Register. A disposition by any heir of any of these rights shall not be
effective or binding as against third parties unless it is registered on the Real Property
Register.

Article (12)
The DLD may, in accordance with the procedures prescribed pursuant to the relevant
resolution of the Chairman of the DLD, consider any applications for registration submitted
by persons in possession of land that is not registered in their names, in order to ensure
compliance with the requirements of registration of this land.

Chapter Seven
Variation or Correction of Real Property Register Data

Article (13)
The DLD may, upon the request of any interested party or on its own initiative and subject
to notifying all concerned parties, correct any manifest material errors in the folios of the
Real Property Register.

Article (14)
The DLD shall, in coordination with the competent entities, update the data of Real
Property Units, including any buildings, plants, or other things existing thereon.

Chapter Eight
Plans

Article (15)
1. The registration of a Real Property Area or Real Property Unit shall be based upon the
following plans:
a. the Topographic Master Plan;
b. the Real Property Unit Plan; and
c. the Real Property Area Plan.
2. Each Real Property Area shall have a separate plan which shows the Real Property
Units located therein and their numbers.
3. Each Real Property Unit shall have a separate plan which shows its location, boundaries,
dimensions, area, landmarks, and structures; as well as the numbers of adjacent units.

Chapter Nine
Subdivision and Amalgamation

Article (16)
If a dominant Real Property Unit is subdivided, each resulting part shall continue to have
an easement over the servient Real Property Unit, provided that this does not increase the
burden on that servient unit. However, if the easement is beneficial only to some of these
parts, the owner of the servient Real Property Unit may apply to the DLD to extinguish the
easement that other parts have.

Article (17)
If a servient Real Property Unit is subdivided, each resulting part shall continue to be
subject to the easement. However, if the easement is actually exercised only over some
of these parts, or cannot be exercised over some parts, the owner of each of these parts
may apply to the DLD, in accordance with the provisions of this Law, to extinguish the
easement over his part.

Article (18)
An easement shall be terminated if the dominant and servient Real Property Units become
owned by the same Person.

Article (19)
Where a Real Property Unit encumbered by an ancillary real right is subdivided into two
or more Real Property Units, each resulting new Real Property Unit shall be encumbered
by the entire right. The new owners may agree with the holder of the ancillary real right
to divide his right so that each new Real Property Unit be encumbered by only part of that
right as agreed.

Article (20)
In the event of amalgamation of two (2) Real Property Units, of which one is encumbered
by an ancillary real right while the other is not, the entire new Real Property Unit shall be
encumbered by the ancillary real right without the need for approval of the amalgamation
by the holder of the right.
However, where each of the Real Property Units is encumbered by a separate ancillary real
right, the amalgamation must be approved by the holders of these rights.

Article (21)
Any subdivision or amalgamation of Real Property Units must be registered in the Real
Property Register.

Chapter Ten
Title Deeds
Article (22)

The DLD shall issue title deeds in respect of Real Property Rights based on the records of
the Real Property Register.

Article (23)
Without prejudice to the provisions of any other law, a multi-apartment or multi-storey
building shall be deemed a single Real Property Unit and shall have one Real Property folio
in the Real Property Register, which shall be accompanied by other supplementary folios
that contain the names of owners of the apartments, floors, and common areas of the
Real Property.

Article (24)
1. The title deeds referred to in Article (22) of this Law shall have conclusive evidentiary
value in proving Real Property Rights.
2. Any conditions, covenants, or restrictions applicable to the Real Property Rights in a
Real Property Unit, as well as any other relevant obligations, shall be recorded in folio
of the Real Property Unit.

Chapter Eleven
Final Provisions

Article (25)
The provisions of Federal Law No. (5) of 1985 Issuing the Civil Code of the United Arab
Emirates and its amendments shall apply to all matters not provided for in this Law.

Article (26)
1. Any agreement or disposition concluded in breach of the provisions of this Law shall
be null and void. In addition, any agreement or disposition concluded with the intent
to circumvent the provisions of this Law shall be null and void.
2. A judgment invalidating that agreement or disposition may be sought by any interested
party, the DLD, or the Public Prosecution; or otherwise issued by the court on its own
initiative.

Article (27)
The Decree Dated 6 November 1977 Concerning Civil and Criminal Lawsuits Related to
Disposition of Land in the Emirate of Dubai is hereby repealed.

Article (28)
The Chairman shall issue the bylaws, decisions, orders, and instructions required for the
implementation of the provisions of this Law.

Article (29)
This Law shall be published in the Official Gazette and shall come into force on the day on
which it is published.

Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum
Ruler of Dubai
Issued in Dubai on 13 March 2006
Corresponding to 13 Safar 1427 A.H