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According to the CBUAE's published borrower-based controls, expatriates buying a first owner-occupied home worth AED 5 million or less are capped at 80% LTV, while UAE nationals in the same bracket are capped at 85%. Off-plan schemes are capped at 50% LTV for both groups. The mortgage-loans rulebook also states the maximum tenor of the mortgage loan is 25 years.
CBUAE LTV table buyers should know
| Borrower | Property Value | Max Ltv |
|---|---|---|
| UAE national - first house / owner occupier | AED 5m or less | 85% |
| UAE national - first house / owner occupier | Above AED 5m | 75% |
| UAE national - subsequent property | Any | 65% |
| UAE national - off-plan | Any | 50% |
| Expatriate - first house / owner occupier | AED 5m or less | 80% |
| Expatriate - first house / owner occupier | Above AED 5m | 70% |
| Expatriate - subsequent property | Any | 60% |
| Expatriate - off-plan | Any | 50% |
How LTV works in real money
If an expatriate buyer is purchasing a first owner-occupied home in Dubai for AED 2,000,000, an 80% LTV cap means the maximum loan is AED 1,600,000 and the minimum equity contribution is AED 400,000. That is only the property-equity piece. The buyer still needs transaction cash on top, including DLD registration, broker fee if applicable, and mortgage registration. That distinction became more important after the February 2025 financing change reported in UAE media, which said banks would no longer finance DLD and broker fees inside mortgage packages.
Why the February 2025 fee-financing change matters
The CBUAE's public framework confirms the property LTV caps. Separately, major UAE reporting in January 2025 said banks were instructed from 1 February 2025 not to finance the 4% DLD fee and the 2% brokerage commission inside mortgage packages. The practical effect is that LTV no longer tells the full cash story by itself. Buyers should budget two pools of money: down payment equity and transaction cash on top.
Step-by-step: how to calculate the cash you actually need
- 1
Identify your borrower category
Start with nationality and whether the property is first owner-occupied, subsequent, or off-plan.
- 2
Apply the correct CBUAE LTV cap
Use the published CBUAE maximum that matches your case.
- 3
Calculate the minimum equity contribution
Property value minus maximum loan equals the minimum down payment.
- 4
Add transaction cash on top
Separately budget DLD registration, brokerage if payable, mortgage registration at 0.25% of loan value, valuation, and any legal costs.
- 5
Check tenor
The mortgage-loans rulebook states the maximum tenor is 25 years; a longer desired tenure is not available under the mortgage-loan framework.
Worked examples
| Scenario | Max Ltv | Max Loan | Minimum Down Payment | Cash On Top Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Expat, first owner-occupied home, AED 2,000,000 purchase | 80% | AED 1,600,000 | AED 400,000 | Add DLD, brokerage if applicable, mortgage registration, valuation, and related costs separately |
| Expat, off-plan purchase, AED 2,000,000 | 50% | AED 1,000,000 | AED 1,000,000 | Off-plan LTV is materially tighter and still does not replace registration and transaction costs |
Fees LTV does not include
- DLD sale registration charges
- Brokerage commission where applicable
- Mortgage registration fee at 0.25% of mortgage value on DLD mortgage services
- Bank valuation and arrangement costs
- Legal review costs
Common mistakes
- Treating LTV as if it already includes DLD and broker fees.
- Using the first-home cap for a subsequent property scenario.
- Assuming off-plan is financed like a ready property. The published cap is 50%.
- Ignoring the 25-year maximum tenor when modelling affordability.
Official links
Need a mortgage-readiness check?
If you are close to buying, get a mortgage adviser to model the down payment, DLD, mortgage registration, and bank conditions together rather than looking at LTV in isolation. This page is informational only and is not lending or legal advice.
References
- CBUAE: https://www.centralbank.ae/media/kaqlwo0h/cbuae-fsr-report_2025_en.pdfPublished borrower-based LTV controls by nationality and property type.
- CBUAE: https://rulebook.centralbank.ae/en/rulebook/regulations-regarding-mortgage-loansOfficial mortgage-loans rulebook, including 25-year maximum tenor.
- DLD: https://dubailand.gov.ae/en/eservices/property-sale-registration/Official sale-registration process context.
- DLD: https://dubailand.gov.ae/en/eservices/grant-property-mortgage/Official mortgage registration fee context.
- Secondary reporting: https://www.thenationalnews.com/business/property/2025/01/25/uae-property-mortgages-fees/Reported February 2025 change stopping financing of DLD and broker fees.
- Secondary reporting: https://www.khaleejtimes.com/business/property/uae-property-buyers-to-pay-higher-upfront-as-banks-to-stop-financing-dld-brokerage-feesSecond major UAE report on the same February 2025 change.
Informational only. Banks can apply their own underwriting standards within the regulatory framework. Always verify the live CBUAE rules, your bank's policy, and the transaction-cost stack before committing.