Freehold

Updated

An artist's rendering of Ava at Palm, a white tower with curved terraces on Palm Jumeirah, beside the sea with Dubai Marina's skyline and Ain Dubai behind
Image: Ava at Palm by Omniyat

Freehold means owning a property outright, with no time limit: you can live in it, rent it out, sell it or leave it to your heirs. In the UAE, foreigners can own freehold only in areas each emirate designates, such as Palm Jumeirah in Dubai, Saadiyat Island in Abu Dhabi and Al Marjan Island in Ras Al Khaimah. Outside those areas they may get a right for a fixed term instead, or none at all.

So "can foreigners buy here?" is really "is this plot freehold for foreigners?" Check it for the exact unit you want, in its project's details and in your contract. This is a summary to help you ask the right questions, not legal advice.

Freehold and the other rights

Right What it gives
Freehold Ownership with no time limit
Leasehold or usufruct Use of the property for a fixed term, up to 99 years in Dubai
Musataha Use, building or alteration for 50 years, renewable by agreement (Abu Dhabi)
Long-term lease An initial term of at least 25 years (Abu Dhabi)

The Dubai terms are from Article 4 of Law No. 7 of 2006, the Abu Dhabi ones from the UAE government portal.

If you are from the UK, note the difference. There, a flat is often leasehold, and the government's own guide says "You only own a leasehold property for a fixed period of time" (GOV.UK). In Dubai, a flat can be freehold like a villa: you own your unit with no time limit, and the building's shared parts are owned jointly with the other owners under Law No. 6 of 2019, paid for through service charges.

Dubai

Article 4 of Law No. 7 of 2006 limits property ownership in general to UAE and Gulf nationals and companies they fully own, then lets non-UAE nationals, in areas the Ruler determines, own freehold or hold a usufruct or leasehold of up to 99 years. Regulation No. 3 of 2006 named the first areas; it lists land areas and plots, and names places such as Palm Jumeirah and Palm Jebel Ali. Areas have been added since: in January 2025 the Dubai Land Department let owners of plots in Al Jaddaf and on Sheikh Zayed Road convert them to freehold (The National).

In our catalog, 847 of the 997 Dubai projects we listed on Oct 28, 2026 state freehold ownership, 2 state leasehold and 148 had not yet published it (can foreigners buy off-plan property in Dubai?). That counts what developers publish, not a legal check.

Abu Dhabi

Since an amendment in April 2019, foreigners can own property in Abu Dhabi's investment areas, freehold included (UAE government portal, CMS). The government portal names nine: Yas Island, Saadiyat, Reem, Maryah, Lulu, Al Raha Beach, Sayh Al Sedairah, Al Reef and Masdar City; other sources list more, so confirm your plot with ADREC. Details in can foreigners buy property in Abu Dhabi?

Ras Al Khaimah

RAK Municipality's service card for registering a sale says Emirati and non-Emirati buyers alike may own property in freehold areas, and names them: Al Hamra Village, Mina Al Arab, Al Marjan Island, RAK Central, Julphar Towers, Al Maareedh (plots) and the upcoming Beach District. Details in can foreigners buy property in Ras Al Khaimah?

Before you pay

  1. Read the ownership type on the project's page and in your sale contract: freehold, leasehold or not stated.
  2. If the area is not clearly on an official list, ask the land department (DLD, ADREC or RAK Municipality) to confirm the plot.
  3. Once you buy, your purchase is registered: Oqood in Dubai.

Browse off-plan projects in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Ras Al Khaimah, or read off-plan for how the purchase works.

More terms

The whole glossary

From the blog

All posts
An artist's rendering of a shaded community park on Yas Island, with children playing on stepping stones in a shallow pond with small fountains, wooden play towers and palm trees behindWhat are service charges in Abu Dhabi?The fees owners pay for a building's or community's shared parts in Abu Dhabi. Who approves them under Decision No. 25 of 2025, how your share is worked out, what the developer pays before handover, and what happens if you do not pay.An artist's rendering of a finished apartment living room in Dubai Harbour, with a red sofa, armchairs, a wood and marble kitchen along the back wall and floor-to-ceiling windows onto the seaWhat happens at handover in Dubai?How an off-plan home in Dubai passes from the developer to you. The completion certificate, your title deed, the snagging inspection, what to do if the home is smaller than promised, and how long the developer must fix defects under Dubai law.An artist's rendering at sunrise of two curved, terraced apartment buildings on Saadiyat, with palm trees, flower beds and a crossing in frontWhat if you miss off-plan payments in Abu Dhabi?What Abu Dhabi's law lets a developer do when an off-plan buyer stops paying: the 60-day notice, the settlement step, the 10% to 40% scale set in 2025 by construction progress, refund deadlines and your right to go to court.