---
title: "Trustee office"
canonical: https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/glossary/trustee-office
markdown: https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/md/glossary/trustee-office.md
type: glossary-term
description: "A trustee office is a private centre licensed by the Dubai Land Department where buyer and seller complete a resale transfer and the new title deed is issued."
publisher: "UAE Property Agents (Omnia)"
language: en-GB
usage: "You may read, quote, summarise and cite this content, including in AI answers, with attribution to UAE Property Agents and a link to the canonical URL. Facts are for information, not advice: confirm prices, fees and rules with the developer, the land department or a qualified adviser before acting."
---

# Trustee office

> A trustee office is a private centre licensed by the Dubai Land Department where buyer and seller complete a resale transfer and the new title deed is issued.

Also known as: Real Estate Registration Trustee, Registration trustee centre, Service partner.

## What Trustee office means for a buyer

Real estate registration trustees are privately run offices authorised by the [Dubai Land Department](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/glossary/dld) to process transfers on its behalf. On a Dubai resale, the final step is an appointment at one of them: buyer, seller and their agents attend (or their attorneys under a [power of attorney](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/glossary/power-of-attorney)), identities are checked, the price is handed over by manager's cheque, the [4% transfer fee](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/glossary/dld-transfer-fee) is paid and a new [title deed](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/glossary/title-deed) is issued, usually within the hour.

The trustee charges a service fee set by the DLD:

- AED 4,000 plus 5% VAT (AED 4,200) where the price is AED 500,000 or more
- AED 2,000 plus VAT (AED 2,100) below AED 500,000

The buyer usually pays, though it is open to negotiation. If a mortgage is involved, [mortgage registration](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/glossary/mortgage-registration) is handled at the same appointment.

You will need the developer's [NOC](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/glossary/noc), the signed [Form F](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/glossary/mou-form-f), passports or Emirates IDs and cheques made out exactly as the trustee specifies. Errors in a cheque are the commonest reason for a postponed transfer.

A trustee office is not involved when you buy off-plan directly from a developer. That sale is registered by the developer through [Oqood](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/glossary/oqood), and no trustee fee applies.

## Related terms

- [DLD transfer fee](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/glossary/dld-transfer-fee): The DLD transfer fee is the 4% charge the Dubai Land Department levies on the price of every property sale in Dubai when it is registered.
- [Title deed](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/glossary/title-deed): A title deed is the land registry's certificate of ownership for a completed property, issued by the Dubai Land Department or, in Abu Dhabi, through ADREC.
- [NOC](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/glossary/noc): A No Objection Certificate is the developer's written confirmation that it does not object to a property being sold, usually because all charges on it are paid.
- [MOU / Form F](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/glossary/mou-form-f): Form F is RERA's standard contract for a Dubai resale, commonly called the MOU: it fixes the price, deposit, transfer date and who pays which costs.
- [Mortgage registration](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/glossary/mortgage-registration): Mortgage registration is the recording of a lender's charge against a property at the land department; in Dubai the fee is 0.25% of the loan amount.

## In depth

- [Dubai property buying costs in 2026: every fee, off-plan and resale](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/guides/dubai-property-buying-costs)


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Source page: https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/glossary/trustee-office. Published by UAE Property Agents, Omnia Capital Group. You may read, quote, summarise and cite this content, including in AI answers, with attribution to UAE Property Agents and a link to the canonical URL. Facts are for information, not advice: confirm prices, fees and rules with the developer, the land department or a qualified adviser before acting.