Freehold Areas in Dubai
What the Law Designates, and Why Every List Disagrees
Almost every “Dubai freehold areas” list you will read is an unsourced summary of a legal instrument that works by land plot and map, not by community name. This guide goes to the instrument itself: what Regulation No. 3 of 2006 actually designates, how it has been amended, and the only reliable way to confirm the tenure of a specific property.
Where Dubai’s Freehold Rights Actually Come From
Foreign freehold ownership in Dubai rests on a single named instrument: Regulation No. (3) of 2006 Determining Areas for Ownership by Non-UAE Nationals of Real Property in the Emirate of Dubai, issued by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Ruler of Dubai, on 7 June 2006 and effective on publication in the Official Gazette.
Article 3 is the operative provision. It states that non-UAE nationals may acquire freehold ownership rights over real property without time restriction, usufruct rights, or leasehold rights for up to ninety-nine (99) years, in respect of the land plots indicated opposite each of the listed areas as shown by the maps issued by the Department and attached to the Regulation.
That last clause is the part every summary drops, and it is the part that matters. The right is not granted to a community, a master development or a brand name. It is granted to land plots, identified on maps. A community name is a convenient label sitting on top of a plot-level designation, and the two do not always align.
The Regulation proves this itself. Article 4 carves out a single plot: Land Plot 224 in Nad al-Sheba is restricted to usufruct or a 99-year leasehold, and not freehold, even though Nad al-Sheba appears in the Article 3 schedule. If the instrument that created the regime needs a plot-level exception on its own first page, a list of 60-odd community names cannot be a safe basis for a purchase.
Our guide to freehold versus leasehold in Dubai explains what the three tenures mean in practice once you know which one you are buying; the broader process for an overseas buyer is set out in our guide to buying property in Dubai as a foreigner.
Dubai Freehold at a Glance
The legal essentials in one place
The 23 Areas Named in the Article 3 Schedule
Reproduced in the order and spelling used in the Regulation. This is the original 2006 schedule. It has been added to since, so read it as the foundation of the regime rather than a current consolidated list.
| Area as designated | Статус | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Umm Hurair 2 | Listed 2006 | Named in the Article 3 schedule, by reference to the land plots shown on the Department’s attached maps. |
| 2. Al Barsha South 2 | Listed 2006 | Named in the Article 3 schedule, by reference to the land plots shown on the Department’s attached maps. |
| 3. Al Barsha South 3 | Listed 2006 | Named in the Article 3 schedule, by reference to the land plots shown on the Department’s attached maps. |
| 4. Emirates Hills 1 | Listed 2006 | Named in the Article 3 schedule, by reference to the land plots shown on the Department’s attached maps. |
| 5. Emirates Hills 2 | Listed 2006 | Named in the Article 3 schedule, by reference to the land plots shown on the Department’s attached maps. |
| 6. Emirates Hills 3 | Listed 2006 | Named in the Article 3 schedule, by reference to the land plots shown on the Department’s attached maps. |
| 7. Jebel Ali | Listed 2006 | Named in the Article 3 schedule, by reference to the land plots shown on the Department’s attached maps. |
| 8. Al Jaddaf | Listed 2006 | Named in the Article 3 schedule, by reference to the land plots shown on the Department’s attached maps. |
| 9. The World Islands | Listed 2006 | Included in the original schedule as an offshore development area. |
| 10. Ras al Khor | Listed 2006 | Named in the Article 3 schedule, by reference to the land plots shown on the Department’s attached maps. |
| 11. Al Rowyah | Listed 2006 | Named in the Article 3 schedule, by reference to the land plots shown on the Department’s attached maps. |
| 12. Sheikh Zayed Road | Listed 2006 | Named in the Article 3 schedule, by reference to the land plots shown on the Department’s attached maps. |
| 13. Sofouh 1 | Listed 2006 | Named in the Article 3 schedule, by reference to the land plots shown on the Department’s attached maps. |
| 14. Sofouh 2 | Listed 2006 | Named in the Article 3 schedule, by reference to the land plots shown on the Department’s attached maps. |
| 15. Al-Qouz 3 | Listed 2006 | Named in the Article 3 schedule, by reference to the land plots shown on the Department’s attached maps. |
| 16. Al-Qouz Industrial Area 2 | Listed 2006 | Named in the Article 3 schedule, by reference to the land plots shown on the Department’s attached maps. |
| 17. Al-Qouz Industrial Area 3 | Listed 2006 | Named in the Article 3 schedule, by reference to the land plots shown on the Department’s attached maps. |
| 18. Mirdif | Listed 2006 | Named in the Article 3 schedule, by reference to the land plots shown on the Department’s attached maps. |
| 19. Dubai Marina | Listed 2006 | Named in the original Article 3 schedule. See our Dubai Marina area page. |
| 20. Palm Jebel Ali | Listed 2006 | Named in 2006, long before the current build-out. See our Palm Jebel Ali guide. |
| 21. Palm Jumairah | Listed 2006 | Spelling as it appears in the Regulation. See our Palm Jumeirah area page. |
| 22. Nad al-Sheba | Plot 224 excepted | Article 4 restricts Land Plot 224 in Nad al-Sheba to usufruct or a 99-year leasehold rather than freehold. |
| 23. Warsan 1 | Listed 2006 | Named in the Article 3 schedule, by reference to the land plots shown on the Department’s attached maps. |
Source: Regulation No. (3) of 2006 Determining Areas for Ownership by Non-UAE Nationals of Real Property in the Emirate of Dubai, Articles 3 and 4, as published on the Dubai Legislation portal (dlp.dubai.gov.ae), retrieved 19 September 2026. Area names and spellings are reproduced as they appear in that text. Rights attach to the land plots shown on the maps issued by the Department and attached to the Regulation — not to community names. Not legal advice.
How to Confirm Tenure on a Specific Property
Six checks that replace any list. Each one works on the property in front of you rather than on a community name, which is the only level at which the question has a reliable answer.
The three available rights — freehold without time restriction, usufruct, and leasehold up to 99 years — are those set out in Article 3 of Regulation No. (3) of 2006. Procedural steps reflect standard Dubai Land Department practice as described in TruHauz’s own transaction guides linked above.
Need the tenure confirmed on a specific plot?
Send us the property or plot you are considering and TruHauz will confirm the tenure against Dubai Land Department records before you commit.
Why No Two Freehold Lists Agree
This is not carelessness by the people writing them. It follows from how the designation is built, and it is worth understanding before you trust any list — including ours.
The schedule is a living instrument
Resolution No. (6) of 2022, issued on 28 February 2022, provides that a non-UAE national may acquire freehold ownership rights, without time restriction, in the land and real property units on Land Plots No. (58) and (59) in Zabeel First. It cites Regulation No. 3 of 2006 and its amendments as its authority. Additions like this are published one at a time, not as a refreshed master list.
Not by community name
Article 3 grants rights over the land plots indicated on maps issued by the Department. Article 4 then restricts a single plot — Nad al-Sheba 224 — to usufruct or a 99-year leasehold. One marketing community name can therefore cover plots whose tenure differs, which no name-based list can express.
The rules are not federal
The UAE Government’s official platform sets out that Abu Dhabi uses four separate arrangements under Law No. 19 of 2005, and that in Sharjah non-nationals hold usufruct rights only, for a maximum of 100 years and with the Ruler’s special approval. “UAE freehold” is not a single regime.
Часто задаваемые вопросы
The questions overseas buyers ask most often about freehold areas and foreign ownership rights in Dubai.
Confirm the Tenure Before You Commit
TruHauz checks tenure, plot and registration status against Dubai Land Department records on every property we advise on. Tell us what you are looking at and we will confirm it in writing.
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