UAE mortgage rule
Loan-to-Value (LTV)
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LTV is the mortgage amount divided by the property value used by the bank. It sets a regulatory ceiling—not a promise that a bank will lend that much.
The short answer
The cap depends on the buyer and the property.
For a first owner-occupied home costing up to AED 5 million, the regulatory ceiling is 85% for a UAE national and 80% for an expatriate. Lower caps apply above AED 5 million, to later or investment properties, and to off-plan purchases.
Current regulatory ceilings
Maximum LTV by scenario
| Property scenario | UAE national | Expatriate |
|---|---|---|
| First owner-occupied home · up to AED 5m | 85% | 80% |
| First owner-occupied home · above AED 5m | 75% | 70% |
| Second, later or investment property | 65% | 60% |
| Off-plan property | 50% | 50% |
These are maximums. A lender may apply a lower limit after assessing the borrower, property and repayment capacity.
Worked example
AED 2 million first home
An expatriate buying a first owner-occupied home for AED 2 million has an 80% regulatory LTV ceiling.
- Property price
- AED 2,000,000
- Maximum at 80% LTV
- AED 1,600,000
- Minimum price deposit
- AED 400,000
The deposit is not the full cash requirement. Registration, valuation, bank and other purchase costs sit outside this simple LTV example.
Make it personal
LTV is only one of three borrowing limits.
Your income multiple and stressed debt-burden capacity can produce a lower ceiling. The assessment calculates them together.
Direct source
Evidence and maintenance
- Central Bank of the UAE Rulebook — Article 3: Important RatiosGoverning source · checked 30 July 2026
Review trigger: a CBUAE mortgage-regulation amendment or a change to Article 3. Variants in bank material are examples of wording, not authority for the regulatory caps.