How to Buy Land in Sharjah: A Practical Guide

To buy land in Sharjah: decide what you want to build, then check the title deed, that the plot is privately owned rather than a government grant, which type of ownership is open to your nationality, and what the building permit allows. Then sign the sale and register it with the Sharjah Real Estate Registration Department, where you pay the fees and the plot passes into your name. Below are the questions buyers ask us before they buy a plot, answered in the order you will need them. The plots we have for sale right now are at the end of the page.

By Mohammad Hejazi, real estate broker in Sharjah · Last updated:

Guide to buying land in Sharjah, Sharjah

Steps to buy land in Sharjah

1. Decide what the land is for and set a budget: a residential plot for a villa, a commercial plot for shops and flats, or an industrial plot for a warehouse. Count the fees from the start, because they come on top of the price.

2. Choose a plot and compare your options by price per sq ft, not just the total price, along with the permit, the location and the frontage.

3. Ask for a copy of the title deed. Check that the plot is in the seller's name, that it is privately owned and not a grant plot, and that your nationality is allowed to own it.

4. Ask for the plot's official site plan and confirm the permitted use and number of floors with the planning authority.

5. Agree the price and payment terms and sign the sale contract. A preliminary sale contract can be certified at the Real Estate Registration Department.

6. Register the sale with the Sharjah Real Estate Registration Department and pay the fees, and the title deed is issued in your name.

Who can buy land in Sharjah?

By default, property and land in Sharjah can be owned by UAE and GCC citizens. That is the rule in Law No. 2 of 2022, which also sets out exceptions. The main one is approved real estate development projects, where all nationalities may own freehold with no time limit.

In between, many plots are offered freehold to Arab nationalities, and some projects give other nationalities a usufruct right of up to 100 years, meaning the right to use and benefit from the property for that period. This changes from one plot to the next, even in the same area: among the plots we have listed, some were for UAE and GCC citizens only and others were open to all Arab nationalities.

So don't go by the area name alone. Ask which type of ownership is open to your nationality for that specific plot. We confirm it for you before you buy, and it is made official at registration.

Privately owned land or a grant plot?

The Sharjah government grants residential and investment plots to Emirati citizens in batches; these are known as grant plots. A grant plot can't be sold the way privately owned land can, because it stays government property until it is registered in the grantee's name under the grant conditions.

In 2012 the Federal Supreme Court upheld a ruling that voided the sale of a commercial plot granted by the Sharjah government, because the land still belonged to the government. The seller only had to return the price, and an earlier award of compensation to the buyer was overturned.

In practice: buy a plot with a title deed in the seller's name, ask for a copy before you pay any deposit, and check it with the Real Estate Registration Department. That is why many listings state clearly that a plot is "privately owned, not a grant".

What does the building permit allow?

A plot's value comes as much from its building permit as from its size. Ask about three things: the permitted use (residential, commercial or industrial), the number of floors allowed, and the setbacks, meaning the distance the building must keep from the plot's edges.

Listings usually write the permit in codes such as G+1 or G+P+7: G is the ground floor, P a parking level, M a mezzanine, and the number is the floors above. So a smaller commercial plot with more permitted floors can give you more space to build than a bigger one.

The permit in a listing is what the owner states. Ask for the plot's official site plan and confirm its planning details with the municipality or the Department of Town Planning and Survey before you buy, especially if you have a project with a set number of floors in mind.

Corner plot or inside plot?

A corner plot faces two or more streets, so it has a wider frontage and more ways in. That matters for commercial land, because shops need a frontage people can see, and many buyers prefer it for a home too, for easier access and parking.

If you are weighing a corner plot against an inside plot in the same area, compare the price per sq ft of each. That shows what you are paying for the extra frontage, and whether it is worth it for your project.

Is the plot on a main road?

A main road gives shops and commercial projects more visibility, which is why commercial plots are advertised with lines like "first row on Maliha Road". For a home, though, some buyers prefer a quieter inside street.

Ask how wide the road in front of the plot is, how many streets surround it, and whether you enter straight from the main road or from a service road alongside it.

How much are land registration fees in Sharjah?

Every land sale in Sharjah is registered with the Sharjah Real Estate Registration Department, and ownership only passes legally once the sale is registered. As the department's figures have been reported in the press, the registration fee is 2% of the price for UAE and GCC citizens and 4% for other nationalities. It was cut by half for the days of the ACRES property exhibition in 2024 and 2025.

For example, on a plot worth AED 1 million the registration fee is AED 20,000 for a UAE or GCC citizen and AED 40,000 for anyone else. On top of that come the title deed issue fee and the broker's commission.

Fees can change, so confirm the current figure with the department, or use the fee calculator on its website, before you set your budget.

7 properties for sale now, from AED 2,050,000 to AED 11,000,000.

Residential plots for sale now in Sharjah

For sale now: 3 · Price: AED 2,050,000 to 5,800,000 · Plot: 10,000 to 15,662 sq ft

Commercial and mixed-use plots for sale now in Sharjah

For sale now: 4 · Price: AED 2,400,000 to 11,000,000 · Plot: 7,004 to 16,953 sq ft

Frequently asked questions

Can foreigners buy land in Sharjah?

Land in Sharjah is mainly for UAE and GCC citizens to own. All nationalities may own freehold in approved development projects, and some projects offer a usufruct right of up to 100 years. We confirm what is open to your nationality for each plot before you buy.

Can Arab nationals own land in Sharjah?

Many plots in areas such as Hoshi, Al Suyoh and Muwaileh Commercial are offered freehold to Arab nationalities, but that is not a rule for every plot: the same area also has plots for UAE and GCC citizens only. So we check each plot on its own.

Can I buy a grant plot?

A grant plot stays government property until it is registered in the grantee's name, and the courts have voided the sale of a grant plot made before that. Only pay for a plot with a registered title deed in the seller's name.

How much is the land transfer fee in Sharjah?

As reported from the Real Estate Registration Department: 2% of the price for UAE and GCC citizens and 4% for others, with occasional temporary cuts during property exhibitions. Confirm the current fee with the department before you buy.

How much does land cost in Sharjah?

It depends on the area, the permitted use, the building permit and the frontage. The price and size range of the plots we have for sale now is shown above each list on this page, and to compare two plots, use the price per sq ft.

Where is a land purchase registered in Sharjah?

At the Sharjah Real Estate Registration Department, the only body that registers land and property sales in the emirate. Once the sale is registered and the fees are paid, the title deed is issued in your name.

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