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UAE Free Zone Law (DIFC / ADGM / JAFZA)Law No. (1) of 2002 Concerning the Mortgage of Real Property Constructed in the Jebel Ali Free Zone

Dubai Law·1 of 2002

Issued Date
January 15, 2002
Effective from
January 15, 2002
Articles
20
Last synced
Jun 8, 2026
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Plain-language summary

Regulates mortgage of real property in Jebel Ali Free Zone, establishing registration procedures, enforcement rights, termination conditions, and fee structures…

Synced from the official UAE Legislation portal · Plain-language summary by the LEXAI editorial team

Article-level text

Key Articles

20 articles

  1. 1

    Article 1

    Article (1) This Law will be cited as “Law No. (1) of 2002 Concerning the Mortgage of Real Property Constructed in the Jebel Ali Free Zone”.

  2. 2

    Article 2

    Article (2) The following words will have the meaning indicated opposite each of them unless the context implies otherwise: Government: The Government of Dubai. JAFZA: The Jebel Ali Free Zone Authority. Real Property: Any fixed structures that are constructed on land and that cannot be moved from one place to another. ©2021 The Supreme Legislation Committee in the Emirate of Dubai 1 Every effort has been made to produce an accurate and complete English version of this legislation. However, for the purpose of its interpretation and application, reference must be made to the original Arabic text. In case of conflict, the Arabic text will prevail.

    -- 1 of 5 --

    Law No. (1) of 2002 Concerning the Mortgage of Real Property Constructed in the Jebel Ali Free Zone Page 2 of 5 Register: The mortgage register of the structures constructed within the Jebel Ali Free Zone. Registrar: The employee responsible for registration of mortgages in the Jebel Ali Free Zone.

  3. 3

    Article 3

    Article (3) Owners of Real Property constructed within the Jebel Ali Free Zone on a land plot owned by the Government may mortgage the Real Property but not the land plot.

  4. 4

    Article 4

    Article (4) A Register will be created in the Jebel Ali Free Zone for registration of Real Property mortgages. Mortgages will not be deemed valid unless recorded in the Register.

  5. 5

    Article 5

    Article (5) Mortgage contracts will be recorded in the Register chronologically. The Register will include the following: a. all information related to the Real Property; b. the approximate value of the Real Property and its contents; c. the value of the debt; and d. the identity of the debtor, his nationality, and his place of residence.

  6. 6

    Article 6

    Article (6) A mortgage will be created by agreement of both contracting parties who must acknowledge and register that mortgage in the Register in accordance with the procedures prescribed in this Law.

  7. 7

    Article 7

    Article (7) An application for mortgage of Real Property signed by the owner of the Real Property and the mortgagee must be submitted to the Registrar. The application must contain all the information and details that must be stated in the mortgage contract pursuant to Article (5) hereof.

    -- 2 of 5 --

    Law No. (1) of 2002 Concerning the Mortgage of Real Property Constructed in the Jebel Ali Free Zone Page 3 of 5

  8. 8

    Article 8

    Article (8) Upon receiving a mortgage application, the Registrar must: 1. verify that the contracting parties have the legal capacity required to create the mortgage; 2. verify that the debtor owns the Real Property to be mortgaged; 3. verify the value of the Real Property and its contents; 4. register the mortgage contract; 5. read out the mortgage contract to the contracting parties; 6. collect the relevant prescribed fees; 7. witness the signature by contracting parties of the mortgage contract; and 8. attest the mortgage contract by affixing his name, signature, and the official seal of JAFZA to the contract.

  9. 9

    Article 9

    Article (9) Where the Registrar finds that the documents and details submitted to create the mortgage are incomplete, he must suspend the application until the deficiencies are redressed.

  10. 10

    Article 10

    Article (10) The contracting parties will receive the mortgage deed signed by the Registrar and stamped with the seal of JAFZA. The particulars of the mortgage deed must conform to those recorded in the Register.

  11. 11

    Article 11

    Article (11) The rights recorded in the Register will remain unchanged until they are amended or extinguished. A mortgage deed registered under this Law will be legally effective towards third parties. No amendment or extinguishment of these rights will be valid unless it is recorded in the Register.

  12. 12

    Article 12

    Article (12) More than one mortgage may be created over the same Real Property. Mortgages will be entered in the Register chronologically; and preference of the rights over the same Real Property will be determined based on the order of entry in the Register.

    -- 3 of 5 --

    Law No. (1) of 2002 Concerning the Mortgage of Real Property Constructed in the Jebel Ali Free Zone Page 4 of 5

  13. 13

    Article 13

    Article (13) A mortgage deed issued pursuant to the provisions of this Law will be deemed a writ of execution.

  14. 14

    Article 14

    Article (14) A mortgage of Real Property will be terminated, and the relevant entries will be removed from the Register, upon expiry of the lease of the land plot on which the Real Property is constructed. A mortgage may be terminated prior to the expiry of the lease by agreement of the contracting parties or pursuant to a definitive judgement issued by the competent court.

  15. 15

    Article 15

    Article (15) The Registrar must review the application for termination of mortgage and verify that the termination is permitted under the submitted documents and information, and is not prohibited under the provisions of the mortgage deed or the applicable legislation. Where the Registrar verifies the same, the mortgage will be terminated and the termination will be recorded in the Register together with the reasons and date of the same; and will be signed by the Registrar.

  16. 16

    Article 16

    Article (16) Where the mortgagor defaults on repayment of his debt, or else based on any other ground stipulated in the mortgage deed or law provisions, the mortgagee will be entitled to enforce his debt against the mortgaged Real Property by submitting the mortgage deed to the execution judge and initiating the sale procedures stipulated in Federal Law No. (11) of 1992 Issuing the Civil Procedure Law.

  17. 17

    Article 17

    Article (17) Where the Real Property is sold in enforcement of a mortgage deed, the purchaser may personally use the Real Property or lease it out for the remaining duration of the lease agreement concluded between JAFZA and the lessee (mortgagor) in accordance with the conditions and provisions stipulated in the laws and regulations of JAFZA.

  18. 18

    Article 18

    Article (18) The following fees will be collected from the mortgagor: 1. Mortgage Registration Fee: 0.12% of the debt amount. 2. Mortgage Amendment Fee: 0.12% of the debt amount.

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    Law No. (1) of 2002 Concerning the Mortgage of Real Property Constructed in the Jebel Ali Free Zone Page 5 of 5 3. Mortgage Termination Fee: Five hundred dirhams (AED 500.00).

  19. 19

    Article 19

    Article (19) Subject to the provisions of this Law, mortgage deeds recorded in the Register will be governed by the provisions of Federal Law No. (5) of 1985 Issuing the Civil Code applicable to mortgage and Musataha (right to use and exploit land belonging to another person).

  20. 20

    Article 20

    Article (20) This law will be published in the Official Gazette and will come into force on the day on which it is published. Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum Ruler of Dubai Issued in Dubai on 15 January 2002 Corresponding to 2 Thu al-Qidah 1422 A.H.

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Note: This legislation is sourced from the Dubai Legislation Portal (dlp.dubai.gov.ae). The original Arabic text is the authoritative version.

Articles in this law(20)
  1. 1Article (1) This Law will be cited as “Law No. (1) of 2002 Concerning the Mortga
  2. 2Article (2) The following words will have the meaning indicated opposite each of
  3. 3Article (3) Owners of Real Property constructed within the Jebel Ali Free Zone o
  4. 4Article (4) A Register will be created in the Jebel Ali Free Zone for registrati
  5. 5Article (5) Mortgage contracts will be recorded in the Register chronologically.
  6. 6Article (6) A mortgage will be created by agreement of both contracting parties
  7. 7Article (7) An application for mortgage of Real Property signed by the owner of
  8. 8Article (8) Upon receiving a mortgage application, the Registrar must: 1. verify
  9. 9Article (9) Where the Registrar finds that the documents and details submitted t
  10. 10Article (10) The contracting parties will receive the mortgage deed signed by th
  11. 11Article (11) The rights recorded in the Register will remain unchanged until the
  12. 12Article (12) More than one mortgage may be created over the same Real Property.
  13. 13Article (13) A mortgage deed issued pursuant to the provisions of this Law will
  14. 14Article (14) A mortgage of Real Property will be terminated, and the relevant en
  15. 15Article (15) The Registrar must review the application for termination of mortga
  16. 16Article (16) Where the mortgagor defaults on repayment of his debt, or else base
  17. 17Article (17) Where the Real Property is sold in enforcement of a mortgage deed,
  18. 18Article (18) The following fees will be collected from the mortgagor: 1. Mortgag
  19. 19Article (19) Subject to the provisions of this Law, mortgage deeds recorded in t
  20. 20Article (20) This law will be published in the Official Gazette and will come in
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