Usufruct is a registered right to use and enjoy a property owned by someone else for a long fixed term in the UAE commonly up to 99 years including the right to benefit from it, for example by leasing it. The holder does not own the property itself.
Where you’ll see it
You’ll see usufruct where long-term rights over property are granted instead of freehold for instance in certain developments, or where foreign ownership of the land is restricted but long-term use is permitted. It is registered at the DLD like other property rights.
Why it matters
A usufruct gives many of the practical benefits of ownership for a long period, but it is time-limited and the property reverts to the owner at the end. Buyers need to understand the remaining term, renewal terms, and what they can and cannot do under the right.
What it is not
Usufruct is not freehold ownership and not a simple lease, it is a registered real right that can last decades and can usually be dealt with, within its terms. It differs from musataha, which centres on the right to build on land.
Example
An investor takes a long-term usufruct over a unit, giving them the right to occupy and lease it for the term registered at the DLD, after which the rights revert to the owner unless renewed.
Connected documents and parties
Usufruct agreement, registration record, title deed of the owner; owner, usufruct holder, DLD.
Going deeper: for how ownership and lesser rights are recorded, see the title deed guidance.
Related Terms
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Last reviewed: June 2026