ABU DHABI · REGISTRATION
Buying on Al Reem or Al Maryah? Your registration does not go through DARI
Two of Abu Dhabi's most active islands sit under a different legal system from the rest of the emirate. Almost no area guide mentions it, and it changes the mechanics of your purchase.
Last updated 13 August 2026 Next update Q4 2026
THE JURISDICTION
Why these two islands are different.
Al Reem came under ADGM jurisdiction in April 2023 under Cabinet Resolution No. 41. Al Maryah has been under ADGM since inception.
Since 1 January 2025, property registration on Al Reem runs through the ADGM Registration Authority on the AccessRP platform, not ADREC and DARI. Under the ADGM Real Property Regulations 2024, all transfers, mortgage registrations, lease registrations and off-plan sales process through AccessRP under an English common law framework.
IN PRACTICE
What this means for you.
Where you register
You register the transfer with the ADGM Registration Authority rather than through DARI. The 2 percent fee still applies.
Co-ownership default
Where there are multiple owners, the default is tenants in common unless you agree otherwise, which differs from what many buyers assume.
Tenancy and mortgages
Tenancy registration also runs through AccessRP. Mortgage enforcement goes through ADGM Courts under common law.
In person
In-person services have been available at The Galleria Mall on Al Maryah since 9 February 2026.
What does not change
Foreign ownership rights. Both remain designated investment zones and both remain open to foreign freehold.
An English common law framework with its own courts is a genuine feature rather than a complication, particularly for international buyers and for anything held through a corporate structure. But it is a different process, and discovering that at the point of transfer is not the moment to learn it.
RELATED
Where to go next.
TALK TO US
Two ways this usually comes up.
You are buying on Al Reem or Al Maryah
Send us the project and the ownership structure you intend to use. We will walk you through the AccessRP steps and the co-ownership election before you sign.
WhatsAppYou already own there
If your title predates the transition, ask us what sits on the ADGM register today and what a resale or a refinance will actually require.
WhatsAppSources
- Cabinet Resolution No. 41 of 2023 extending ADGM jurisdiction to Al Reem.
- ADGM Real Property Regulations 2024, effective for registration from 1 January 2025.
- ADGM Registration Authority, AccessRP platform and Galleria service counter, 9 February 2026.