Mortgage Registration in Qatar, Fees, Steps and Bank Limits

The mortgage shall be registered against a fee equivalent to a quarter per thousand (¼ ‰) of the value of the secured debt, which is a QAR 250 fee for each QAR 1 million, as specified under Minister of Justice Decision No. (5) of 2026 on specifying the fees for certain services provided by the Ministry of Justice.

In Qatar, a mortgage registration request can be filed by the lender via the Sak portal. This submission will then be considered by the Real Estate Registration Department, which shall then have the power to either accept or refuse said submission within a period of no more than two (2) working days.

This guide on mortgage registration in Qatar covers who can file, required documents, mortgage fees and how much the banks can lend.

What Does Mortgage Registration in Qatar Cover?

A mortgage registration records a contract between two parties about mortgaging a certain real estate property against a certain amount of money. For example, a bank may finance a buyer’s purchase of one of the villas for sale in Qatar. Mortgage is one of the Restriction Transactions at Sak, and the service is open to companies and individuals alike.

The first party is the mortgagee creditor (the lender), which can be an individual or a company such as a bank. The second party is the owner of the mortgaged property (the mortgagor), which can also be an individual or a company. Cancelling the mortgage is a separate application after the mortgage amount is fully paid.

Who Submits the Mortgage Request on Sak?

The applicant on Sak is the first party (the mortgagee creditor) and should exist in the Tawtheeq database (the National Authentication System), as access to Sak is through Tawtheeq credentials. Each party will be authenticated by QID number and its expiry date.

A representative may make a transaction on behalf of a party, and the representative will not be considered as one of the parties to this transaction. Also, if any signature is by power of attorney, a copy of the valid power of attorney should be added to the file.

What Documents Does Mortgage Registration Need?

Hukoomi mentions six categories of documents and attachments required for submitting an application for mortgage registration. These attachments include the following.

• Copy of the QID or passport for an individual
• Copy of a valid CR, establishment ID and commercial license in case of a company
• The original title deed
• Copy of the valid power of attorney where any of the signatories signs pursuant to a power of attorney
• Mortgage contract
• Any other required documents (where applicable), such as a determination of heirs, a letter from the General Authority for Minors’ Affairs or approvals from relevant entities

When rejecting a mortgage registration application, the department gives the reason for rejection. However, it is advisable to include all the required documents initially to save the trouble of a new application cycle.

How to Register a Mortgage on Sak Step by Step

The procedure below follows the steps issued by the Hukoomi portal to register a mortgage in Sak.

1. Log in to the Sak portal using Tawtheeq credentials.
2. Select Real Estate Registration Services, then Restriction Transactions, then select the mortgage service.
3. Select the applicant (first party mortgagee creditor).
4. If there is a contract number, enter the contract number and date.
5. Enter the details of the second party (the mortgagor, owner of the property).
6. Enter the transaction details, meaning the contract value (mortgage value), and identify the property.
7. Upload the concerned documents by clicking on the Add Attachment tab, and after the upload is completed click on the Save Attachments tab.
8. Pay the concerned charges and submit the request.

A Sak confirmation will be issued and a request number will be generated, stating that it’s waiting for the department’s approval.

How Much Does Mortgage Registration Cost in Qatar?

Decision No. (5) of 2026 sets the fee in Table No. (2), item 16.

16. Mortgage. One quarter per thousand of the value of the secured debt.Minister of Justice Decision No. (5) of 2026, Table No. (2), Real Estate Registration Fees

As per the minister’s Decision No. (5) of 2026 on specifying the fees for certain services provided by the Ministry of Justice, the fee payable to register a mortgage is 0.025% (one quarter per thousand) of the debt secured by such mortgage, and not its property value.

The decision was issued on 8 January 2026 and came into force the day after its publication in the Official Gazette, repealing the earlier 2018 decision on such fees.

Accordingly, the mortgage fee would be QAR 375 on a QAR 1.5 million loan, and QAR 1,000 on a QAR 4 million loan. Note that the Hukoomi Request to Mortgage Real Estate page, first published in 2021 and still in circulation, refers to an out-dated fee based on the debt or the value of the mortgaged property, whichever is less, plus fixed fees.

Refer also to Arady’s comprehensive guide to fees payable to the Ministry of Justice in respect of properties in Qatar for other fees.

How Long Does Mortgage Approval Take?

According to Hukoomi, once the request is submitted, the contract will be reviewed by the Real Estate Registration Department, which will then send a message to the parties concerned informing them of the status. The department approves or rejects the request within two working days, including reasons for its decision.

Once the request is approved, according to Hukoomi, the parties must go to a Ministry of Justice branch to complete the application. The transaction may also be completed at a Single Window branch or via the Ministry of Justice Sak app.

As of February 2025, the Ministry of Justice added processing mortgages and mortgage release to its recently updated Sak app. It added the option to deliver the title deed via Qatar Post.

How Much Can a Bank Lend on a Home in Qatar?

The Qatar Central Bank (QCB) has limits on the size and terms of mortgage loans given out by Qatari banks in Qatar to individuals to buy residential property (both ready and under-construction properties) and repay from sources of income other than the property. These were announced in July 2023.

These limits are given as a maximum loan-to-value ratio, which is the largest share of the property value a bank can lend, and the buyer pays the rest as a down payment.

Buyer	Home up to QAR 6 million	Home above QAR 6 million	Maximum term
Qatari	Loan up to 80%	Loan up to 75%	30 years
Resident	Loan up to 75%	Loan up to 70%	25 years

Maximum loan as a share of the property value. QCB limits for homes bought by individuals who repay from salary or other non-property income, announced in July 2023.

For example, a resident looking to buy an apartment costing QAR 2 million could get a mortgage of up to QAR 1.5 million, so the buyer would need a down payment of at least QAR 500,000. A Qatari buyer could get a mortgage of up to QAR 1.6 million.

There are further, lower limits on loans for investment properties, for commercial properties, and for people who aren’t resident in Qatar.

If a buyer obtains permanent residence in Qatar through owning the property (see Arady’s guide to residency through property ownership), the bank can extend the term to match a resident’s. Arady’s guide to where foreigners can buy property in Qatar has more detail.

The QCB limits also specify a maximum debt burden ratio of 75% of total salary for Qataris and 50% for expatriates. This refers to the share of salary that goes to debt repayments, so an expatriate earning QAR 30,000 a month could spend a maximum of QAR 15,000 a month on debt repayments.

Finally, the mortgage registration fee is a percentage of the loan amount, so a mortgage of QAR 1.5 million will cost QAR 375 to register.

How to Release a Mortgage After Repayment

After the mortgage is paid off, a separate request cancels the mortgage. Decision No. (5) of 2026 establishes that the cost of a mortgage release is QAR 100 under Table No. (2), item 22.

The upgraded Sak app also handles mortgage release. For owners who intend to sell after clearing the debt, Arady’s step-by-step guide on how to list a property for sale in Qatar covers the transfer at the Ministry of Justice.