What are the age limits for getting a mortgage?

Minimum and maximum age rules

UAE banks apply age rules at both ends of the mortgage term:

• Minimum age to apply: typically 21
• Maximum age at loan maturity: typically 65 for salaried employees
• Maximum age at loan maturity: typically 70 for self-employed applicants
• Maximum loan term: 25 years, subject to the age-at-maturity cap

How age affects your loan term

If you're 45 and salaried, your maximum term is typically capped at 20 years (to reach age 65), not the full 25-year maximum. This is a common surprise for older applicants, since a shorter term means higher monthly repayments for the same loan amount.

How a shorter term changes your instalment

On a AED 1,500,000 loan at an indicative 3.89%, a 25-year term gives a monthly instalment of roughly AED 7,800, while a 10-year term on the same loan and rate rises to roughly AED 15,050 — nearly double, because the same principal is repaid over far fewer months. This is why applicants closer to the age cap need to check their debt burden ratio headroom carefully before assuming they'll qualify for the loan amount they want.

Ways to work around a tight age cap

• Apply jointly with a younger spouse to extend the effective term — see buying with your spouse
• Increase your down payment to reduce the loan amount and therefore the instalment
• Compare banks, since maturity-age policy can vary slightly by lender

Planning around the age cap

If age limits are tightening your options, consider a joint application with a younger spouse to extend the effective term, or use the mortgage calculator to compare monthly repayments across different term lengths.