Who can buy property in Kuwait?
Updated
Owning real estate in Kuwait is, by law, for Kuwaitis — with exceptions for citizens of the other Gulf states and, on conditions, for other Arab nationals. For most expatriates the answer is no.
Kuwaiti citizens may own property (Decree-Law 74 of 1979). Citizens of the other GCC states are treated like Kuwaitis. Other Arab nationals may own one property, on conditions that start with an Amiri decree. Everyone else cannot buy; a non-Arab who inherits a property must sell it within a year. Registering a sale costs 0.5% of the price.
Not a valid document. Estimate for information only — not financial advice, not an offer of credit and not a bank document. Errors are possible. Only your bank's or finance company's official offer letter, contract and statements are binding.
Who may own what
| Buyer | May own property? |
|---|---|
| Kuwaiti citizen | Yes — Decree-Law 74 of 1979 limits real-estate ownership to Kuwaitis |
| Citizen of another GCC state | Yes, treated like a Kuwaiti (a bill approved by the National Assembly in December 2003 (the resulting law's number could not be confirmed)) |
| Other Arab national | One property, on conditions led by an Amiri decree allowing it |
| Any other foreigner | No; a property inherited by a non-Arab must be sold within a year |
The National Assembly's summary of the 1979 decree-law is our source for the conditions; the number of the law resulting from the 2003 bill could not be confirmed on an official page. Check your own case with the Ministry of Justice before you pay a deposit.
What buying costs
- Registering the sale at the Ministry of Justice: 0.5% of the sale price. The Ministry's page does not say whether buyer or seller pays — agree it in the contract.
- Broker, mortgage registration, bank fees: we found no official figure — enter your own estimate in the calculator.
- VAT: Kuwait has no VAT (checked 2026-10-11).
- Tax on income, rent or gains: we found no official statement either way for individuals — check before you rely on it.
- A housing loan stops at KWD 70,000 — see Kuwait housing loan rules.
Example (our assumption): a home of KWD 250,000 bought with the largest housing loan, KWD 70,000, with the buyer paying the fee. Registration fee KWD 1,250; your own cash on the day KWD 181,250 before broker and lender costs. Your own numbers: costs of buying a home · housing loan calculator · rental yield and ROI.
For most expatriates: renting
If you cannot buy, the rent law protects you instead (Law No. 35 of 1978 as amended):
- The lease must be in writing.
- Without agreement, the rent court may set the rent to the market level at most once every 5 years, and one revision may raise it by at most 100%.
- A landlord may end a home lease after 5 years only with at least 3 months' notice before the last year ends; otherwise the lease runs 5 more years.
Compare the two: rent or buy?
Questions people ask
Can expatriates buy property in Kuwait?
Most cannot. Decree-Law 74 of 1979 limits owning real estate to Kuwaitis. Citizens of the other GCC states are treated like Kuwaitis, and other Arab nationals may own one property on conditions led by an Amiri decree.
Can GCC citizens own property in Kuwait?
Yes — a bill approved by the National Assembly in December 2003 (the resulting law's number could not be confirmed) lets citizens of the other GCC states own property and treats them like Kuwaitis.
What happens if a foreigner inherits property in Kuwait?
In Kuwait, a non-Arab foreigner who inherits a property must sell it within a year.
What does registering a property purchase cost?
Kuwait's Ministry of Justice sale registration fee is 0.5% of the sale price. Its page does not say who pays; we found no official figure for broker or mortgage-registration costs.
Is there VAT or tax on property in Kuwait?
Kuwait has no VAT (checked 2026-10-11). On tax on individuals' income, rent or gains we found no official statement either way — check before you rely on it.