Eligibility
Is my bonus considered for my mortgage?
Yes, most UAE banks consider annual bonuses and sales commissions, but they are treated as variable income rather than fixed salary. Banks generally average your bonus over the past 1-2 years and count only a portion of that average toward your qualifying income, rather than the full amount.
How bonuses and commissions are assessed
Unlike fixed salary or guaranteed allowances, bonus and commission income fluctuates, so banks apply a more conservative method to avoid overstating your ability to repay long-term. Typical practice includes:
- Averaging bonus income over the last 1-2 years using your salary certificates and bank statements
- Applying a discount factor (often 50-100% weighting, depending on the bank and consistency of the payments)
- Requiring evidence the bonus has been paid consistently rather than as a one-off
- For commission-based roles (e.g. sales), often assessing similarly to self-employed income with a longer track record required
Worked example
Say your basic salary is AED 20,000/month, and you received bonuses of AED 100,000 and AED 140,000 in the last two years. The average is AED 120,000/year, or AED 10,000/month. If the bank applies a 60% weighting, it adds AED 6,000/month to your qualifying income, bringing your assessed income to AED 26,000/month rather than AED 20,000. That extra AED 6,000 could add roughly AED 3,000/month to your maximum instalment under the debt burden ratio cap.
Why banks are cautious about variable income
A mortgage is a 15-25 year commitment, and the debt burden ratio cap of typically 50% of income is designed to ensure you can service the loan even if variable income drops. Counting a volatile bonus at face value could put you into a mortgage you can't sustain if the bonus doesn't repeat.
What strengthens a bonus-based application
- A consistent or growing bonus trend over 2-3 years, rather than a single large payout
- A written HR confirmation of the bonus structure and its recurring nature
- Bank statements clearly showing the bonus landing as a separate, identifiable credit
- A lower reliance on the bonus relative to your fixed salary, which reduces the bank's perceived risk
Making your bonus income count
Provide 2 years of salary certificates and bank statements clearly showing bonus payments, and if possible get a letter from HR confirming the bonus structure and its recurring nature. Compare lenders, since some banks weight bonus income more generously than others — see how it works with Lenddoo's free comparison.
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Last reviewed 12 July 2026
