Oqood Dubai 2026: Registration, Fees & Title Deed Guide
Oqood is Dubai Land Department’s system for registering off-plan property transactions. When you buy an off-plan property in Dubai, the transaction is recorded in DLD’s interim property register before the property is completed and a final Title Deed is issued. Oqood provides official evidence of the registered off-plan transaction and is a core part of Dubai’s buyer-protection framework.
Last verified: August 2026. Primary source: Dubai Land Department (dubailand.gov.ae).
Oqood at a Glance
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What is Oqood? | DLD’s system for registering off-plan property transactions in the interim property register |
| Who uses it? | Buyers of qualifying off-plan property in Dubai |
| Issued by | Dubai Land Department |
| Property stage | Off-plan / under construction |
| Final document | Title Deed, issued after handover once the developer completes final registration |
| Registration handled by | The developer submits the sale for registration via the Oqood portal; DLD records it in the interim register |
| Registration deadline | Within 90 days of signing the sale contract, per DLD’s official process |
| Can foreigners register? | Yes, subject to the property being in a designated freehold area and standard DLD ownership rules |
| Where to check it? | Dubai REST app or the DLD Oqood portal |
What Is Oqood in Dubai?
Oqood (Arabic: عقود, meaning “contracts”) is the Dubai Land Department’s system for registering the sale of off-plan property — units or plots whose value has not yet been fully paid — in the interim (provisional) property register. It is issued once the developer submits the signed sale and purchase agreement (SPA) to DLD through the Oqood portal.
Oqood is not a Title Deed. It is official evidence that your off-plan purchase has been recorded with DLD. Once the project is completed and the developer finalizes registration, Oqood is replaced by a Title Deed in your name.
Why Is Oqood Important When Buying Off-Plan?
Before Oqood existed, off-plan sales in Dubai were harder to verify, which left room for disputes such as a single unit being sold to more than one buyer. Registering the sale with DLD creates a single, centralized record of who purchased which unit and on what terms, which:
- Gives buyers official, DLD-recorded evidence of their purchase
- Reduces the risk of a unit being sold to multiple parties
- Creates a paper trail DLD can reference if a dispute arises
- Works alongside Dubai’s escrow account rules, which govern how developers can use buyer payments during construction
Who Needs Oqood Registration?
- Buyers purchasing an off-plan apartment, villa, or plot directly from a developer
- Investors buying a primary off-plan unit before it is completed
- Anyone reselling or transferring an off-plan unit before handover
Ready (completed, secondary-market) properties do not go through Oqood — those transactions are registered directly against a Title Deed.
How Does Oqood Registration Work?
The journey from booking a unit to holding a Title Deed generally follows this sequence:
- Booking — you reserve a unit with the developer, usually with a booking payment.
- Sale and Purchase Agreement (SPA) — you and the developer sign the SPA setting out price, payment plan, and handover terms.
- Developer submits registration — the developer files the sale through the Oqood portal, within 90 days of signing the contract per DLD’s published process.
- DLD interim registration — DLD records the transaction in the interim property register.
- Oqood output issued — confirmation is issued electronically to the buyer.
- Construction continues — the developer draws on the project’s escrow account against verified construction milestones.
- Completion and handover — the project is completed and handed over to buyers.
- Title Deed issued — the developer completes final registration with DLD and a Title Deed is issued in the buyer’s name.
What Documents Are Required?
Per DLD’s published requirements for registering an off-plan sale, buyers typically need:
- A copy of the signed sale and purchase contract
- A valid Emirates ID (for UAE residents)
- A valid passport copy (for non-residents/foreign buyers)
Company buyers face additional requirements, including a valid trade license, ID or passport of the license holder, power of attorney where relevant, and (for foreign companies) a No Objection Certificate. The developer compiles and submits these documents to DLD as part of the Oqood filing — confirm the exact checklist with your developer or DLD before signing.
How Much Does Oqood Registration Cost?
Per DLD’s published service fees for registering an initial (off-plan) sale, the registration fee is 2% of the sale value paid by the seller and 2% paid by the purchaser — commonly quoted together as roughly 4% of the property value, plus AED 10 in knowledge fees and AED 10 in innovation fees. In practice, contracts often allocate some or all of this 4% to the buyer, so confirm the split with your developer before signing.
Some developers and trustee offices also charge their own processing or admin fees on top of the DLD registration fee — these vary by developer and are not a fixed DLD charge, so ask for the exact figure in writing before you pay.
Keep Oqood registration costs separate from other purchase costs. Real estate agent commission (typically around 2%) is a separate cost of the transaction, not part of the DLD Oqood registration fee, and shouldn’t be added into an “Oqood-related total.” For an AED 750,000 property, for example, DLD’s Oqood registration fee works out to roughly AED 30,000 (4%) plus AED 20 in knowledge and innovation fees — agent commission, developer admin fees, and any mortgage registration fee are separate line items on top of that.
Oqood vs Title Deed: What’s the Difference?
| Oqood | Title Deed | |
|---|---|---|
| Property stage | Off-plan / under construction | Completed and registered property |
| Registration type | Interim (provisional) registration | Final registration |
| Issuing authority | Dubai Land Department | Dubai Land Department |
| Typical use | Evidence of a registered off-plan sale | Legal proof of full, registered ownership |
| Mortgage financing | Only some banks offer construction-phase financing against Oqood | Standard mortgage financing widely available |
| Resale / transfer | Possible before handover, subject to developer and DLD requirements | Standard resale/transfer process |
How to Check Your Oqood Registration
Using the Dubai REST app:
- Download the Dubai REST app and log in (UAE Pass or a registered account)
- Go to the property services section and select your off-plan property or search by transaction details
- Review the registration status, payment schedule, and unit details shown against DLD’s records
Using the DLD Oqood portal:
- Visit DLD’s Oqood portal (accessible via dubailand.gov.ae)
- Enter your transaction ID, SPA reference, or property details as prompted
- Confirm the registration and payment history matches what your developer has told you
If you can’t find your unit registered and it has been more than 90 days since you signed the SPA, contact your developer first — see the section below on what to do if your Oqood hasn’t been registered.
Can You Sell an Off-Plan Property With Oqood?
Yes, off-plan resale before handover is generally possible in Dubai, but it isn’t automatic. In practice it typically requires:
- A No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the developer, which developers may condition on a minimum percentage of the purchase price having been paid — this threshold is set by the individual developer’s policy, not a fixed DLD-wide rule, so confirm it directly with your developer
- Settling any outstanding fees owed to the developer or DLD
- Completing the transfer through DLD’s registration process, with the new buyer’s details recorded against the unit
Because resale conditions vary by developer and project, treat any specific payment percentage you’re quoted as project-specific guidance rather than a universal Oqood rule.
What Are Your Cancellation & Refund Rights?
Cancelling an off-plan purchase in Dubai is governed by specific legislation — primarily Law No. (13) of 2008 Regulating the Interim Real Property Register, as amended by Article 11 of Law No. (19) of 2020, together with Law No. (8) of 2007 concerning escrow accounts for real estate development. The rules depend heavily on the circumstances, and DLD is directly involved in the process — a buyer cannot simply cancel and expect an automatic, fixed refund.
If a developer moves to cancel for buyer default, the law sets out a defined process rather than an outright right to keep all funds: DLD must first verify the alleged breach, serve the buyer a notice giving 30 days to remedy it, and attempt mediation. Only after DLD confirms the breach and the project’s construction completion percentage can the developer terminate the agreement. How much the developer may retain from amounts paid then depends on how far construction has progressed:
- Construction more than 80% complete: developer may either retain all amounts paid and claim the outstanding contract balance from the buyer, or terminate and retain up to 40% of the unit’s value
- Construction 60–80% complete: developer may terminate and retain up to 40% of the unit’s value — the “retain all and claim balance” option above is only available once construction passes 80%
- Construction under 60% complete (work started): developer may retain up to 25% of the unit’s value
- Work not yet started, for reasons beyond the developer’s control: developer must refund all amounts paid
Where the developer terminates and retains a capped percentage, any balance above that amount must be refunded to the buyer — generally within one year of termination, or within 60 days of the unit being resold to another buyer, whichever comes first.
If a project is cancelled by RERA — for example due to the developer’s non-performance — the developer must refund all payments made by buyers, under Law No. (8) of 2007 governing escrow accounts.
Because the applicable outcome depends on your specific contract terms, construction progress, and the reason for cancellation, confirm your exact position with DLD or a qualified real estate lawyer before assuming a particular outcome.
What Happens to Oqood at Handover?
At handover, the developer completes final registration of the completed unit with DLD. Once that’s done, your Oqood interim registration is replaced by a Title Deed issued in your name, provided all payments under the SPA have been settled and any outstanding fees are cleared. This typically follows shortly after the project receives its completion certificate, though exact timing depends on the developer’s registration process.
What If Your Oqood Has Not Been Registered?
DLD’s published process requires the sale contract to be registered in the interim register within 90 days of signing. If that window has passed and you can’t find your unit registered via the Dubai REST app or DLD Oqood portal:
- Contact your developer’s sales or customer care team first and ask for written confirmation of the registration status
- Check that the SPA and payment details on file match what you signed
- If the developer doesn’t resolve it, raise the issue directly with DLD, which can confirm whether the registration was filed
Don’t assume a delay means anything specific about your legal position — confirm the facts with DLD or a qualified advisor before drawing conclusions.
Oqood and Project Escrow Accounts
Oqood registration and project escrow accounts are related but separate parts of Dubai’s off-plan framework, and it’s worth keeping them apart:
- Oqood is the record of your specific sale in DLD’s interim property register — it’s about your transaction.
- The escrow account, regulated separately under Law No. (8) of 2007, is the mechanism through which all buyer payments for a project are held and released to the developer only against verified construction milestones — it’s about how the whole project’s funds are controlled.
Both exist to protect off-plan buyers, but Oqood doesn’t itself hold or release your money — the escrow account does.
Oqood for Foreign Property Buyers
Foreign buyers can register off-plan purchases through Oqood in Dubai’s designated freehold areas, following the same DLD process as UAE nationals and residents, with the documentation noted above (passport copy, SPA, and any company documents where relevant). For a fuller look at ownership rules for non-resident buyers, see our guide to buying property in Dubai as a foreigner.
Common Oqood Problems & What Buyers Should Check
- Incorrect buyer details — check your name, passport/Emirates ID number, and unit details match your SPA exactly.
- Registration delay — if you’re past the 90-day window with no confirmation, follow up with your developer in writing.
- Payment or SPA mismatch — confirm the payment schedule shown against Oqood matches what you actually signed and paid.
- Certificate not visible online — check both the Dubai REST app and the DLD Oqood portal before assuming an error.
- Resale/transfer restrictions — confirm your developer’s NOC requirements before agreeing to sell an off-plan unit.
FAQs
What is Oqood in Dubai?
Oqood is Dubai Land Department's system for registering off-plan property sales in the interim property register. It provides official evidence that your off-plan transaction has been recorded with DLD before a final Title Deed is issued at handover.
Is Oqood the same as a Title Deed?
No. Oqood is an interim registration for off-plan property, while a Title Deed is the final ownership document issued by DLD after the property is completed and the developer finalizes registration.
How much is the Oqood registration fee in Dubai?
DLD's published fee for registering an off-plan sale is 2% of the sale value from the seller and 2% from the purchaser, commonly quoted together as roughly 4%, plus AED 10 in knowledge fees and AED 10 in innovation fees. Contracts often allocate some or all of this to the buyer, so confirm the split with your developer.
Who pays the Oqood fee — buyer or developer?
DLD's fee structure splits the registration fee between seller and purchaser (2% each). In practice, many developer contracts pass some or all of this cost to the buyer, so check your specific SPA.
How can I check my Oqood registration online?
Use the Dubai REST app or the DLD Oqood portal, entering your transaction ID, SPA reference, or property details to confirm your registration and payment history.
Can I sell an off-plan property before receiving a Title Deed?
Generally yes, subject to a No Objection Certificate from your developer and completing the transfer through DLD. Developers commonly set their own conditions, such as a minimum amount paid, so confirm the exact requirements with your developer rather than assuming a fixed rule.
What happens to Oqood after property handover?
Once the developer completes final registration at handover and all payments are settled, your Oqood interim registration is replaced by a Title Deed issued in your name.
What should I do if my property is not registered in Oqood?
DLD requires the sale contract to be registered within 90 days of signing. If that window has passed and you can't confirm registration via the Dubai REST app or DLD Oqood portal, contact your developer in writing first, then escalate to DLD if it isn't resolved.
Buying Off-Plan Property in Dubai?
Pearlshire’s current residential developments include Bond Enclave in Arjan and Bond Living in DLRC. Buyers can review project details, payment plans, and registration information directly with the Pearlshire team.
For the full buying journey from booking through handover, see our guide to booking, Oqood and handover in Dubai. First-time buyers may also find our complete roadmap to buying property in Dubai useful, alongside our guide to RERA, buyer rights and escrow rules. If you’re exploring residency options tied to property investment, see our Golden Visa through property guide.
