Quick Answer: When you sign an off-plan SPA in Dubai, the developer has to register it with the Dubai Land Department’s Oqood system within 60 days. That registers you as the beneficial owner in the DLD’s Interim Property Register, a placeholder that converts into a permanent title deed once the project is finished and handed over.
Off-plan buyers in Dubai are often surprised to learn they don’t get a title deed at the point of purchase. Instead, the Dubai Land Department uses a separate system called Oqood to register off-plan sales before a project is even finished, and understanding how it works is really the difference between knowing your unit is legally protected and just trusting the developer’s paperwork.
This guide walks through what actually happens between signing your Sale and Purchase Agreement and getting your final title deed, what fees show up at each stage, and where buyers most often go wrong.
60 Days
Maximum window for a developer to register your SPA with Oqood
4%
Standard DLD registration fee on the property’s purchase price
1
1. What Oqood Registration Actually Is
Oqood is the DLD’s electronic system for registering off-plan property transactions in Dubai’s Interim Property Register, which is separate from the register used for completed, ready properties. When a developer sells you a unit that hasn’t been built yet, Dubai law requires that sale to be formally registered with the DLD, and Oqood is what makes that happen.
Registration under Oqood does two things. It creates an official, government-recorded link between you and the specific unit, and it gives you standing to raise a dispute with RERA, the Real Estate Regulatory Agency, if the developer fails to deliver as agreed. Without it, your claim to the unit exists only in a private contract with the developer, with no government record standing behind it.
2. The Full Process: SPA to Title Deed
Reserve the unit and pay the booking deposit
Typically 5 to 10% of the purchase price, paid directly to the developer or into the project's escrow account to hold the unit while the SPA is being prepared.
Sign the Sale and Purchase Agreement (SPA)
This is the binding contract that sets out the unit specification, payment plan, and expected completion date. It's also the document the developer uses to register you with Oqood.
Developer submits Oqood initial registration to the DLD
This has to happen within 60 days of the SPA being signed. It creates your entry in the Interim Property Register and generates an Oqood registration certificate.
Pay the DLD registration fee
The standard rate is 4% of the purchase price, due at the point of Oqood registration. Confirm with the developer whether this is already included in the price or billed separately.
Continue installment payments into the project's escrow account
Off-plan payments in Dubai must legally go into a RERA-registered escrow account tied to that specific project, released to the developer only as construction milestones are verified.
Project reaches completion and handover happens
Once the building gets its completion certificate and the unit is handed over, the DLD deregisters it from Oqood's Interim Property Register.
Permanent title deed is issued in your name
This is the final, definitive proof of ownership recognised by the DLD, and it replaces the interim Oqood registration entirely.
3. Fees: What You Actually Pay and When
| Fee | Amount | When Paid |
|---|---|---|
| DLD Registration Fee (Oqood) | 4% of purchase price | At initial Oqood registration |
| Oqood Admin Fee | Fixed nominal fee, varies by transaction | At initial Oqood registration |
| Title Deed Issuance Fee | Fixed nominal fee | At handover, when the title deed is issued |
| Developer / Broker Commission | Typically 0% (developer-paid) | Not usually charged to the buyer on off-plan deals |
Watch for “DLD Fee Waived” Promotions
Developers often advertise covering the 4% DLD fee as a sales incentive. Get this confirmed in writing in the SPA itself. A verbal promise from a sales agent that never made it into the signed contract won’t hold up if the developer bills you for it later.
4. What Protects Your Money Along the Way
Two separate protections work together during the off-plan period. Oqood registration protects your legal claim to the unit itself, while the project’s RERA-mandated escrow account protects your payments from being misused by the developer before construction milestones are actually met.
- Confirm the project has an active, DLD-registered escrow account before paying any installment beyond the initial booking deposit
- Never pay installments directly to a developer’s operating account or a sales agent’s personal account
- Ask for your Oqood registration certificate once the developer submits registration. Don’t just take the signed SPA as proof
- If a project is significantly delayed past its contracted handover date, your Oqood registration is what gives you standing to file a complaint with RERA
5. Common Registration Mistakes to Avoid
- Assuming registration happened automatically. Ask for the Oqood certificate directly. Don’t assume the developer completed this step just because time has gone by.
- Paying the 4% fee twice. Confirm in writing whether the advertised price already includes the DLD fee before paying it again at registration.
- Treating the SPA as sufficient proof of ownership. The SPA is a private contract. Oqood registration is the government record. You need both.
- Not verifying the escrow account number. Every legitimate off-plan project has its own DLD-registered escrow account. Verify the details independently rather than trusting a number sent only through email or WhatsApp.
6. Reselling Before Handover: Assignment Sales
Selling an off-plan unit before handover is called an assignment sale, and it can only go through once the original buyer’s Oqood registration is fully complete. The DLD requires the developer’s No Objection Certificate and processes the assignment as a transfer within the Interim Property Register. The new buyer becomes the Oqood-registered owner, and the process repeats until the project reaches handover and a title deed is finally issued.
Informal “Contract Assignment” Side Deals Offer No Protection
Some resellers try to hand over an off-plan unit through a private side agreement without going through the DLD’s formal assignment process. That’s not legally recognised. The original buyer stays the Oqood-registered owner of record, and the new buyer has no enforceable claim to the unit.
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Buying Off-Plan? Get Your Registration Verified
Our advisors at Prime Bullions Properties confirm your Oqood registration, escrow account, and payment schedule at every stage, so you always know exactly where your money and your paperwork stand.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Oqood registration in Dubai?
Oqood is the Dubai Land Department’s system for registering off-plan property sales before construction is finished. Once you sign a Sale and Purchase Agreement for an off-plan unit, the developer registers it in the DLD’s Interim Property Register through Oqood, which legally records you as the beneficial owner until the project is complete and a permanent title deed can be issued.
Is Oqood registration mandatory for off-plan property?
Yes. Every off-plan unit sold in Dubai has to be registered with Oqood by the developer, usually within 60 days of the SPA being signed. Without that registration, a buyer has no legally recognised claim to the unit on record with the DLD, which leaves them with no regulatory protection if a dispute comes up with the developer.
How much does Oqood or DLD registration cost?
The standard DLD registration fee is 4% of the purchase price, due when Oqood registration happens. Some developers run promotions where they cover part or all of this fee, but buyers should always get it in writing whether that 4% is included in the price or billed separately.
What's the difference between Oqood and a title deed?
Oqood registration is an interim record proving you’re the registered buyer of an off-plan unit that’s still under construction. A title deed is the final, permanent ownership document, issued once the project is complete and the Dubai Land Department deregisters the unit from Oqood and registers full ownership in your name. Think of Oqood as a placeholder and the title deed as the real thing.
How long does Oqood registration take after signing the SPA?
Developers are required to register the sale with Oqood within 60 days of signing the SPA. In practice, well-run developers get it done within a few weeks. It’s worth asking for your Oqood registration certificate as proof, and following up directly with the developer if you haven’t seen it within that window.
Can I sell an off-plan property before Oqood registration is complete?
No. A unit has to be fully Oqood-registered in the seller’s name before an assignment or resale can go through the Dubai Land Department. Trying to sell before registration is complete, or through an informal side agreement, offers no legal protection to either party and isn’t recognised by the DLD.