What is Oqood registration? How to check your Dubai off-plan purchase

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A purchase-stage guide to Oqood: what registration is, who files it, what it costs, and how to confirm your off-plan purchase is officially recorded.

By CYRA Editorial Team · October 2026

Key Takeaways

1. Oqood registration enters an off-plan sale in Dubai Land Department’s interim property register. Signing the SPA does not register your purchase.

2. The developer files the registration through DLD’s Oqood portal, and DLD’s terms require the SPA to be registered within 90 days of signing.

3. DLD lists a 2% seller share and a 2% purchaser share of the sale value, 4% in total, plus AED 10 knowledge and AED 10 innovation fees. Your SPA can change who pays what.

4. The proof to ask for is DLD’s provisional registration e-certificate, not a reservation confirmation or a payment receipt.

5. Dubai REST shows how a project is progressing, but that does not prove your own unit is registered in your name.

Oqood registration records an off-plan property sale in Dubai Land Department’s interim property register. It gives you an official record of the purchase long before the unit is finished and a title deed is issued. A signed sale and purchase agreement (SPA) matters, but signing it does not register your purchase. [1][2]

If you’ve reserved a unit or are about to sign, you need answers to four questions: who registers the sale, what you’ll pay, when registration has to happen, and what proof you’ll get. This guide covers the purchase stage only. Handover and the switch to a title deed are covered in our handover guide.

What is Oqood registration, and why does it matter?

Law No. 13 of 2008 regulates Dubai’s interim property register, the record DLD keeps for off-plan sales before units move to the main property register. Under Article 3, any disposition of an off-plan unit must be entered in that register, and a sale or other disposition that transfers or restricts ownership or related rights is void unless it is entered. So registration has legal weight; it is more than an admin receipt. If you’re in a dispute, get legal advice on how that rule applies to your own transaction. [2]

Oqood is the name of DLD’s online portal for this process. Through its initial-sale service, developers register units sold off-plan, and land plots whose price has not been paid in full, in the provisional register. In practice you hand over the contract and your ID, and the developer files the application. [1]

Registration won’t guarantee that the building is finished on time, that the unit gains value, or that you can get a refund whenever you ask. Checking the project, confirming the escrow account and reading the contract carefully are separate jobs.

Oqood registration process: who does what?

DLD’s published process puts the developer in charge. The developer logs in to the Oqood portal, chooses the provisional sale registration service, selects the property, fills in the details, attaches the documents, picks a payment method and submits online. DLD then emails the result to the purchaser. [1]

Two people reviewing contract paperwork at a desk, one holding a pen over the documents

For an individual buyer, DLD asks for a copy of the SPA, a copy of a valid UAE ID and, for non-residents, a copy of a valid passport. If you’re buying through a company, the list is longer and depends on whether it’s a sole establishment, an LLC, a foreign company or a GCC company. [1]

Before you sign, ask the developer:

Who submits the registration, and who should you contact about it?
Which ID documents do they need from you?
How will joint buyers and ownership shares be recorded?
Which email address will the certificate go to?
What proof of submission and fee payment will you get?

When should the sale be registered?

DLD’s service terms say the SPA has to be registered in the provisional register within 90 days of signing, and both the developer and the purchaser must have signed it. [1]

DLD lists the processing time as one business day. Don’t read that as a promise that your certificate will arrive the day after you sign. Gathering documents, submitting, paying and fixing errors all take time. Note the signing date and the submission reference, and chase the developer well before the 90 days run out. [1]

Oqood fee Dubai: how much does registration cost?

DLD’s initial-sale service lists a 2% seller share and a 2% purchaser share of the sale value, 4% in total. It also lists AED 10 knowledge and AED 10 innovation fees, plus an AED 1,000 fee for developers who self-register a provisional sale through the Oqood developer portal. [1]

The share the law assigns to you and the amount your contract makes you pay can differ. Article 9 of the implementing bylaw says the developer and the purchaser pay their prescribed shares unless they have agreed otherwise. Read the SPA and ask for a written breakdown, because a headline “4% Oqood fee” won’t tell you every charge or who pays it. [3]

On a sale value of AED 1,000,000, the 4% comes to AED 40,000, or AED 20,000 for each 2% share before any change agreed in the contract. Check other charges separately, and don’t assume a developer’s admin fee is a government fee. The law only lets developers charge purchasers amounts that DLD has approved, so it’s fair to ask what a particular fee is for. [1][2][3]

Ask for an itemised statement showing the registration charge, any portal or admin charge, who pays each one, and what any promotional waiver actually covers. Keep your receipts, and check whether the registration fee has already been paid so you don’t pay it twice.

Oqood certificate: what should you receive?

DLD calls the output of the initial-sale service a provisional registration e-certificate and says it is emailed to the purchaser. Ask for that certificate. A reservation confirmation, a payment receipt or a statement from the developer’s own system is not the same thing. [1]

Check the certificate against your SPA and ID: buyer names, project and unit details, and any ownership-share or transaction information. Layouts change, so if a field is unclear, ask what it means rather than comparing it with a sample you found online.

Save the original file somewhere secure with your SPA, ID copies, submission reference and payment receipts. If the email hasn’t arrived, check which address you gave the developer, then ask in writing for the certificate and the application status.

How to check Oqood status

Ask the developer for the registration reference, the submission date and the provisional registration e-certificate, then compare the official record with your contract. Being told registration is “in progress” is not proof that it’s done. [1]

Dubai REST is DLD’s official real estate app. It includes a real estate wallet where owners can see their properties. If your account gives you access, compare what it shows with your certificate. Access and the records shown can vary, so don’t expect every buyer to see the same screens straight away. [4]

If you can’t find your purchase, contact DLD through its official channels and ask how to confirm your registration. Have the certificate or application reference and the property details ready, and share them securely. Not seeing the unit in the app doesn’t prove it’s unregistered, but it’s worth following up.

Project status is not your registration status

For off-plan projects, Dubai REST shows the completion percentage, photos of the site, the escrow account number and payments due. That helps you track the project, but it doesn’t show that your particular unit has been registered in your name. Treat construction monitoring and registration checks as two separate tasks. [4]

For the project-monitoring steps, see CYRA’s construction-progress guide. For wider checks before buying, see the off-plan due diligence guide.

Oqood vs title deed: the short answer

Oqood registration records the sale at the interim, off-plan stage. The title deed comes later: DLD has a separate Oqood service for completing the provisional procedures and issuing a title deed to parties who have met their contractual obligations. For final payment, clearance and handover, read CYRA’s handover guide. Initial registration is not the final deed. [5]

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between an initial contract of sale in Dubai and Oqood registration?

The contract is the agreement between you and the developer. Oqood registration enters that sale in DLD’s interim register. The signed SPA is one of the documents needed for registration; it doesn’t replace it. [1][2]

How can I get an Oqood certificate?

Ask the developer handling registration to confirm it has been submitted and that it has your correct email address. DLD emails the provisional registration e-certificate to the purchaser. If it doesn’t arrive, ask for the reference and the official certificate, and contact DLD if you still don’t have it. [1]

Can a non-resident buyer be registered?

Yes. DLD’s document list for individual buyers includes a copy of a valid passport for non-residents. Before signing, confirm that you’re eligible to buy that specific property and check the full document list. [1]

Does paying the fee mean my purchase is registered?

No. Paying the fee and completing registration are separate steps. Get the official certificate and check that it matches your purchase. Keep the payment receipt as evidence, but don’t treat it as the certificate. [1]

What should I do if registration is delayed?

Ask in writing for the submission date, the application reference, anything still outstanding and when it will be resolved. DLD’s terms give 90 days from signing to register the contract. If that deadline is close or has passed and you still have no proof, contact DLD and consider speaking to a UAE-qualified lawyer. Don’t stop paying instalments or cancel the SPA on your own based on guesses about what the delay means. [1]

Before you file the certificate away

Make sure you have the contract signing date, the name of whoever submitted the sale, a fee breakdown that matches your receipts, and the official provisional certificate with details that match your SPA. A reservation, a signed contract, a payment and a registration are four different milestones, and you should have proof of each.

General information only; not legal, financial or investment advice. Requirements checked against the official sources below on 8 October 2026. Reconfirm current fees and procedures before a transaction.