How to Read a DLD Oqood Certificate in 2026: Field-by-Field Guide
- Published 31 Jul 2025
- Updated 10 November 2026
- 11 min read
- Data verified on 10 Nov 2026
In short
A DLD Oqood certificate is the provisional registration e-certificate the Dubai Land Department issues when your developer enters an off-plan sale in the Interim Property Register. Read it in five checks: owner details, project, unit and area, price, and registration references. The SPA must be registered within 90 days of signing, the fee is 4% of the price (2% + 2% by default), and the later title deed costs AED 250 plus map fees.
Dubai Land Department e-services, updated 3 Nov 2026 Ā· Law No. 13 of 2008 Ā· Resolution No. 30 of 2013
90 daysto register the SPA
Deadline for registering the sale contract in the provisional register
Source: Dubai Land Department, 3 Nov 2026
4%registration fee
Of the sale value: 2% seller + 2% purchaser unless the SPA says otherwise
Source: DLD; Resolution No. 30 of 2013
AED 250title deed at completion
Plus AED 250 map fee; no second 4% once the fee was collected
Source: Dubai Land Department, 3 Nov 2026
The Oqood records your off-plan purchase in the DLD Interim Property Register.Photo: Ā© VALORISIMO
In this article Ā· 9 sections
What is a DLD Oqood certificate?
An Oqood certificate is the Dubai Land Department’s proof that your off-plan purchase has been entered in the Interim Property Register. Reading it properly takes five minutes and can save you months of trouble at resale, mortgage or handover.
“Oqood” means “contracts” in Arabic. It is also the name of the DLD portal developers use to register off-plan sales. When the registration is done, the DLD issues what its service page calls a provisional registration e-certificate: that document is what buyers call the Oqood certificate.
The legal basis is Law No. 13 of 2008 on the Interim Property Register. Article 3 says any disposition of a unit sold off-plan must be entered in that register, and that a sale which transfers or restricts ownership is void unless it is entered. In plain terms: an off-plan purchase that is not on the interim register does not exist for the DLD.
Who issues it and when
You do not apply for the Oqood yourself. The developer registers the signed sale and purchase agreement (SPA) through the Oqood developer portal. The DLD’s conditions are short: the developer and the buyer both sign the SPA, and the contract must be registered in the provisional register within 90 days of signing. The output is sent electronically.
| Item | What the DLD states | Why it matters to you |
|---|---|---|
| Service | Request to register the initial sale (Oqood portal) | Only the developer can file it; chase them if it is late |
| Deadline | SPA registered in the provisional register within 90 days of signing | A useful date to put in your diary after signing |
| Registration fee | 2% of sale value from the seller and 2% from the purchaser | Many SPAs pass the full 4% to the buyer; read the fee clause |
| Fixed fees | AED 10 knowledge fee and AED 10 innovation fee | Small, but they appear on the payment receipt |
| Developer portal fee | AED 1,000 self-registration fee for a provisional sale | Charged to the developer by the DLD |
| Output | Provisional registration e-certificate | This is your Oqood certificate |
Source: Dubai Land Department, āRequest to register the initial saleā, page updated 3 Nov 2026; Executive Council Resolution No. 30 of 2013 (fee shared equally unless agreed otherwise).
How do you read an Oqood certificate, field by field?
Templates change over time and differ slightly between projects, but every Oqood certificate answers the same five questions: who owns what, in which project, for how much, registered when, and under which contract.
Work through it in this order, with your SPA, passport and payment receipts open next to it.
1. Owner details
Check the full legal name, nationality and passport or Emirates ID number of every buyer, and the ownership share if you bought jointly. These must match your passport exactly. A misspelt name or a wrong share is easy to fix now and painful to fix at resale, at mortgage approval or in an inheritance file.
2. Developer and project
The certificate names the developer and the project as registered with the DLD, usually with a project number. Use that number with the DLD’s free project status enquiry, available on the DLD website, the Dubai REST app and WhatsApp (8004488), to see the project’s completion percentage.
3. Unit details
Look for the unit number, building, floor, plot or land number, property type and area. The area is normally shown in square metres; multiply by 10.7639 to compare it with the square feet in a brochure. Article 12 of Law No. 13 of 2008 says the area of a sold unit is deemed correct, the developer cannot charge more if the area grows, and must compensate you if it shrinks by more than an inconsequential amount.
4. Price and payments
The purchase price should match the SPA to the dirham. Where payments are listed, compare them with your bank transfers and receipts. A missing instalment is a reconciliation issue to raise with the developer straight away, not at handover.
5. Registration and contract references
Note the registration number and date, and the SPA reference. These are the numbers a bank, a buyer’s agent or the DLD will ask for. Keep a PDF copy in two places.
| Field on the certificate | Check it against | Red flag |
|---|---|---|
| Buyer name, nationality, ID | Passport and Emirates ID | Any spelling or number difference |
| Ownership share | SPA (joint purchases) | Shares that do not add up to 100% or differ from the SPA |
| Developer and project name | SPA and DLD project status enquiry | Project you cannot find, or a different developer |
| Unit number, floor, building | SPA and floor plan | A different unit or tower |
| Area | SPA (convert mĀ² Ć 10.7639 for sq ft) | Area smaller than contracted |
| Purchase price | SPA | Any amount that differs from the contract |
| Registration number and date | Developer’s registration notice | Date more than 90 days after SPA signing |
Source: Valorisimo checklist based on DLD service conditions (updated 3 Nov 2026) and Articles 3 and 12 of Law No. 13 of 2008. Field names vary slightly by template.
What fees appear on an Oqood, and who pays them?
The financial section is where most buyer mistakes hide. It tells you what was registered, not what the developer’s sales team promised.
Under the DLD’s fee table the registration fee for a sale is 4% of the contract value. For off-plan units the DLD lists it as 2% from the seller and 2% from the purchaser, and Executive Council Resolution No. 30 of 2013 says the fee is shared equally unless agreed otherwise. In practice many SPAs state that the buyer pays the full 4%, and some developers absorb part of it as a launch incentive. Your SPA, not the brochure, decides.
What you pay once, and what comes later
The 4% is paid when the Oqood is registered. When the project is completed, the conversion to a title deed uses a separate DLD service whose fees apply “if the registration fee has been previously collected”: AED 250 for the title deed, AED 250 for the unit map, plus the AED 10 knowledge and AED 10 innovation fees. There is no second 4% at handover for the same purchase.
| Stage | Fee | Who pays (default rule) |
|---|---|---|
| Oqood registration (off-plan sale) | 4% of the sale value (2% + 2%) | Shared equally unless the SPA says otherwise |
| Knowledge and innovation fees | AED 10 + AED 10 | Applicant |
| Developer self-registration (Oqood portal) | AED 1,000 | Developer |
| Mortgage registered with an off-plan sale | 0.25% of the mortgage value | Borrower |
| Title deed at completion | AED 250 | Owner, once registration fee was collected |
| Unit map at completion | AED 250 | Owner |
Source: Dubai Land Department, āRequest to register the initial saleā, page updated 3 Nov 2026; DLD, āRequest to register a sale associated with an initial mortgageā; Dubai Land Department, āRequest to complete the initial procedures dataā, page updated 3 Nov 2026; Resolution No. 30 of 2013.
Two practical points. First, Article 7 of Law No. 13 of 2008 forbids developers from charging fees on a sale or resale other than administrative costs approved by the DLD, so ask for the legal basis of any “transfer” or “admin” charge you are quoted. Second, budget the other costs of buying separately: our guide to the hidden costs of buying property in Dubai lists them.
What can you do with an Oqood certificate?
An Oqood certificate is not a formality. It is the document that lets you resell, mortgage and eventually receive your title deed.
Article 6 of Law No. 13 of 2008 states that units sold off-plan and entered in the interim register may be disposed of by sale, mortgage or any other legal disposition. Without that entry, Article 3 makes the disposition void. That is why banks, buyers and the DLD all ask for the Oqood reference first.
- Resale before completion. The interim registration is what allows an off-plan unit to change hands; most developers also require a minimum share of the price to be paid and issue a no-objection certificate first.
- Mortgage. The DLD has a dedicated service to register a sale with an initial mortgage; its output is a mortgage provisional registration certificate, and the mortgage fee is 0.25% of the loan.
- Escrow protection. Law No. 8 of 2007 requires off-plan payments to go into an escrow account opened in the project's name and used only for that project.
- Completion. Article 8 of Law No. 13 of 2008 requires developers to move completed projects to the main register once they receive the completion certificate, in the names of buyers who met their obligations.
What the Oqood does not prove
It does not prove the building is finished, that you have paid in full, or that the developer will deliver on time. For the first, use the DLD project status enquiry; for the second, your statement of account; for the third, the SPA and the escrow rules. Investors who want to compare launches before committing can use our guide to UAE property payment plans.
How do you check that an Oqood is genuine?
Never rely on a screenshot or a PDF sent by a third party. Verify directly with the DLD.
The DLD offers several self-service checks. Its title deed verification service, on the DLD website and the Dubai REST app, confirms the validity of a Certificate of Title, which matters once your unit is completed. Its property status enquiry, on the same two channels, returns a property’s status from data such as the area and land number, and the project status enquiry shows a project’s progress. For an off-plan unit, also ask the developer for the DLD registration notice that accompanies your certificate.
| Check | Official channel | What you learn | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property status | DLD property status enquiry (website, Dubai REST) | Status of a property from its area and land number | Immediate |
| Project progress | DLD project status enquiry (website, Dubai REST, WhatsApp 8004488) | Completion percentage and project details | Immediate |
| Title deed validity (after completion) | DLD title deed verification (website, Dubai REST) | Whether a Certificate of Title is genuine | Immediate |
| Developer status | DLD list of approved developers | Whether the developer is registered | Immediate |
| Escrow account | DLD certified escrow agents and escrow account details | Bank and account linked to the project | Immediate |
Source: Dubai Land Department e-services pages, updated 3 Nov 2026.
Signs that something is wrong
Be cautious if the developer asks you to pay the registration fee in cash or to a personal account, if registration is still missing well after 90 days, or if the project does not appear in DLD records. Article 10 of Law No. 13 of 2008 makes any off-plan contract in a project not approved by the competent authorities null and void.
Where does the Oqood fit in the 2026 off-plan market?
The Oqood is the first DLD document in your file, not the last. Here is how it fits into the full off-plan journey in 2026.
Off-plan sales still dominate Dubai. Developer (primary) sales accounted for 149,153 of 215,608 registered transactions in 2025 and for 25,482 of 37,664 in the third quarter of 2026, according to DXBinteract’s analysis of DLD records. Each of those primary deals needs an interim registration.
| Period | All registered sales | Developer (primary) sales | Primary share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 2025 | 215,608 | 149,153 | 69% |
| Q1 2026 | 47,946 | 33,775 | 70% |
| Q2 2026 | 38,479 | 28,716 | 75% |
| Q3 2026 | 37,664 | 25,482 | 68% |
| October 2026 | 11,937 | 7,609 | 64% |
Source: DXBinteract analysis of Dubai Land Department records, yearly, quarterly and October 2026 reports, retrieved 10 Nov 2026. Primary sales are sales by developers, mostly off-plan.
From EOI to title deed
The usual sequence is: expression of interest or booking, SPA signature, Oqood registration (within 90 days), payments into escrow during construction, completion certificate, then conversion to a title deed through the DLD’s “complete the initial procedures data” service, which the DLD says takes 6 business days. If you are at the very start, read our EOI guide for off-plan buyers, and for the market backdrop our Dubai real estate market report.
What should you do after receiving your Oqood?
If the SPA is the promise, the Oqood is the receipt. Check it once carefully, and keep the reference numbers safe until your title deed arrives.
If something on your certificate looks wrong, write to the developer first, quoting the SPA and the field to correct. If they do not act, the DLD’s complaints channel is the next step. Do not resell, mortgage or sign a handover document while the certificate still contains an error.
- Same day: compare every field with your passport and SPA.
- Within a week: look up the project in the DLD project status enquiry and note its completion percentage.
- Every quarter: reconcile your statement of account with your payments.
- At completion: make sure all payments are recorded, then follow the conversion to a title deed and verify it on Dubai REST.
Watch out
The certificate shows what was registered, not what was promised. Payment plans, handover dates and resale conditions live in the SPA, and the termination rules for late payment are set by Article 11 of Law No. 13 of 2008 as amended, under which a developer may keep part of what you paid. Read those clauses, and check the current legal text with a UAE-qualified lawyer, before you sign or before you stop paying an instalment.
Frequently asked questions
What is an Oqood certificate in Dubai?
It is the Dubai Land Department’s provisional registration e-certificate for a unit bought off-plan. It proves your sale is entered in the Interim Property Register created by Law No. 13 of 2008. The developer files it through the Oqood portal, and the SPA must be registered within 90 days of signing.
How much does Oqood registration cost?
The DLD registration fee is 4% of the sale value, listed as 2% from the seller and 2% from the purchaser, plus AED 10 knowledge and AED 10 innovation fees. Resolution No. 30 of 2013 splits it equally unless agreed otherwise, and many SPAs make the buyer pay all 4%.
Is an Oqood the same as a title deed?
No. The Oqood records an off-plan sale in the interim register. The title deed is issued from the main property register after completion. Conversion uses a separate DLD service costing AED 250 for the title deed and AED 250 for the map, with no second 4% if the fee was already collected.
Can I sell or mortgage a property with only an Oqood?
Yes. Article 6 of Law No. 13 of 2008 allows units entered in the interim register to be sold, mortgaged or otherwise disposed of. Developers usually set a minimum paid share before issuing a no-objection certificate, and a mortgage registered with the sale carries a 0.25% DLD fee.
How do I verify an Oqood certificate?
Use official channels only. The DLD project status enquiry on its website, the Dubai REST app or WhatsApp 8004488 shows the project’s progress, and the property status enquiry checks a unit from its area and land number. After completion, the DLD title deed verification service confirms your Certificate of Title is genuine.
Figures are indicative as of the date shown: check them with official sources before any decision.
- For information only; this is not tax, legal or financial advice.
