Dubai Land Department (DLD)

Major functions of DLD:

• Registration and title control: DLD records every registered property and issues title deeds that prove legal ownership.
• Project registration and oversight: developers must register projects and open regulated escrow accounts before selling off‑plan; DLD audits these registrations.
• Market data and enforcement: DLD publishes transaction statistics, enforces compliance with RERA rules and provides dispute‑resolution channels to prevent fraud and double‑selling.

Why this matters for UK buyers?

Thanks to DLD’s public registers and project controls, they increase transparency compared with many unregulated markets, UK investors can verify title status, check whether a project is registered and see official transaction records before committing funds, enabling a more secured adn confident transaction.

• Offer & Contact: buyer and seller (or developer) agree terms; off‑plan sales are recorded via "Oqood".
• Escrow & Payment: developer payments for off‑plan projects are held in a regulated escrow account tied to the project registration.
• Transfer & Registration: on completion or resale the transaction is registered with DLD and a title deed is issued; the DLD transfer fee and admin charges are paid at this stage.

DLD has introduced digital services (e.g., Digital Sale via "DubaiNow" / "REST") that allow many transactions to be completed online or paperless, speeding transfers for prepared buyers and enabling remote completion for international investors.

• Oqood Registration: registers the buyer’s contract in the government system so the unit cannot be double‑sold and payments are tracked.
   
• Escrow Accounts: developers must place buyer payments into a project‑specific escrow account overseen by a custodian; funds are released to construction stages only, reducing developer default risk.

Well protected for investors and home buyers:

These protections significantly reduce project risk. Due diligence on the developer’s track record, independent legal checks and monitoring of escrow activity remain essential.

An Escrow Account is a project‑specific bank account that holds buyer payments for off‑plan developments. It is a central protection mechanism in Dubai’s regulatory framework.

 Developers must set up an escrow account tied to a registered project and an approved custodian. The buyer funds are held there and released to the developer only as verified construction milestones are met, which reduces the risk that sales proceeds will be diverted to unrelated projects or operating costs.
 

What it does?

Holds purchaser payments securely; links funds to a single project; enforces staged releases against construction progress.

Legal basis:

Escrow requirements are part of DLD/RERA project registration and are audited as part of the project approval process.

Buyer protection:

Prevents double‑use of funds, enables refunds or retention mechanisms if milestones are missed, and creates a clear audit trail for regulators and buyers.

The DLD transfer fee is a one‑time charge equal to 4% of the property sale price/value, payable when ownership is transferred and the title deed is issued.

Legally the fee is often described as split between buyer and seller (2% each) in official guidance, but market practice commonly sees the buyer paying the full 4%.

Oqood is DLD’s digital registration system for primary (off‑plan) sales that records the buyer’s contract as an official government entry, while the building is under construction. It functions as interim proof of ownership and prevents unregistered or duplicate sales.

How it works:

The developer submits the sales contract and buyer details to the Oqood portal. Once they are registered, the buyer receives an Oqood certificate that links the buyer, units and developer in DLD’s records.

Differences between Oqood & Title Deed:

• Oqood is a contract‑level registration for off‑plan purchases;
• Title deed is the permanent ownership document issued after completion and final transfer.