The Dubai title deed and Oqood, explained: unregistered means not valid.
// Short answer
In Dubai, registration is the purchase. The Dubai Land Department keeps the Property Register and issues the title deed, and a disposition not recorded there is not valid. An off-plan unit goes first on a separate interim register, Oqood, and moves to a title deed once the project is complete. Tenancies have their own register, Ejari.
Rules and rates as of September 2026, for Dubai unless another emirate is named. Freehold areas are extended by amendment and fees are set by each emirate, so check the dated items again before you sign. Every figure links to its source.
On this page
What is a Dubai title deed?
It is the certificate of your entry in the Property Register kept by the Dubai Land Department. Under Article 9 of Law No. 7 of 2006, dispositions are not deemed valid unless recorded in that register. The DLD charges AED 250 for the title-deed certificate on a resale.
On a resale, the DLD audits the transaction and emails the registration certificate once the transfer is entered at a trustee office.
Sources
What is Oqood in Dubai?
Oqood is the DLD's interim register for off-plan units. Under Article 3 of Dubai Law No. 13 of 2008, any sale or other disposition of an off-plan unit must be entered in the Interim Property Register, or it is void. The developer registers the sale where full payment has not yet been received.
For the registration, individuals supply a copy of the sale and purchase agreement and an Emirates ID copy, or a passport copy if non-resident. Commercial guides say Oqood registration must be done within 90 days of signing; that deadline was not found in the DLD pages or the statute text, so ask the developer for proof of registration rather than relying on a date.
Sources
How does an Oqood registration become a title deed?
Under Article 8 of Law No. 13 of 2008, the developer must enter a completed project in the permanent Property Register once it receives the completion certificate. The DLD may then register the unit in the buyer's name, provided the buyer has met all contractual obligations.
So the Oqood entry protects the sale during construction, and the title deed follows completion and full payment.
What does registering an off-plan sale cost?
The same 4% transfer fee as a resale, officially 2% buyer and 2% seller, plus AED 10 knowledge and AED 10 innovation fees. A developer using the Oqood portal pays an AED 1,000 self-registration fee. Commercial sources also quote a service-partner fee, which the DLD page did not list.
Every resale fee in one table: UAE property buying costs.
What is Ejari?
Ejari is the DLD system for registering tenancy contracts in Dubai. The tenant, or a representative with power of attorney, registers the contract. It costs about AED 177.75 through the Dubai REST app or website, or about AED 220 at trustee centres.
The online figure breaks down as AED 100 registration, AED 10 knowledge fee, AED 10 innovation fee and AED 55 service-partner fee, plus VAT. Ejari is an administrative record; for Corporate Tax it does not count as a business licence.
Sources
What does the DLD need to register a resale to a foreigner?
A valid passport for a non-resident, or an Emirates ID for a resident, and in a freehold zone a no-objection certificate from the developer. If the seller's property is mortgaged, the transfer uses three manager's cheques and a mortgage-release step. A power of attorney is accepted.
The step-by-step purchase: buying property in Dubai as a foreigner.
Sources
// Buying in United Arab Emirates?
Every listing in your budget, ranked on net yield, appreciation and resale. Any market with public listing data; book a free call first so I can confirm your city has the data.
See the $499 report, page by pageFrequently Asked Questions
Is Oqood the same as a title deed?
What happens if an off-plan sale is not registered in Oqood?
How much does a Dubai title deed certificate cost?
Who registers Ejari, the landlord or the tenant?
Is a Dubai sale valid before registration?
Header photo: https://pixabay.com/users/bulletrain743-3598825/, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons. All credits: image credits.