Oqood

A buyer signs a contract for an apartment that has not been built, and the developer should register that initial off-plan sale through DLD's Oqood process. The buyer should verify the resulting provisional certificate and the exact unit details against official records.

DLD's initial-sale service identifies the developer as applicant, the Oqood portal as channel and a provisional registration e-certificate as output, while its FAQ discusses project tracking and dispute scenarios, and these official pages support the process without relying on any claim about a particular system version's launch date. Distinguish Oqood from title: a provisional registration is not the final deed of a completed unit, and each serves a different stage.

Check the developer, since the seller in the contract and the registered developer should match or have a documented authorised relationship. Check the unit too, because project, plot, floor, number and area need to correspond to the signed sale and a near-identical unit is not enough.

Verify the certificate by requesting the DLD output and confirming authenticity through available official channels, since a developer PDF alone may be stale or altered. Read the sale contract, because registration does not replace the signed terms on price, instalments, specification, delay and default.

Understand timing by asking when submission occurs and how the buyer receives evidence, and do not assume booking alone means the sale is registered. Check fees, since DLD's current service page lists seller and purchaser shares and other administrative charges, and the contract may allocate payment responsibilities, so verify current amounts before a transaction.

Record receipts by keeping proof of instalments, registration charges and escrow transfers, which matter if records later diverge. Check project status and escrow, because DLD offers project tracking information, a registered sale is not proof that construction is on schedule, and project registration and escrow rules are separate from the buyer's provisional sale certificate.

Avoid a blanket protection claim: Oqood helps establish a recorded interest, but a refund or remedy depends on law and contract facts, and a terminated project can involve regulator and court processes whose outcome and timing Oqood alone does not specify. Consider resale and mortgages, since transferring an off-plan interest may require developer consent, fees or further registration, and a provisional interest may be subject to financing arrangements, so the lender, seller and DLD records should align.

Review buyer identity and co-owners, because names, passport or company details and ownership shares on the certificate should match the actual purchasers and errors should be corrected promptly. Watch amendments, as unit changes, price changes or assignment can require updates and an old certificate should not be relied on after a revised contract, and plan final registration, since completion, payment and other conditions can precede issuance of final title.

Separate Ejari, which concerns tenancy registration, from Oqood, which concerns provisional off-plan sale registration, and use official project identifiers because a marketing name may change. Avoid unverified deadlines, keep identity and purchase records secure, seek local advice on disputes, and treat Oqood as a Dubai registration channel and record at the off-plan stage to be used alongside separate checks on project, escrow and contract risk.