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Buying off-plan in Dubai, step by step

Off-plan means buying a unit before it is built. Dubai law protects your payments with a project escrow account, and the sale is registered with the Dubai Land Department (DLD) through its Oqood system.

Updated 25 October 2026 · By the Voxhala team · Sources: official UAE and Dubai government pages

1. Check the developer and the project

Under Dubai Law No. 8 of 2007, a developer must be entered in the DLD's Register of Real Estate Developers and licensed before selling, and needs the DLD's written authorisation before advertising off-plan units. The DLD's real estate project status search shows a project's status, completion, developer details and escrow bank. See our guide to checking a developer or project.

2. Sign the sale and purchase agreement (SPA)

The SPA is the contract between you and the developer. It sets the price, the payment plan, the expected completion and who pays which fees. The DLD requires it to be signed by both the developer and the purchaser before registration. Read it in full, in a language you understand, before you sign.

3. Pay only into the project's escrow account

Law No. 8 of 2007 requires an escrow account opened in the name of the project and used only for building that project, with a separate account for each project. Payments in it can't be seized by the developer's creditors. Before every payment, check that the account details match the project's escrow account, and never pay a personal account or an agent.

4. Registration in Oqood

The developer registers your purchase in the DLD's provisional register (Oqood). The DLD says the SPA must be registered within 90 days of signing, and the registration certificate is emailed to the purchaser. The DLD lists the fee as 2% of the sale value for the seller and 2% for the purchaser, plus AED 10 knowledge and AED 10 innovation fees. Your SPA sets out who pays what. See the real costs of buying.

5. If you need a mortgage

Under Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE) rules, the maximum loan-to-value for a property bought off-plan is 50%, whatever the purpose or value. Mortgage registration on an off-plan unit also needs a no-objection certificate from the developer, issued through the DLD's Dubai REST app. See mortgages for residents and non-residents.

6. Keep your documents

Keep your SPA, payment receipts showing the escrow account, and your Oqood registration certificate together. You'll need them for resale, a mortgage or handover.

Official sources

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