What oqood means
Oqood (عقود, “contracts”) is the name of the Dubai Land Department system for the interim property register, which is governed by Law No. 13 of 2008. Every off-plan sale in Dubai is registered there, so the sale is recorded with the government even though the unit does not exist yet.
Registration matters: any sale or other disposition of an off-plan unit that is not entered in the interim register is void (Article 3).
Oqood vs title deed
| Oqood certificate | Title deed | |
|---|---|---|
| Stage | Off-plan, before completion | After completion and handover |
| Register | Interim property register | Real property register |
| Who registers it | The developer, through the DLD oqood portal | Issued by the DLD after completion and handover |
| What it proves | You bought the unit off-plan | You own the completed unit |
How you get it, and what it costs
- Sign the SPA
You sign the sale and purchase agreement (SPA) with the developer.
- The developer registers it
The developer registers the sale in oqood, and the DLD fee of 4% of the price is paid at this point, with small administrative fees. Many developers waived the 4% on new launches in 2026 (Betterhomes).
- You receive the certificate
You receive the oqood certificate, usually by email. You can also ask the developer for it.
- Title deed at completion
At completion, once the unit is paid as the SPA requires, the developer completes the initial procedures and the DLD issues the title deed (AED 250) and map.
Reselling before handover
When you resell before handover, the oqood moves into the buyer’s name at a DLD registration trustee office, after the developer issues its NOC. The DLD fee on the resale is 4% of the sale value, officially 2% seller and 2% buyer; the trustee fee is AED 4,000 + VAT for sales of AED 500,000 or more, AED 2,000 + VAT below.
Our full guide covers each step, every fee, the developer NOC and what happens if you stop paying: see “Selling off-plan before handover”.
Where DealExit fits
If you want to sell before handover, list your position on DealExit with your SPA and statement of account. Verified buyers see the full commitment together: cash to you, the instalments they take over and the total resale price.
DealExit does not process the NOC or the transfer and holds no funds. Official fees are paid at cost to the developer and the DLD, never to DealExit.