Oqood and title deed: what each one means

Two words come up again and again when you buy off-plan in Dubai: Oqood and title deed. They are different documents, for different moments. Knowing which one you hold is a small piece of knowledge that makes you feel more in control.

The Oqood

When you buy a home that is still being built, the sale is registered with the Dubai Land Department in what is called the provisional register. The developer registers the sale, and the result is an e-certificate sent to the buyer by email. This registered contract of sale is what people call the Oqood.

The Dubai Land Department's page for this service says the sale contract is signed by the developer and the buyer and registered within 90 days of signing. Payment of the registration fees can be made through the Noqodi wallet or from the escrow account.

In plain words: the Oqood is the official record that your purchase exists and is registered under your name, while the building is still going up.

The title deed

The title deed comes later. It is the document that shows ownership of a completed property. For an off-plan buyer, it follows once the building is complete and the purchase is settled. Each project follows its own steps, so ask what they are.

Why the difference matters

• Some processes ask for the title deed. The Golden Visa application, for example, lists the title deed or e-certificate of title among its documents.
• Mortgages, resale and transfers follow steps that depend on which document you hold.
• Keeping your documents in order makes everything later easier.

What I would do

• Ask the developer when your Oqood will be issued, and check it against your contract.
• Keep a digital and a paper copy, together with every payment receipt.
• Ask in advance what happens between handover and the title deed.

For family offices and larger investors

If more than one person or entity is involved, make sure the names on the contract and on the Oqood are exactly as intended. Decide how the property will be held before you sign, not after, and take advice from your own legal and tax advisers on that. Keep a single register of every unit, with its Oqood, its payment schedule and its expected handover, so the whole portfolio can be seen on one page.

If you would like to talk it through before you decide, you are welcome to contact me.

Sources: Dubai Land Department, Request to register the initial sale (dubailand.gov.ae); Dubai Land Department, Golden Visa application, Investor (dubailand.gov.ae). Checked on 24 October 2026. Rules and fees change, so confirm for your own purchase.