What is primary registration in Dubai real estate?

In Dubai real estate, primary registration refers to the initial registration of an off-plan property purchase with the Dubai Land Department (DLD). It applies to properties bought directly from a developer before the project is completed.

Once a buyer signs the Sales and Purchase Agreement (SPA) and pays the initial amount, the property is registered in the Initial (Oqood) Registry under the buyer’s name.

When the project is completed and handed over:

  • The developer registers the project with DLD

  • The property is transferred from the primary (Oqood) registry to the Real Estate Registry

  • The buyer receives the ownership (title) certificate


Primary registration is an essential legal step to protect off-plan property buyers and ensure that their purchase is recognized by the DLD during the construction phase.

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