The interim real estate register is the official record in which off-plan property sales are registered with the Dubai Land Department before the project is completed. Off-plan units are recorded here — through the Oqood system — until they convert to the main property register on completion.
Where you’ll see it
You’ll encounter the interim register whenever you buy off-plan. The sale is registered there, producing the Oqood record, and the unit stays in the interim register through construction until a title deed is issued.
Why it matters
Registering off-plan sales in the interim register is a legal requirement that protects buyers, giving their purchase official recognition during the build. A sale that is not registered there leaves the buyer in a far weaker position.
What it is not
The interim register is not the main property register of completed title deeds — it holds units still under construction. It is also not optional; off-plan sales are required to be registered in it.
Example
When a developer sells a unit off-plan, the sale is recorded in the interim real estate register via Oqood; on completion, the unit moves to the main register and a title deed is issued.
Connected documents and parties
Oqood certificate, SPA; buyer, developer, DLD.
Going deeper: for registering an off-plan purchase, see the Oqood registration guidance.
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