If you want to know how long to buy off-plan in Dubai, the short answer is that the stretch from EOI to Oqood registration fits into weeks, and the time to the keys is set by the handover date in the SPA. A booking may last a few days — in one published example, 7 days of exclusivity — and the developer has 90 days from signing to register the purchase with the DLD. The title deed arrives in about 6 working days once the building is finished and payments are complete. That is not a ready resale: there you check the title deed before you buy; off-plan the title comes at the end.
In this guide13 sections
- The two speeds of the timeline
- EOI: the first payment, with no unit secured
- Booking a specific unit
- Signing the SPA
- The 4% DLD fee and Oqood registration
- The payment plan during construction
- The escrow account and release by construction
- Construction: how to follow progress
- Pre-handover, snagging, keys and title deed
- After the keys
- How long to buy off-plan in Dubai from the UK or the US
- Things to keep in mind
- Frequently asked questions
| Stage | What happens | Typical timing | Who does it |
|---|---|---|---|
| EOI | You bid for a unit; it is not secured | Until launch | You and the developer |
| Booking | You hold one specific unit | A few days; one example, 7 | You and the developer |
| Sign the SPA | You sign the sale and purchase agreement | After booking; it depends | You and the developer |
| Oqood and 4% DLD | The sale is registered with the DLD | At most 90 days from signing | Developer, DLD and you |
| Payment plan | Instalments during construction | Until the SPA handover date | You |
| Escrow account | The bank releases funds as work advances | Throughout construction | Bank and developer |
| Construction | You follow progress in Dubai REST | Set by the SPA date | Developer |
| Handover and snagging | You inspect, pay the rest and get keys and title | Title in about 6 working days | You, developer, DLD and us |
The two speeds of the timeline
An off-plan purchase has two clocks. The first runs from the EOI to Oqood registration: booking, contract and DLD fees. That stretch fits into weeks. The second is construction: it lasts until the handover date in the SPA, and that changes from one project to another.
It is not the same process as a ready home. On a resale you pay the 4% on transfer day and leave with the title; the checklist is in check title deed before buying dubai. Off-plan you pay the 4% when you register and the title arrives with the keys. The comparison is in off-plan vs ready property dubai.
EOI: the first payment, with no unit secured
An EOI is a pre-launch payment to bid for a unit. It is neither a purchase nor a booking: it does not give you a right to a specific unit or oblige the developer to sell you one.
Units are allocated on launch day. If you are weighing the off-plan launch price Dubai against a later phase, that decision has its own guide.
You would normally get it back if you do not book, if you are not allocated a unit or if the launch is cancelled. In one published example the cheque is not cashed and is returned within 5 working days if you decide not to go ahead. In another, the full EOI is refunded if you ask in writing before signing the booking form or contract. If you do book, it is credited to the price.
Each developer sets the amount. Some ask for a fixed sum, for example AED 50,000. Refund terms and how to pay are in the guide to off-plan payment methods and EOIs. Read them before you pay.
Booking a specific unit
When you accept a unit you sign the booking form and pay the deposit. That is when you hold that home, for a few days. The EOI is applied to the price. The deposit, though, is usually not refunded if you walk away.
Timings are set by each developer. As an example, the terms of one large developer set 7 days of exclusivity, a 5% payment within that period and a further 24% within 25 days of the booking, before the contract. Others ask for 10% or 20% in one go. Have the down payment ready before you pay the EOI. We confirm it for each project.
Signing the SPA
The SPA is the sale and purchase agreement with the developer. It sets the price, the unit, the payment plan, the expected handover date and what happens if either side defaults. When you sign it you usually pay the plan’s down payment, if you did not already pay it at booking.
Read it in full before signing. The clauses that matter most are the handover date, the plan, the penalties and what happens if there is a delay. Detail is in the guide to the SPA contract.
You do not need to travel: you can sign remotely or grant a power of attorney to buy property in Dubai. The UAE is not in the Apostille Convention, so the power is legalised in a chain.
The 4% DLD fee and Oqood registration
The developer files the SPA in Oqood, the DLD’s interim register, within 90 days of signing. The DLD processes the application within one working day and the certificate is emailed to you. Check that your name, the unit and the price match the contract.
This is when you pay the 4% DLD fee on the price, which the rules split equally unless agreed otherwise. Off-plan the buyer usually pays it, so budget the full 4% if the contract does not say otherwise. AED 20 in fees is added. The process, step by step, is in the guide to oqood registration dubai and every amount is in the guide to dubai property buying costs.
| Item | AED | € | $ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sample EOI | AED 50,000 | €12,194 | $13,615 |
| DLD fee, 4% | AED 40,000 | €9,755 | $10,892 |
| Fees when registering in Oqood | AED 20 | €5 | $5 |
| Title deed, map and fees at handover | AED 520 | €127 | $142 |
Approximate figures, for illustration only.
If the developer is late, you can apply to the DLD yourself with the SPA and proof of payment.
The payment plan during construction
The payment plan splits the price between construction and handover. A 60/40 plan means you pay 60% before the keys, including the down payment, and 40% when you receive them. 50/50, 20/80 and 30/70 are also common. On a post-handover payment plan dubai, part of the price is paid in instalments after handover.
Each developer sets whether instalments follow dates or construction milestones. Choose a plan you can meet comfortably: if an instalment does not arrive, the DLD gives you 30 days to catch up. The types and a worked example are in the guide to dubai off-plan payment plans.
The escrow account and release by construction
Plan instalments go into the project escrow account. The bank only releases money when construction is shown to have reached each milestone, and 5% is held for one year after completion to cover defects. What that requires of the developer is in the guide to dubai escrow law; we do not repeat that definition here.
Before each transfer, check in Dubai REST that the account number on your payment letter is the project’s. Send the money in dirhams, with your unit reference. How to do it from your bank is in the guide to sending money to Dubai.
Construction: how to follow progress
While the building goes up you can see the completion percentage and project photos in Dubai REST or on the DLD website. If an instalment is tied to a milestone, the DLD recognises your right to know that percentage before paying.
If the developer is delayed or the project is cancelled, the SPA and the law set what you can claim. That is covered in the guide to dubai off-plan delays and cancelled projects, and we do not repeat it here. The date that counts is the one in the contract; we confirm it for each project.
Pre-handover, snagging, keys and title deed
When the project gets its completion certificate, the developer calls you for handover. You pay what is left of the plan and AED 520 to the DLD for the title deed, the map and the fees. The 4% is not paid again.
Before accepting the home it is worth doing the snagging: you walk the unit, list defects with photos and the developer fixes them. Then you get the keys and the DLD issues the title deed electronically, in about 6 working days from the developer applying with all payments made. The inspection list and warranties are in the guide to dubai handover snagging.
You do not need to be in Dubai that day: we coordinate handover and snagging with you and send you the inspection.
After the keys
With the title in your name you can rent out your property in Dubai on a long lease or apply for a dubai holiday home permit if you want a holiday let. If the purchase totals at least AED 2,000,000, it can open the path to a 10-year Golden Visa; confirm the current requirements with the DLD before buying with that aim.
How long to buy off-plan in Dubai from the UK or the US
The legal timeline is the same wherever you live. What changes is how you send money on time, how you sign if you do not travel and the time zone on launch day.
Buying from the UK
You pay in pounds for a home priced in dirhams. An international transfer can take several days, so send it with time to spare if the booking window is short, such as the 7-day example. Ask your bank to deliver the amount in dirhams and keep the contract or payment letter as a PDF: your bank may ask for them.
If you do not travel, you sign through a power of attorney legalised in a chain. Overseas rent may be taxable under HMRC. Dubai is 4 hours ahead in winter and 3 in summer.
Buying from the US
Paying in dollars has no currency risk. A bank transfer is not reported at customs. Report rent to the IRS and, if foreign accounts exceed $10,000, file an FBAR. New York and Miami are 9 hours behind in winter and 8 in summer.
Things to keep in mind
- An EOI does not secure a unit; read the refund terms before you pay.
- Have the down payment ready: a booking may ask for 5%, 10% or more within a few days.
- The SPA sets the handover date; the rest of the legal timeline fits into weeks.
- The 4% DLD fee is paid when the sale is registered in Oqood, at most 90 days after signing.
- Instalments go into the project escrow account, checked in Dubai REST.
- The title deed arrives at handover, in about 6 working days once payments are complete.
We stay with you at every stage, from EOI to keys: we review the project’s timings with you, prepare the documents and follow registration and handover.
To run the numbers on an example, try the Dubai off-plan ROI calculator or the rent estimator.
Frequently asked questions
How long to buy off-plan in Dubai?
The stretch from EOI to Oqood registration fits into weeks: a booking may last a few days and the developer has 90 days from signing the SPA to register it. Time to the keys is set by the contract handover date; the DLD issues the title deed in about 6 working days once the building is finished and payments are complete.
Does an EOI secure a unit?
No. It gives you the chance to take part in the launch. The unit is held when you sign the booking form and pay the deposit.
How long does an off-plan booking last in Dubai?
A few days, depending on the developer. In one published example there are 7 days of exclusivity, with 5% due in that period.
How long does Oqood registration take?
The developer has 90 days from signing the SPA, and the DLD processes it within one working day of filing.
When do I get the title deed on an off-plan purchase?
At handover, once the building is finished and you have made all payments. The DLD issues it in about 6 working days.
Can I buy off-plan in Dubai from the UK?
Yes. The legal timeline is the same; from the UK you send money in dirhams and, if you do not travel, you sign through a power of attorney legalised in a chain.
Can I buy off-plan in Dubai from the US?
Yes. Paying in dollars has no currency risk. Report rent to the IRS and file an FBAR if it applies.
