The Dubai property transfer process involves Dubai Land Department (DLD), Real Estate Registration Trustee offices and, for many off-plan projects, escrow account banks. For buyers and sellers, especially non-residents, the main question is: when you send a large payment, who is holding it, and on what legal basis? EGSH helps clients navigate these procedures so that payments and registrations are completed correctly under DLD systems.
This article explains the roles of DLD, Registration Trustee offices, and authorised escrow account banks, using DLD’s own published procedures. It distinguishes between the transaction amount (purchase price), DLD registration fees and off-plan instalments, and shows how DLD’s remote property registration, smart remote payment services and real estate escrow account regime are designed to protect participants in Dubai real estate transactions.
Dubai Land Department: Custodian of Registration and Title Deeds
The Dubai Land Department is the government entity responsible for registering real estate transactions and issuing property title deeds for Dubai. Every sale, transfer or other registrable disposition must ultimately be recorded in DLD’s official property register, and the title deed it issues is the authoritative proof of ownership. All channels and initiatives described below are built around this central registry function.
To streamline the Dubai property transfer process, DLD has introduced “one step through one channel” registration, where buyers and sellers can complete documentation, fee payment and title issuance through approved centres. Even when procedures are handled at a Registration Trustee centre, DLD remains the authority that validates the transaction and updates the official database.
DLD has also implemented a remote property registration system and smart remote payment services. Under these systems, registration data can be submitted electronically, transaction details are verified by Registration Trustees, official DLD registration fees are settled through defined channels, and DLD issues the title deed once its controls are satisfied. Throughout, Dubai Land Department registration remains the final step that makes the transfer legally effective.
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What Is a Real Estate Registration Trustee Office?
A Real Estate Registration Trustee office is licensed by DLD to complete client property registration transactions on its behalf. These offices operate under DLD's Real Estate Registration Services Department and are part of DLD’s service model, not independent registries.
Registration Trustee offices in Dubai use the same official property database as DLD. When a transaction is processed at a Trustee centre, the data is entered directly into DLD’s system, so the resulting title deed and records are identical to those issued at a DLD headquarters counter. This allows DLD to extend its reach while maintaining central control over the register.
At real estate registration trustee centres, the process typically starts when the seller and buyer submit the required legal documents. A DLD team working from those centres reviews and approves the documents. Once the paperwork is cleared, DLD registration fees are paid via a certified bank cheque, while the Registration Trustee’s own service fees are paid through the Trustee’s payment portal. Only after these steps does the Registration Trustee issue the new title deed through DLD’s system.
Because they can operate beyond DLD’s standard office hours and provide additional customer-facing capacity, Registration Trustee Dubai offices function as convenient, regulated access points to official Dubai real estate registration services rather than an alternative to the Dubai Land Department.
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Who Actually Holds Your Money? DLD, Registration Trustee or Escrow Bank
The answer to “who holds my Dubai property deposit?” depends on the type of payment (registration fees, transaction amount, off‑plan instalments) and the DLD mechanism used. DLD’s publications describe three distinct situations: in-person registration via Registration Trustee centres, remote property registration using a DLD guarantee (escrow) account, and off-plan purchases funded through project-specific real estate escrow accounts.
Scenario 1 – Fees And Title Transfer At A Registration Trustee Centre
For a standard in-person Dubai property transfer process at a Registration Trustee centre, DLD explains that the sequence is: document submission, DLD review, payment of DLD registration fees and Trustee service fees, then issuance of the new title deed. DLD’s fees are paid by certified bank cheque, while the Registration Trustee’s service fees are collected through its payment portal.
Under DLD’s smart remote payment services, customers may send documents to the Registration Trustee electronically, after which the Trustee verifies requirements, calculates DLD registration fees and provides its account details so that these fees can be deposited into the Trustee’s account. The Trustee then deposits DLD’s fees into DLD’s bank account (if they were not paid directly through Dubai Pay) and pays them through Dubai Pay for title deed issuance.
In this scenario, a Registration Trustee can temporarily receive DLD registration fees and its own service fees, but it does so under DLD’s supervision and for the limited purpose of executing registration. DLD’s published materials do not describe the Trustee as the long-term holder of the Dubai property transaction amount; how the purchase price itself is transferred between buyer, seller, and their banks depends on their contractual arrangements and should be confirmed with qualified advisers.
Scenario 2 – Remote Property Registration And DLD’s Guarantee (Escrow) Account
In DLD remote property registration, the handling of the transaction amount is defined much more precisely. DLD states that the transaction details are first sent to the Registration Trustee, which verifies the property information, the identities of the parties and the transaction amount. Only after this verification does the financial stage begin.
Once verification is complete, the buyer transfers the transaction amount to a guarantee (escrow) account managed by the Dubai Land Department. During remote registration, therefore, it is DLD itself, via this DLD guarantee account, that holds the Dubai property deposit or purchase price on trust for the transaction until the transfer is authenticated.
After remote registration is finalised and the transfer of the property deed from seller to buyer is authenticated in DLD’s system, the transaction amount is released from the Dubai Land Department escrow account to the seller’s bank account, typically within three working days. This structure links payment directly to registration outcome: the seller sees funds only once DLD has confirmed that the title has been transferred, while the buyer’s funds are not released unless the change of ownership is completed.
Scenario 3 – Off-Plan Purchases And Real Estate Escrow Accounts
For off-plan property purchases, DLD uses a different mechanism: the real estate escrow account Dubai regime. DLD defines a real estate escrow account as a designated account established for depositing funds received from buyers of off-plan properties or project financiers, to regulate construction and development processes and protect investors’ rights.
All real estate developers in Dubai are required to open real estate escrow accounts for their projects to comply with DLD and Dubai RERA escrow regulations. Only banks authorised by DLD as escrow account trustees may operate these accounts, and such banks must open a separate escrow account for each real estate development project. Each account is allocated exclusively to the implementation of that project.
In this context, the buyer’s instalments or “deposits” for an off-plan unit are held by the authorised escrow account trustee bank, not by a Registration Trustee or by DLD directly. The Dubai Land Department escrow framework dictates that project funds in the escrow account can be released only in line with regulatory rules linked to construction progress and other safeguards, adding a layer of protection for buyers funding developments that are not yet complete.
Who Holds Which Funds?
| Transaction Type | Payment Type | Who Holds The Funds | Based On DLD Mechanism |
|---|---|---|---|
| In-person resale via Registration Trustee | DLD registration fees + Trustee fees | Temporarily: Registration Trustee; ultimately remitted to DLD for registration | Registration Trustees + smart remote payment services |
| Remote property registration (resale) | Transaction amount / purchase price | DLD-managed guarantee (escrow) account until title transfer is authenticated | DLD remote property registration system |
| Off-plan property purchase | Off-plan instalments / “deposit” | Project-specific real estate escrow account at authorised escrow bank | Real estate escrow account regime (developers’ projects) |
Practical Checks: How to Confirm Where Your Money Is Held
Before sending any substantial deposit or fee for a Dubai property, buyers and sellers can run a few practical checks to confirm which entity is holding their money and for what purpose. These checks align with the mechanisms DLD has described in its own publications.
First, confirm whether your resale transaction is using the DLD remote property registration system. If so, the payment instructions for the transaction amount should clearly refer to a guarantee (escrow) account managed by the Dubai Land Department, with funds held there until DLD authenticates the title transfer. You should receive confirmation when the amount is transferred and when it is released to the seller.
For off-plan units, verify that your payment instructions specify a real estate escrow account opened with a bank authorised by DLD as the escrow account trustee, and that the account name and number are specific to the development project. You can request written confirmation of the project escrow details and keep these with your sale and purchase agreement.
Where Registration Trustees request DLD registration fees under DLD’s smart remote payment services, ensure that the account details and payment channels match those formally identified as belonging to the Registration Trustee or DLD (for example, Dubai Pay). Retain receipts and confirmations showing that DLD registration fees were paid and that the title deed has been issued. Through EGSH, you can have these steps handled on your behalf, with consultants coordinating with the relevant Registration Trustee and DLD channels.
Whenever any part of the Dubai property transfer process is unclear, contact DLD through its official communication channels, visit a DLD or Registration Trustee centre listed by DLD, or seek advice from a regulated professional. The descriptions in this article are informational and based on current DLD publications; procedures and systems may be updated by DLD.
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Understanding the Roles Behind Your Property Payment
DLD is the authority that registers real estate transactions and issues Dubai property title deeds, and, in specific systems such as remote property registration, it temporarily holds the transaction amount in a DLD-managed guarantee (escrow) account until the transfer is authenticated. Registration Trustee offices are licensed channels that execute and complete registration transactions, process documentation, and, in some cases, collect and remit DLD registration fees under DLD’s smart remote payment framework, while working entirely on DLD’s official systems.
For off-plan developments, DLD and RERA require that buyers’ funds be deposited into separate, project-specific real estate escrow accounts at DLD-authorised banks, which act as escrow account trustees and release funds in accordance with regulatory criteria. Understanding whether you are paying DLD, a Registration Trustee or an authorised escrow bank – and whether the payment relates to registration fees, the transaction amount or off-plan instalments – allows you to match your paperwork to DLD’s published mechanisms.
Before making any payment, check the exact account name, its described purpose, and any references to DLD guarantee accounts, project escrow accounts or Registration Trustee accounts for DLD registration fees. For complex or high-value transactions, consider using EGSH or another regulated service provider to coordinate with DLD and the relevant Registration Trustee, and always treat this article as general information rather than legal or financial advice.
Frequently Asked Questions on Registration Trustees, DLD and Deposits
Does a Registration Trustee Hold My Dubai Property Purchase Deposit?
DLD describes Real Estate Registration Trustee offices as licensed entities that execute and complete registration transactions, collect DLD registration fees under DLD’s supervision and use the official DLD property database. They may temporarily receive DLD registration fees and their own service fees, especially under DLD’s smart remote payment services, but DLD documents do not define them as long-term holders of the Dubai property transaction amount. The handling of the wider purchase price depends on the agreed transaction structure and should be confirmed with your bank or adviser.
Is My Money Safer With DLD Than With a Registration Trustee in Dubai?
Registration Trustee offices are part of DLD’s service delivery framework: they are licensed and monitored by DLD’s Real Estate Registration Services Department and operate on the same official property database. Whether you attend DLD directly or a Registration Trustee centre, the Dubai Land Department registration outcome and title deed are issued through DLD’s system. Protection of funds is mainly achieved through DLD-approved mechanisms, such as the DLD guarantee account for remote registration and regulated real estate escrow accounts for off-plan projects.
What Is the Difference Between a DLD Guarantee Account and a Real Estate Escrow Account?
A DLD guarantee (escrow) account is used in the DLD remote property registration system to temporarily hold the full Dubai property transaction amount while DLD verifies and authenticates the title transfer; once completed, the amount is released to the seller, usually within 3 working days. A real estate escrow account, by contrast, is a project-specific account at an authorised escrow account trustee bank for off-plan developments, into which buyers’ instalments and project financing are deposited and from which funds are disbursed according to DLD and RERA rules linked to project implementation.
Who Holds My Off-Plan Property Instalments in Dubai?
For off-plan property, DLD requires all real estate developers in Dubai to open escrow accounts for their projects with banks authorised as escrow account trustees. Each project has its own escrow account, into which buyers’ instalments and related funds are deposited and administered by the authorised bank. The developer accesses these funds only as permitted under DLD and RERA regulations governing construction and investor protection.
How Does The DLD Remote Property Registration System Hold My Funds?
Under the DLD remote property registration system, once the Registration Trustee has verified the property and the agreed Dubai property transaction amount, the buyer transfers that amount to a DLD-managed guarantee (escrow) account. DLD then completes the remote registration and authenticates the transfer of the property deed from seller to buyer. After this authentication, the funds are released from the DLD guarantee account to the seller’s bank account, typically within 3 working days, so they are tied directly to successful registration.
What Account Do I Pay My Dubai Property Registration Fees Into?
According to DLD’s smart remote payment services, customers can send documents to a Registration Trustee, which will verify them, calculate DLD registration fees and provide account details so the registration fees can be deposited into the Trustee’s account. The Trustee then deposits those fees into DLD’s bank account, and DLD registration fees are paid through Dubai Pay to issue the necessary bonds and title deed. In other cases, you may pay DLD registration fees directly via Dubai Pay or at a DLD service counter; always ensure the instructions clearly indicate DLD or a DLD-licensed Registration Trustee.
Where Can I Check Current Procedures Or Verify Account Details?
You should rely on DLD’s official channels, such as its website, call centre and listed service centres, to confirm the latest Dubai property transfer process and any DLD property deposit arrangements. You can also verify the status of a Real Estate Registration Trustee office through DLD’s official lists and speak to staff at those centres about proper payment channels. EGSH can coordinate with DLD and Registration Trustees on your behalf, but for transaction-specific account details and up-to-date rules, final confirmation should always come from the Dubai Land Department or its authorised service partners.
Reviewed by
Muneer Juma Al Balushi
Real Estate Registration Trustee Consultant
Muneer Juma Al Balushi has six years of experience in the real estate registration system of the Dubai Land Department. He specialises in accurate, secure, and legally compliant property registration.
This article is intended to provide general information based on official UAE sources, and does not constitute personalised legal advice. Before acting, applicants should verify the current rules and fees directly with the relevant authority or an authorised service centre.
