The Director of Real Estate Transactions Management at the Dubai Land Department, Mohammed Yahya, stated that transferring ownership of off-plan properties (on the map) requires a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the developer, except for ready properties.

Yahya clarified, via the department’s account on the X platform, that the exemption for ready properties such as apartments, villas, and townhouses from the NOC is because the financial entitlements for these properties are recorded in the “Mullak” system, which indicates whether there are any outstanding financial dues on the property.

He pointed out that if there are any outstanding financial dues, the buyer has the right to proceed with the registration or to defer it until the dues are settled.

Yahya explained that for land and incomplete properties, obtaining an electronic No Objection Certificate from the developer is required, by the contractual requirements agreed upon with the developer. This certificate can be easily obtained through the “Dubai REST” application.