Title Deeds in Abu Dhabi: How to Get, Check and Transfer One on DARI

What is a title deed in Abu Dhabi and what does it show?

A title deed is the registered proof of ownership. It identifies the property (plot, building and unit number, area and location), the owner or owners and their shares, and the type of right held: freehold ownership, or a long-term right such as musataha or usufruct. Any registered mortgage is recorded against the property.

When a sale is registered through DARI, a new deed is issued in the buyer’s name; registration takes about three days and carries a 2% registration fee.

The tenure matters because foreigners can hold freehold only in the investment zones, and some plots there are held as musataha or usufruct. Our guides to buying as a foreigner and the freehold areas explain the difference, and the glossary defines each term.

How do you get a copy of your title deed on DARI?

Property Finder and Bayut describe the same steps (our DARI guide explains the platform itself):

1. Log in to DARI with UAE Pass, your Unified Number (UID) or your Emirates ID.

2. Open Services, then Certificates, then Title Deed Unit.

3. Select the property and continue. DARI confirms the request and sends the certificate.

Property Finder lists the fee as AED 0 and the service as taking about one working day. Someone acting for you needs a power of attorney, and a company owner may be asked for its trade licence. If you own on Al Reem or Al Maryah, request the certificate from the ADGM Registration Authority instead, since the Al Reem register moved to ADGM on 1 January 2025.

How do you check a seller’s title deed before you buy?

Before you pay a deposit, confirm that the person selling is the registered owner, that the unit is the one described and that nothing is registered against it. In practice:

1. Ask the seller for a current title deed certificate from DARI (or ADGM), not a photo of an old paper deed.

2. Match the owner’s name and ID with the seller, and every co-owner, or with a properly notarised power of attorney.

3. Match the plot, building, unit number and area with the unit you viewed.

4. Check the tenure: freehold, musataha or usufruct, and the remaining term of any right.

5. Ask whether there is a mortgage. If so, the sale must include the bank’s liability letter and release; see our selling guide.

6. Check that the listing carries a Madhmoun advertising permit, which is issued only for properties verified on DARI.

Your broker and the conveyancing process will check these again before transfer, but doing it early protects any deposit you pay.

How is a title deed transferred when you buy?

The sale is registered through DARI or TAMM, with buyer and seller present or represented. Once the fees are paid and the clearances are in place, the new deed is issued in the buyer’s name; Bayut reports that a transfer takes about three days.

Typical documents are IDs for both parties, the sale agreement, a service charge clearance and developer NOC, a recent site plan and a mortgage release letter if the seller has a loan. Our buying costs guide has the full fee list.

When do off-plan buyers get a title deed?

Not at purchase. An off-plan sale is entered in the Interim Real Estate Register, which protects the buyer during construction; an unregistered off-plan sale is not legally binding. After completion and handover, the interim registration is converted into a title deed once the price and fees are paid. Our handover and snagging guide covers the steps, and ready vs off-plan compares the two routes.

What happens to the title deed if you have a mortgage?

The deed is issued in your name, with the bank’s mortgage registered against the property. Bayut notes that where a mortgage is used, the bank keeps the original deed until the loan is repaid. When you sell or repay, the bank issues a release letter and the mortgage is removed from the register, after which the deed is clear. For individuals, early settlement fees are capped at 1% of the outstanding balance or AED 10,000, whichever is lower.

What about joint owners and inheritance?

Joint owners are each named on the deed with their shares, and all of them, or their attorneys, must take part in a sale. When an owner dies, the deed does not change by itself; heirs need the court’s succession documents, or a registered will, before the property can be transferred or sold. Our inheritance and wills guide explains the options, including registering a will with ADJD. If you are buying with someone else, our guide to buying property jointly explains how to choose the split on the deed.

*General information, not legal advice. Confirm current requirements with DARI, ADREC or ADGM before you act.*