DLD (Dubai Land Department)

The Dubai Land Department (DLD) is the government authority responsible for everything related to land and real estate in the emirate of Dubai: it maintains the property register, issues title deeds, records sales, mortgages, gifts and leases-to-own, collects transfer fees, and supervises the sector through its regulatory arm, RERA. Practically every property transaction in Dubai passes through the DLD or one of its approved registration trustee offices — buying or selling a home, registering a mortgage, transferring property to a family member, registering an off-plan purchase through Oqood, or resolving who owns what in an inheritance. The DLD's digital services, including the Dubai REST app, let anyone verify a title deed, check a broker's licence, or view a project's escrow status, which makes independent verification of claims by sellers and brokers fast and free. If a dispute over ownership or registration arises, DLD records are the starting evidence.