Dubai · Payment plans

How do off-plan payment plans work in Dubai?

An off-plan payment plan is the instalment schedule in your SPA: how much you pay on booking, during construction, at handover, and sometimes after handover. The developer's brochure is a summary; the SPA dates and the project escrow account are what you actually pay against.

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How a plan is built

Most Dubai off-plan plans split the price into:

• Booking / first transfer. Often tied to the EOI or SPA signing window.
• Construction instalments. Linked to build milestones or calendar dates.
• Handover balance. Due when the unit is ready for transfer.
• Post-handover (optional). Only if the SPA says so.

Ovation's standing practice (Rahul Agiwal, 22 Oct 2026): budget a 20% down payment under the DLD framework for off-plan. Developers may split that 20% across the first months. Treat any smaller first cheque as part of the 20%, not the whole of it, until the SPA says otherwise.

Common shapes (examples, not promises)

Percentages on marketing sheets change by launch and by unit. We send the current schedule for your chosen unit before you reserve.

Escrow and the plan

Under Dubai Law No. 8 of 2007, off-plan buyer payments for a registered project sit in a regulated escrow account. The payment plan tells you when to pay; the escrow rules govern where the money sits while the building rises. That is separate from the DLD transfer fee.

Mortgage and LTV

If you finance with a UAE bank, the Central Bank's mortgage regulations cap loan-to-value. For off-plan, the CBUAE Rulebook states a 50% maximum LTV (with different caps for ready first and second homes). Pre-approval, stress tests and fees are bank-specific; ask us to introduce a lender only after you shortlist a unit.

Worked next step

Download the free Dubai Investor Playbook for the cost stack around the plan (DLD fee, Oqood timing, visas). Then compare live schedules on Kanyon by BEYOND, Muraba Veil, or Riverside Views, and request a callback when you want numbers for a specific unit.

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FAQ

What is a typical off-plan payment plan in Dubai?

There is no single city template. Developers publish a schedule for each launch (for example 30/70 construction/handover, or plans with post-handover instalments). The SPA schedule is the one that binds you.

What is the 20% down payment?

Ovation's standing practice (Rahul Agiwal, 22 Oct 2026) is that Dubai off-plan requires a 20% down payment under the DLD framework. Developers may collect that 20% across the first months rather than as one cheque. A smaller first transfer (for example 10% within a booking window) is often only the first slice of that 20%.

What is a post-handover payment plan?

A plan that leaves part of the price due after you take the unit. The remaining balance, interest if any, and security are defined in the SPA. Confirm every date before you reserve.

Do I pay the developer's account or an escrow?

Buyer instalments for registered off-plan projects go into a regulated project escrow account under Dubai Law No. 8 of 2007. See our separate guide on payment protection.

Can I mortgage an off-plan unit?

UAE bank rules set maximum loan-to-value ratios. The CBUAE Rulebook states a 50% maximum LTV for off-plan (among other caps for ready homes). Bank approval, rates and fees are on request.

Where do I see a live plan example?

Open a project answer page such as Shahrukhz Residences (Danube states a 30/70 plan there, subject to the SPA) or Riverside Views by DAMAC, then ask us for the current unit offer.