The Dubai Land Department (DLD) now requires a unit-specific No Objection Certificate (NOC) before an off-plan unit can be advertised on portals such as Bayut and Property Finder. This guide walks through when the NOC is needed, how to request it through Trakheesi, and the fields your CRM must hold per unit.
What the DLD NOC requirement actually says
DLD's advertising rules for off-plan property changed. Before you can list a specific unit, you must hold a unit-specific NOC from the developer and record it through the Trakheesi portal. The NOC confirms the developer has no objection to that particular unit being marketed, at the price and payment plan you intend to publish.
This is not the same as the project-level NOC that developers obtain when they launch an off-plan project. A project NOC lets the project be advertised generally. A unit-specific NOC is tied to one unit number. Brokers who skip this step risk having listings rejected by the portals, and repeated violations can lead to advertising penalties.
Because DLD circulars are updated periodically, always check the current wording on the official Dubai Land Department website before you act on any listing. The workflow below reflects the process as of September 2026, but screens and document lists can change.
When a unit-specific NOC is needed and when it is not
Not every listing needs a unit-specific NOC. Use this table to decide before you start work.
| Scenario | Unit-specific NOC needed? | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Advertising a specific off-plan unit in a launched project | Yes | Obtain the NOC from the developer, then submit it in Trakheesi |
| Advertising an off-plan project generally, without unit numbers | No | Confirm the developer's project NOC is current and that your brokerage is authorised to market the project |
| Relisting an unsold off-plan unit whose price or payment plan has changed | Yes | Request an updated NOC; the old one is no longer valid for the new terms |
| Listing a ready or secondary-market unit | No | Off-plan NOC rules do not apply; follow standard resale advertising rules, including Form A or Form B where required |
| Listing a unit you have already sold | No | Do not advertise sold units; mark the unit as unavailable in your CRM |
The key test: if the advertisement shows a specific unit number, size, price or payment plan for an off-plan property, you need a unit-specific NOC.
The Trakheesi request workflow, step by step
Follow these steps in order. The exact screens may differ, but the document flow is the same.
- Confirm the developer's project NOC. Ask the developer or the project sales team for a copy of the project NOC and check its validity. A lapsed project NOC blocks every unit-level permit.
- Request the unit-specific NOC from the developer. Send the unit number, proposed sale price and payment plan. The developer issues the NOC in the form DLD requires.
- Log in to Trakheesi. Use your brokerage's registered credentials. If you are a new broker, complete DLD's broker registration first.
- Start a new advertising permit application. Select the unit type as off-plan and enter the project, building, unit number, area, price and payment plan exactly as they appear on the unit NOC.
- Upload the unit NOC and supporting documents. Include the developer NOC, your brokerage's trade licence and any other documents the form asks for.
- Pay the permit fee. The fee is shown on screen before you confirm. Keep the payment receipt.
- Receive the advertising permit number. Trakheesi issues a permit reference. Record it in your CRM against that unit.
- Use the permit for portal listings. Enter the permit number where the portal asks for it. Bayut and Property Finder both require this for off-plan listings.
Renew the permit if the unit remains unsold after the permit's validity window. The validity period is stated on the permit itself.
The fields to track per unit in your CRM
Without a structured record, NOC status becomes a pile of WhatsApp screenshots and PDFs. A practical off-plan CRM reord should hold at least these fields per unit:
- Developer name and project name
- Building and unit number
- Unit type, size and current price
- Payment plan reference and instalment schedule
- Unit NOC reference number and issue date
- Unit NOC validity window
- Trakheesi advertising permit number and status
- Portal listing status and URL
- Buyer requirements matched to the unit
- Reservation progress and payment milestones
When your team can filter by NOC status, you answer two questions in seconds: which units are ready to list, and which listings must be paused because a permit expired.
WIYO's off-plan CRM workspace already structures projects, units, buyer requirements and reservation progress in one record. Your team can record the NOC and Trakheesi permit numbers in the same unit view they use for availability and follow-up, so compliance checks sit next to the work the permit enables. If your current CRM cannot hold these fields without workarounds, the process will fall back to spreadsheets — and that is where expired permits are missed.
How to connect NOC status to portal listings and availability
The NOC is not just paperwork. It is the trigger that turns a unit from "available internally" to "advertised publicly".
Before you publish to Bayut, Property Finder or Dubizzle, check three things:
- The unit NOC is valid and not expired.
- The Trakheesi permit number is current.
- The price and payment plan in the listing match the NOC exactly.
If any one fails, hold the listing. Publishing with a mismatch can get your brokerage flagged.
Most brokers run this check manually, which works until the team manages dozens of units across multiple projects. That is where a CRM that connects portal lead workflows and multi-portal listing publishing pays for itself: the unit record, the NOC status and the portal status live in one place. You mark the unit as available only after the permit is recorded, and you remove it the day the permit expires.
Who this is for
This guide is for Dubai brokerages that sell off-plan units and list them on major portals. If your team handles a mix of off-plan and resale, the same Trakheesi workflow applies only to off-plan listings; resale units follow their own advertising rules.
If you are a solo agent with one or two off-plan listings, you can manage the process with a simple spreadsheet and calendar reminders. A full off-plan CRM becomes worthwhile once you hold inventory across multiple projects, track buyer requirements against available units, or need to hand listing compliance to more than one person. WIYO's off-plan CRM is built for that kind of team; if your volume stays low, a lighter setup is fine.
Frequently asked questions
What exactly is a DLD unit-specific NOC?
A unit-specific NOC is a No Objection Certificate issued by the developer for one named off-plan unit. It confirms the developer allows that unit to be advertised at the stated price and payment plan. DLD requires this NOC before a broker can advertise the unit on portals. It is separate from a project-level NOC, which covers the whole development.
How long does it take to get a unit NOC?
It depends on the developer and how complete your request is. Provide the exact unit number, price and payment plan on the first ask to avoid back-and-forth. Some developers issue the NOC within a day or two; others take longer. Plan to request it before you commit to a listing launch date, not after.
Do I need a unit NOC for ready-to-move-in units?
No. Ready units fall under resale advertising rules, not off-plan rules. If the project is completed and the title deed exists, you follow the standard resale process, including Trakheesi permits where relevant, but the off-plan unit NOC requirement does not apply.
Can I advertise a unit while the NOC is pending?
No. Portals such as Bayut and Property Finder require the advertising permit number, which Trakheesi issues only after the unit NOC is uploaded. Listing without it can lead to rejection or removal. Wait for the permit, then publish. The delay is usually shorter than the cleanup after a non-compliant listing.
What happens if I list without an NOC?
The portal may reject the listing or take it down. DLD can also treat repeat violations as an advertising offence, which can lead to fines or restrictions on your brokerage's Trakheesi account. The risk is not worth the few days you save.
How does WIYO help manage this process?
WIYO is a UAE off-plan CRM, and we write guides like this to help brokerages run compliant listing operations. The software itself does not file Trakheesi permits for you, but it gives your team a single unit record to store NOC status, permit numbers, buyer matches and availability. That is where the process is most likely to break when it lives in spreadsheets. This guide is published by WIYO and promotes our off-plan workspace; choose whatever tool fits your volume.
Sources
- Dubai Land Department — the government authority that sets off-plan advertising rules and publishes circulars.
Written by
Shaffay Bajwa
Founder & CTO at WIYO · Software engineer, 5 years building in the UAE real estate market.
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