How to verify the escrow account for off-plan property in Dubai before you pay

How do you verify an escrow account for off-plan property in Dubai?

Look the project up in the DLD's own systems, copy the escrow account details shown there, and compare them with the payment instructions you have been sent. If they differ, do not transfer until the developer explains the difference in writing.

The Dubai Land Department's Dubai REST page says off-plan investors can see project details including "the escrow account number". The DLD's guide to the Project Status (Mashrooi) service lists escrow account details among the data it shows, along with project and developer details and inspection details.

Where to look

Dubai REST app

Project Status (Mashrooi)

Source: DLD

What it shows

Escrow details

Plus status, completion % and inspections

Who can run escrow

RERA-approved bank

Licensed by the UAE Central Bank, operating in Dubai

Accounts per project

One

Law No. 8 of 2007, Art. 9(1)

What is a Dubai escrow account, and why check it?

A Dubai escrow account is a project-specific bank account that receives off-plan buyers' payments and releases money mainly for construction. Checking it confirms that your payment goes where Dubai law expects it to go.

Article 6 of Law No. 8 of 2007 requires any developer that wishes to sell units off-plan to apply to the DLD to open an escrow account. Under Article 7, buyer payments are deposited there under a written agreement between the developer and an escrow agent. Under Article 9(1), the account serves only that project and cannot be seized by the developer's creditors.

The DLD FAQ adds that withdrawals are generally limited to contractors, consultants and marketing, with marketing capped at 5% of total sales. After the completion certificate, 5% of the account's total value is held back and released one year after units are registered in buyers' names.

Escrow account number check in Dubai REST, step by step

The check takes a few minutes in the app and is worth repeating before every installment. Write down what you find, with the date, so you have a record if anything changes later.

1. Open Dubai REST

   Install the DLD's official Dubai REST app on iOS or Android. It is available in Arabic and English.

2. Go to Project Status (Mashrooi)

   Open Services, choose Project Status (Mashrooi) and search by the project's name.

3. Note the escrow details

   Record the escrow bank and account details shown, plus the project status label, which Gulf News reported shows whether a project is active, finished or canceled.

4. Match your payment instructions

   Compare the bank name and account number on your invoice or SPA payment schedule with what the app shows. They should match.

5. Save evidence

   Take a dated screenshot of the app and keep it with the invoice and your bank confirmation.

How to check the escrow account a developer gives you

Treat every set of payment instructions as something to confirm, not something to trust on sight. The comparison below shows what matching and mismatching details usually look like.

What the escrow check cannot tell you

An escrow check confirms where money should go; it does not tell you whether a project will be finished. Pair it with a look at completion progress before each payment.

Hadef & Partners noted in 2010 that Dubai's escrow law does not guarantee completion, and that once escrow funds run out buyers may become unsecured creditors. That is why the escrow check is one part of a routine, not the whole of it.

The DLD FAQ also says an investor can ask for a letter from the DLD-approved project consultant confirming the current completion percentage before paying a developer's request. Our guide to checking construction progress before a payment builds that into a routine. If you already paid somewhere else, read what to do when money missed the escrow account. For pre-launch payments, see how EOIs work and who holds the money.

Buying from the UK, US, Canada or Australia?

Checking escrow from abroad means dealing with app logins, time zones and international transfers. Each country guide adapts the check to your situation.

• Escrow checks for UK buyers: when the UK is on BST, the UAE is three hours ahead; on GMT, four.
• Escrow checks for US buyers: the dirham is pegged to the US dollar at AED 3.6725, which helps when matching invoice amounts.
• Escrow checks for Canadian buyers: Vancouver is now 11 hours behind Dubai year-round after BC adopted permanent Pacific time.
• Escrow checks for Australian buyers: Perth is four hours ahead of the UAE all year, which makes same-day calls easier.

Whichever country you pay from, see the project's public record before the transfer leaves your account.

This guide is general information, not legal advice. Laws and procedures change; check the official source before acting. Published 12 October 2026, last updated 12 October 2026.