In off-plan sales, the buyer purchases a specific unit that has not been built: a third-floor apartment of a certain area, with a parking space and a share of the roof and entrances. So the unit's boundaries and its share of the common parts must be legally clear from the start, not after handover. This is where sorting in off-plan projects comes in, with a timing and requirements different from sorting existing buildings. This guide explains what the regulations require, annotating the deed and lifting the annotation, the general sorting requirements, and the difference between sorting an existing building and an off-plan project.
What the Regulations Require
- If the project contains sorted property units, the approved unit sorting record under the law on ownership, sorting and management of property units must be attached as part of the project licence requirements. Read: Engineering documents for the Wafi file.
- Ownership and disposal of common parts follow that law and its regulations. Read: A unit's share of the common parts.
- The model sale contract includes joint ownership provisions.
Deed Annotation and Sorting
The property deed is annotated with a restriction on disposal until development is complete, except for properties in the real estate registry. The annotation may be lifted before completion with the authority's approval in cases including completing sorting, merging, amendment or transfer of ownership procedures, and transferring title to the buyer before the unit is completed.
General Sorting Requirements
The Real Estate General Authority requires an electronic deed, a building permit, and electricity meters for the units and the common parts for a sorting request. The design must take this into account from the start. Read: Design mistakes that prevent sorting and Apartment sorting requirements.
Table: Sorting an Existing Building vs an Off-Plan Project
| Item | Existing building | Off-plan project |
|---|---|---|
| Timing | After construction | The sorting record is a licence requirement when there are sorted units |
| Basis | A survey of the as-built | The approved drawings, then matching with the as-built |
| Contracts | Usually after the deeds | Before construction, relying on the sorted areas |
| Amendment | By re-sorting under the rules | Modifying approved drawings needs the approval of the authority and buyers |
| Common parts | Defined by reality | Defined in the design and included in the contracts |
Matching the Drawing and the As-Built
Since sorting starts from the drawing, supervision must verify that the unit boundaries and common parts are built as in the sorting record, and document any approved change. Read: Supervising off-plan sales projects.
Read: Why prepare the sorting plan before selling units? and The buyer's journey from contract to deed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does every off-plan project need a sorting record at licensing?
The regulations require it if the project contains sorted property units.
Who owns the common parts?
They are governed by the law on ownership, sorting and management of property units.
When does the buyer get an independent deed?
After sorting and title transfer are completed, and with the authority's approval title may be transferred before the unit is completed.
What if the built unit's area differs from the drawing?
This is what supervision must prevent, and any difference needs regulatory handling with the authority and buyers.
Is the building managed by an owners' association after handover?
Yes; sorted buildings need management of the common parts. Read: The owners' association after sorting.
How Abak Engineering Consultancy Helps
Abak is an accredited engineering office that prepares unit sorting drawings for off-plan projects and links them to property records, clearly defines the common parts, and follows the as-built's conformity with the sorting record. See our unit sorting drawings and property records service, or contact us.
Regulatory information is based on the Balady platform and the Ministry of Municipalities and Housing, and procedures may be updated by the competent authority. Last reviewed: October 2026.