If you own a property in Dubai and let it out, Ejari is the one piece of paperwork you cannot skip. Every residential and commercial tenancy contract in the emirate has to be registered in the Dubai Land Department’s Ejari system, and almost everything that follows a signed lease — the DEWA connection, the tenant’s residence visa paperwork, a rent-increase notice, a dispute at the Rental Disputes Centre, even the eventual sale of a tenanted unit — runs off that registration.
This guide is written for the landlord rather than the tenant. It explains what Ejari is and why it exists, who is responsible for registering a contract, the official Dubai Land Department (DLD) fees as published on its service page, which documents each channel asks for, how to register through the Dubai REST app or a trustee centre, how renewal and cancellation work, and the tenancy-law rules on rent increases, notices and selling a tenanted property that every owner should know before the first contract is signed.
What Ejari is
Ejari (Arabic for “my rent”) is the Real Estate Regulatory Agency’s (RERA) online registration system for tenancy contracts in Dubai. Registration is not optional: Dubai’s tenancy law — Law No. 26 of 2007 as amended by Law No. 33 of 2008 — provides in Article 4 that lease contracts and any later amendments to them must be registered with RERA. Ejari is the system that does it.
Registering a contract produces a unified tenancy contract in the DLD’s standard form plus an e-Contract Registration Certificate carrying an Ejari number. That number is what other authorities and utilities check. In practice a registered contract is needed to:
- Activate electricity and water. DEWA’s move-in service lists a valid Ejari number as the requirement for tenants (free-zone tenants use their tenancy contract instead). Once the Ejari is issued, DEWA receives the tenant’s details and opens the account.
- Sponsor family residence visas, where the authorities routinely ask for the registered tenancy contract as proof of accommodation.
- Enforce the lease. An unregistered contract weakens both parties’ position at the Rental Disputes Centre, the DLD’s judicial arm for landlord–tenant cases.
- Set and defend rent. The DLD’s rental index is built from registered Ejari contracts, and the legal cap on rent increases at renewal is measured against it.
For an owner, Ejari is therefore not just a formality. It is the record that proves the lease exists, on what terms and at what rent — the same record a buyer’s lawyer or a bank will ask to see if you later sell or refinance the unit.
Who registers the contract, and who pays
Either party can register. The DLD’s service page allows the tenant, the landlord (owner) or a legal representative holding a valid power of attorney to apply, and a licensed property-management company to register through the Ejari system on an owner’s behalf. In most residential lettings the tenant submits the application and the landlord approves it from their own account, because the tenant needs the certificate for DEWA and visas within days of moving in.
The law does not assign the fee to either side. Market practice is for the tenant to pay the registration fee, and agents are not meant to add charges beyond the published fee unless an extra service was agreed. Because the law is silent, the cleanest approach is to state in the contract who pays for registration and renewal, so it never becomes a point of friction at renewal time.
Owners who manage several units themselves can apply for direct access to the Ejari system. The DLD’s conditions for system registration are that an individual owner must own the property and manage it personally, that a company must hold a licence for property-management activity, and that a representative must hold a power of attorney covering property management.
Ejari fees in 2026 (official DLD figures)
The fees below are taken from the Dubai Land Department’s “Register / Renew Tenancy Contract” service page as published in October 2026. The government portion is the same on every channel; what changes is the service-partner fee.
| Fee component | Dubai REST app / DLD website | Real Estate Services Trustee Centre |
|---|---|---|
| Tenancy contract registration | AED 100 | AED 100 |
| Knowledge fee | AED 10 | AED 10 |
| Innovation fee | AED 10 | AED 10 |
| Service-partner fee | AED 55 + AED 2.75 VAT | AED 95 + VAT |
| Total | AED 177.75 | AED 220 |
Renewal is the same service as a first registration and carries the same fee. Payment is by credit card, cash (at a centre) or the Noqodi wallet. If a typing centre or agent quotes a materially higher figure, ask for the breakdown: anything above the published total is a service charge, not a government fee, and it should have been agreed in advance.
Documents you need
The DLD keeps the official list short, and the list depends on the channel:
- Online (Dubai REST app or the DLD website): a copy of the unified tenancy contract. The online channel is limited to cases where both tenant and landlord are individuals and the owner’s details are up to date in the DLD’s records.
- Trustee centre: the original unified tenancy contract and the applicant’s Emirates ID. If someone is applying as a representative, an official power of attorney — a Dubai-issued one can be quoted by number; one issued in another emirate must be attached.
In practice the person submitting should also have to hand the title deed (so the unit and owner can be matched in the system), the tenant’s passport, visa and Emirates ID details, the landlord’s passport or Emirates ID, and the DEWA premise number of the unit. The premise number is worth checking twice: a mismatch between the number on the Ejari application and DEWA’s records is one of the most common reasons a registration is bounced back.
Make sure the owner named on the title deed is the one on the contract. If the unit is held through a company or a power of attorney, the Ejari application must reflect that, and a trustee centre will not register a contract for a property that is already managed by a licensed management company or by an owner with their own Ejari system access — those contracts go through the system directly.
How to register, step by step
Through the Dubai REST app
- The tenant (or the landlord) logs in to Dubai REST with a UAE Pass, selects the tenancy-contract registration service and enters the unit, the parties and the contract terms — annual rent, start and end dates, number of payments, security deposit.
- The contract copy is uploaded and the application is submitted.
- The other party approves the request from their own Dubai REST account. As the landlord, this is the step to watch for: a tenant’s application sits pending until you approve it.
- The fee is paid in the app.
- The e-Contract Registration Certificate is emailed once the application is approved. The DLD does not publish a fixed turnaround for the online channel.
Through a Real Estate Services Trustee Centre
- Visit a trustee centre with the original contract, Emirates ID and, if relevant, the power of attorney.
- The centre’s staff enter and review the application in the Ejari system.
- Pay the AED 220 and collect the receipt.
- The certificate is issued on the spot. The DLD quotes 25 minutes for the service, excluding waiting time.
Through the Ejari system (owners with access and management companies)
Licensed property-management companies and owners who have been granted system access register directly in the Ejari system without visiting a centre. If you hold a portfolio of units, this is the channel to set up: it removes the per-contract dependency on the tenant and keeps all of your contracts, renewals and cancellations in one account. The DLD also lists Dubai Now as a channel for the service.
When to register
Register as soon as the contract is signed and the first cheque has cleared. There is no benefit in waiting: the tenant cannot open a DEWA account without the Ejari number, and an unregistered period is a gap in your legal record. A new contract on a unit can only be registered once any previous Ejari on that unit has been cancelled, so a landlord changing tenants should cancel the outgoing contract before the incoming tenant tries to register.
Renewal: the 90-day rule and the rent-increase cap
Ejari registration runs for the term of the contract. When a lease is renewed, the renewed contract is registered again at the same fee. Two rules from the tenancy law govern what you can change at renewal.
The 90-day notice (Article 14). If either party wants to amend the contract terms — including the rent — for the renewal term, the law requires notice to the other party at least 90 days before the contract expires, unless the contract says otherwise. A landlord who sends a rent-increase notice 30 days before expiry has, in most cases, lost the right to apply it to that renewal.
The rent-increase cap (Decree No. 43 of 2013). How much a renewal rent may rise depends on how far the current rent sits below the average rent for similar property in the DLD’s rental index:
| Current rent compared with the index average | Maximum increase at renewal |
|---|---|
| Up to 10% below | No increase |
| 11% to 20% below | Up to 5% |
| 21% to 30% below | Up to 10% |
| 31% to 40% below | Up to 15% |
| More than 40% below | Up to 20% |
Since January 2025 the index behind these bands is the DLD’s Smart Rental Index, which draws on registered Ejari contract values and classifies residential buildings on a one-to-five-star scale based on their quality and upkeep. The practical consequence for an owner is that the permitted increase is now tied to the building’s rating as well as to its location: a unit in a well-maintained, highly rated building has more headroom than the same unit in a poorly rated one. The rental index calculator is available in the Dubai REST app and on the DLD website — run your unit through it before sending a renewal notice, because an increase above the permitted band can be challenged at the Rental Disputes Centre and reversed.
The same law also protects a landlord’s income. If the tenant stays on after expiry and the parties cannot agree new terms, the rent can be referred to the Rental Disputes Centre, which sets it by reference to similar property and RERA’s criteria rather than leaving the old figure in place indefinitely.
Cancelling an Ejari
When a tenant moves out, the registration should be cancelled through the same channels. Cancellation matters for the landlord for three reasons: the unit cannot carry a new Ejari until the old one is closed; DEWA’s final bill and the return of the deposit are tied to the move-out; and a lingering registration in a former tenant’s name can complicate a later sale or your own occupation of the unit. Have the tenant clear DEWA and settle any outstanding rent before you agree the cancellation, and keep the cancellation confirmation with the file.
Selling or taking back a tenanted property
A registered Ejari lease survives a sale. Under the tenancy law, a transfer of ownership does not affect the tenant’s right to stay for the remainder of the contract, and the buyer steps into the seller’s shoes as landlord. A tenanted unit is therefore sold as an investment with income, not as vacant possession — a point we make in our guide to distress sale villas in Dubai, where “urgent” tenanted listings are often priced as if the buyer could move in immediately.
If you want vacant possession at the end of the lease — to sell, to live in the unit yourself or to house a first-degree relative — Article 25 of the tenancy law requires that you notify the tenant of the reason at least 12 months before the eviction date, and that the notice is served through a notary public or by registered mail. An email or a WhatsApp message does not count. If you recover a residential unit for your own or your family’s use, the law bars you from re-letting it to a third party for at least two years without the Rental Disputes Centre’s permission; a tenant evicted on that ground who sees the unit back on the market can claim compensation.
Those notice periods are long enough to shape a sale strategy. An owner planning to sell a let villa in, say, 18 months should serve the notarised notice now rather than at listing time; an owner selling sooner should market the unit to investors on the strength of its registered rent and a clean Ejari history.
Using a property manager
Many non-resident owners hand Ejari, renewals, cheque collection and maintenance to a property-management company. If you do, check two things. First, that the company is licensed by the DLD for property-management activity — the same ORN check we describe in how to verify a Dubai real estate agent or brokerage applies. Second, that the management agreement says who keeps the Ejari account, so that you are not locked out of your own contract records if you change managers. A licensed manager registers through the Ejari system and should be able to show you every contract, renewal and cancellation on your units.
Common mistakes landlords make
- Leaving the tenant’s application pending. The tenant cannot get DEWA connected until the landlord approves in Dubai REST. A slow approval is the most common early complaint.
- Registering a rent that does not match the contract. The Ejari figure is what the rental index, DEWA and the courts see. Register the real annual rent, including any agreed increase.
- Missing the 90-day window. Diarise the notice date for every contract. A late notice means another year at the old rent.
- Serving notices informally. Eviction notices must go through a notary public or registered mail. Rent-change notices should be in writing and provable.
- Letting an old Ejari linger. Cancel on move-out so the next registration, the DEWA final bill and any sale are not held up.
- Sub-letting without consent. A tenant who sub-lets without the landlord’s written approval is in breach, but the landlord only has a clean case if the registered contract and the facts line up.
Ejari in the wider cost of owning a rental
At AED 177.75 a year the registration fee is the smallest line in a landlord’s budget. The costs that actually move a Dubai rental’s net yield are service charges, maintenance, vacancy between tenants and, if the unit is financed, the mortgage rate — all covered in our guide to the cost of buying property in Dubai and, for financed purchases, Dubai mortgages for non-residents and expats. Where the unit sits matters more than any fee: our guide to the best areas to invest in Dubai real estate compares gross yields by community, and buyers looking at entry-level houses will find registered sale prices in villas and townhouses under AED 2 million.
Owners of off-plan units should note that Ejari only becomes relevant at handover; until then the relationship is with the developer under the sale and purchase agreement, as explained in off-plan vs ready property in Dubai. And for owners whose purchase was part of a residency plan, a registered lease does not affect the property-based Dubai Golden Visa, which is tied to ownership rather than occupation.
Where tenants are
Rental demand is not uniform across the emirate. The deepest tenant pools for apartments are in the central districts — Downtown Dubai and Business Bay — and in the newer waterfront addresses such as Dubai Creek Harbour; family villa demand concentrates in the established communities such as Dubai Hills Estate and Arabian Ranches. Our community guides cover the rental profile of each.
How Homesae helps landlords
Homesae is a Dubai Land Department–licensed brokerage (RERA ORN 55177) working with owners and investors, many of them overseas. If you are buying a property to let, we will tell you what comparable units in the building are registered at before you commit, and we can introduce licensed property managers who handle Ejari, renewals and collections for non-resident owners. Browse properties for sale in Dubai or contact us with the unit you have in mind.
Frequently asked questions
What is Ejari in Dubai?
Ejari is the Real Estate Regulatory Agency’s online system for registering tenancy contracts in Dubai. Registration is required by the tenancy law (Law No. 26 of 2007 as amended by Law No. 33 of 2008), and the resulting certificate is needed for DEWA connections, residence-visa sponsorship and any case at the Rental Disputes Centre.
How much does Ejari registration cost in 2026?
According to the Dubai Land Department’s service page, registration through the Dubai REST app or the DLD website costs AED 177.75 in total (AED 100 registration, AED 10 knowledge fee, AED 10 innovation fee and a AED 55 service-partner fee plus VAT). Through a Real Estate Services Trustee Centre the total is AED 220, because the service-partner fee is AED 95 plus VAT. Renewal costs the same.
Who is responsible for registering Ejari, the landlord or the tenant?
Either can. The tenant usually submits the application and the landlord approves it in Dubai REST, and by market practice the tenant pays the fee. The law does not assign the cost, so the contract should state who pays for registration and renewal.
What documents are needed for Ejari registration?
Online, the DLD asks for a copy of the unified tenancy contract. At a trustee centre it asks for the original contract, the applicant’s Emirates ID and a power of attorney if someone is applying as a representative. In practice the title deed, the parties’ ID details and the DEWA premise number should also be to hand.
Do I need to renew Ejari every year?
Yes. Ejari registration covers the term of the contract, so each renewed contract is registered again at the standard fee. Any change to the terms, including the rent, must be notified at least 90 days before the current contract expires.
How much can I increase the rent when the contract renews?
Decree No. 43 of 2013 caps the increase according to how far the current rent sits below the DLD rental index average for similar property: no increase if it is within 10% of the average, up to 5% if it is 11–20% below, up to 10% if 21–30% below, up to 15% if 31–40% below and up to 20% if more than 40% below. The Dubai REST app’s rental index calculator shows the permitted figure for a specific unit.
Can I sell my property while it is rented out with an Ejari contract?
Yes. The sale does not end the lease; the buyer becomes the landlord for the rest of the term. If you want to sell with vacant possession, the tenancy law requires a 12-month eviction notice served through a notary public or by registered mail.