If you rent a home or an office in Dubai, your tenancy contract has to be registered in Ejari. It is a short process, but it affects almost everything that comes after signing: connecting electricity and water, sponsoring family on a residence visa, checking whether a rent increase is legal, and filing a case if something goes wrong.
The problem is that information online is messy. Different websites quote different fees, mix up the tenancy contract with the Ejari certificate, or skip the rules that decide which registration channel you can actually use.
This article explains Ejari from start to finish using the Dubai Land Department's own service rules, so tenants, landlords and investors know exactly what to prepare and what it costs in 2026.
Quick answer: Ejari is the Dubai Land Department system that officially registers tenancy contracts. Registration or renewal costs AED 177.75 through the Dubai REST app or the DLD website, or AED 220 at a Real Estate Services Trustee Centre. You need a signed Unified Tenancy Contract, and at a trustee centre you also present the applicant's Emirates ID. The e-Contract Registration Certificate is issued once the request is approved.
What Is Ejari?
Ejari (إيجاري) means "my rent" in Arabic. It is the online registration system run by the Dubai Land Department (DLD) through the Real Estate Regulatory Agency (RERA) to record every rental agreement in the emirate.
The legal base is Dubai's tenancy law: Law No. 26 of 2007, as amended by Law No. 33 of 2008, which requires lease contracts to be registered. Registration gives the contract an official record on the government system, with the landlord, tenant, property, rent amount and contract dates attached to it.
Ejari applies to residential and commercial leases, whether the landlord is an individual, a company or a property management firm.
Ejari vs the Tenancy Contract
These two are often confused, but they are different things:
The tenancy contract is the agreement between landlord and tenant. In Dubai this is the Unified Tenancy Contract, plus any addendum both sides agree to.
Ejari is the government registration of that contract. It does not create the agreement. It records one that already exists and has been signed.
So you sign the contract first, then register it. If the contract is badly written, registering it does not fix the problem. Before signing, it is worth reading our breakdown of the tenancy contract in Dubai, including the clauses tenants most often overlook.
The Ejari Certificate and Ejari Number
Once registration is approved, DLD issues an e-Contract Registration Certificate, which most people simply call the Ejari certificate. It carries a unique contract number that other government services use to identify your tenancy.
Keep both a digital and printed copy for the full length of the lease. If you lose it, you can download your Ejari certificate again online.
Why Ejari Matters for Tenants and Landlords
Ejari is not just paperwork. Several other systems in Dubai use the Ejari record, which is why an unregistered or expired contract causes problems in places people do not expect.
What Ejari Is Linked To | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
DEWA connection | Your Ejari details are used to activate electricity and water in your name. See our DEWA move-in article for the deposit and fees. |
Housing fee | The Dubai Municipality housing fee is linked to your registered rent and collected through your DEWA bill. |
Family visa sponsorship | A registered tenancy is commonly requested as proof of accommodation when sponsoring a spouse, children or domestic workers. |
Rent increases | The registered rent is the starting point for checking any proposed increase at renewal. |
Rental disputes | A registered contract is the core document when filing a case at the Rental Dispute Center. |
Landlord records | Ejari gives landlords an official record of rental income, useful for banks, property management and future sales. |
For landlords, registration also protects the agreed terms. If a tenant stops paying or breaches the contract, the registered agreement is the document the dispute process relies on.
Who Is Responsible for Ejari Registration?
The law requires the contract to be registered. In practice, who registers it depends on who manages the property.
Landlords and Property Management Companies
If the property is managed by a licensed real estate company, or by an owner who has their own Ejari system access, that party registers the contract through the Ejari system. Large building owners and management companies usually handle Ejari as part of the move-in process.
Not sure whether your property needs a manager at all? Our article on property maintenance vs property management explains what each service covers.
Tenants
Tenants can register too, but DLD sets conditions for each channel:
Through the Dubai REST app, both the tenant and landlord must be individuals, and the owner's data must be up to date.
At a trustee centre, the property must not be managed by a real estate company or by an owner with Ejari system access. The applicant must be the tenant or a legal representative holding an official power of attorney, and the landlord must be the owner or their legal representative.
In practice, this means a tenant renting directly from an individual owner can usually register through the app. A tenant renting in a building run by a management company will normally have the company register it.
Who Pays the Ejari Fee?
There is no fixed rule saying the landlord or tenant must pay. It is usually agreed during the rental negotiation, and in many residential rentals the tenant or the arranging agent covers it. The simplest way to avoid an argument is to write it into the contract addendum before signing.
Documents Required for Ejari Registration
According to DLD's official service page, the documents depend on the channel you use.
Channel | Documents Listed by DLD |
|---|---|
Dubai REST app | Copy of the Unified Tenancy Contract (for individuals and companies) |
Real Estate Services Trustee Centre | Original Unified Tenancy Contract; Emirates ID of the applicant; official power of attorney if the applicant is a representative |
A note on the power of attorney: if it was issued in Dubai, its number can be entered without attaching the document. If it was issued in another emirate, the document itself must be attached.
Practical Details to Have Ready
DLD's list is short, but the registration form asks for information that comes from other documents. Having these ready saves time and avoids rejections:
Landlord and tenant names exactly as they appear on official IDs
Emirates ID details for both parties (or passport details where relevant)
Property details from the title deed, such as the unit and plot information
The DEWA premise number of the unit
Contract start and end dates, annual rent, payment schedule and security deposit
For company tenants, a valid trade licence and the authorised signatory's details
How to Register Ejari: The 3 Official Channels
DLD offers three channels for registering or renewing a tenancy contract: the Dubai REST app, the DLD website (Ejari system) and Real Estate Services Trustee Centres. The steps are similar, but who can use each one is different.
1. Dubai REST App
This is the quickest route for individual landlords and tenants. The DLD process is:
Log in to the app and select the Ejari service to register a tenancy contract.
Fill in the required information and upload the tenancy contract.
Pay the service fees.
A DLD employee reviews and approves the request.
Receive the e-Contract Registration Certificate by email.
The app also handles renewals, certificate downloads and other services. Our article on the Dubai REST app walks through the main features for owners and tenants.
2. DLD Website (Ejari System)
The Ejari system on the DLD website is mainly used by licensed property management companies, individual owners who manage their own properties, and representatives with a legal power of attorney. The steps match the app: log in, enter the details, upload documents, pay and receive the certificate by email after approval.
3. Real Estate Services Trustee Centre
If you prefer to deal with a person, or your case does not fit the app, you can visit a trustee centre:
Visit the nearest Real Estate Services Trustee Centre (or the property management company, if the property is managed by one).
Submit the required documents, making sure nothing is missing.
A staff member reviews and approves the request through the system.
Pay the service fees and collect the receipt.
Receive the e-Contract Registration Certificate.
DLD lists the service time at trustee centres as 25 minutes, not counting waiting time.
Which Channel Should You Use?
Your Situation | Usual Channel |
|---|---|
Individual tenant renting from an individual owner | Dubai REST app |
Property managed by a licensed management company | The management company registers through the Ejari system |
Owner who manages their own units and has Ejari access | DLD website (Ejari system) |
You prefer in-person help, or app registration does not work for your case | Trustee centre (if the property is not company-managed) |
Ejari Fees in 2026
This is where most online information goes wrong. Some websites quote AED 155, others AED 195. The correct figures come from DLD's Register / Renew Tenancy Contract service page.
Fee Item | Dubai REST App / DLD Website | 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 listed by DLD | AED 177.75 | AED 220 |
DLD accepts payment by credit card, cash or Noqodi wallet. The same fee structure applies to renewals, because registration and renewal are one service.
Government fees can be reviewed, so it is good practice to check the DLD service page just before paying.
Ejari Is Only One of Your Move-In Costs
Tenants budgeting for a new home sometimes treat Ejari as the main fee. It is actually one of the smaller ones. A typical move-in also includes the security deposit, agency commission (if an agent is involved), the DEWA deposit and connection fees, and later the monthly housing fee. Plan for all of them together, not just the rent.
Ejari Renewal: When and How to Renew
Ejari registers one contract for one period. When the tenancy is renewed, the Ejari has to be renewed with the new dates, and the new rent if it changed. Most residential leases in Dubai run for one year, so most tenants renew Ejari once a year.
Letting the Ejari lapse after renewing the contract is a common mistake. The tenancy continues in practice, but the official record shows an expired contract. That can cause trouble with DEWA, visa renewals and any dispute that comes up later.
Check the Rent Increase Before You Renew
Renewal is the only time a landlord can raise the rent, and the increase is capped. Under Decree No. 43 of 2013, the allowed increase depends on how far the current rent is below the average market rent shown by the official rental index:
Current Rent Compared With Index Average | Maximum Increase |
|---|---|
Up to 10% below | 0% |
11% to 20% below | 5% |
21% to 30% below | 10% |
31% to 40% below | 15% |
More than 40% below | 20% |
The landlord must also give written notice of any change to the contract terms, including rent, at least 90 days before the contract ends. Since January 2025, the index used for this check is DLD's Smart Rental Index. Our article on the RERA rent increase calculator and Smart Rental Index shows how to run the check step by step.
How to Renew Ejari
Renewal uses the same DLD service as registration. You submit the renewed tenancy contract through the Dubai REST app, the Ejari system or a trustee centre, pay the same fees, and receive an updated certificate after approval. Keep the old certificate as well, since it shows your tenancy history at that address.
Ejari Cancellation When You Move Out
When a tenancy ends, the Ejari registration should be cancelled. This matters for both sides:
The landlord usually cannot register a new tenant on the same unit while the old Ejari is still active.
The outgoing tenant may need the old registration closed before registering a new home or making changes linked to their address.
Cancellation is a separate DLD service with its own steps and documents. We cover it in detail in our article on how to cancel Ejari, including what to do if the landlord is not cooperating.
Ejari for Commercial Properties
Offices, shops and warehouses need Ejari as well. For businesses, the registered lease is often needed for trade licence applications and renewals, utility connections and employee visa processes, so a lapsed commercial Ejari can hold up more than just the tenancy.
Company tenants should make sure the name on the contract matches the trade licence exactly, and that the signatory is authorised. Any change to the company name or licence should be reflected in the tenancy records.
Ejari and Dubai's New Shared Housing Law
Dubai Law No. 4 of 2026, which regulates shared housing, took effect on 26 August 2026. It requires a permit before a property can be used for shared housing, and DLD will run a linked registry, standard lease templates and a separate rent indicator for this segment. Disputes under the law go to the Rental Dispute Center.
If you rent out rooms, share an apartment, or sublet any part of a unit, read our summary of the Dubai shared housing law before renewing or signing anything new.
Common Ejari Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Most Ejari problems come from a handful of avoidable errors:
Name mismatches. Names on the contract should match the Emirates ID, passport or title deed exactly. Small spelling differences can lead to rejection.
Expired Emirates ID. Check that the IDs used in the application are valid before you start.
An old Ejari still active on the unit. If the previous tenant's registration was never cancelled, a new one cannot go through until it is.
Rent on Ejari does not match the cheques. The registered rent should match what you actually pay. A mismatch weakens your position in any later dispute.
Renewing the contract informally. Agreeing a new rent over messages without renewing Ejari leaves the official record out of date.
Using an unauthorised service provider. Use the Dubai REST app, the DLD website or a registered trustee centre. Certificates from unofficial sources can be rejected later.
Accepting an increase without checking it. Always compare a proposed increase against the Smart Rental Index and confirm the 90-day notice was given.
Ejari Checklists for Tenants and Landlords
Tenant Checklist
Read the Unified Tenancy Contract and addendum before signing.
Agree in writing who pays the Ejari fee.
Confirm who will register the Ejari and by when.
Check that the rent, dates and deposit on Ejari match the contract and cheques.
Save the Ejari certificate and contract number.
Use the Ejari number to set up DEWA.
Set a reminder at least 90 days before the contract ends to review renewal terms.
Cancel or confirm cancellation of Ejari when you move out.
Landlord Checklist
Make sure your title deed and owner details are up to date with DLD.
Check that the previous tenant's Ejari has been cancelled.
Register the new contract promptly after signing.
Send any rent increase or term change in writing at least 90 days before expiry.
Check the proposed increase against the Smart Rental Index before sending it.
Renew Ejari every time the contract is renewed.
Keep maintenance obligations under control. Our article on annual maintenance contracts (AMC) in Dubai explains when they make sense.
When Things Go Wrong: Ejari and Rental Disputes
Disagreements over deposits, maintenance, rent increases or eviction notices are handled by Dubai's Rental Dispute Center, which operates under DLD. The registered tenancy contract is central to any case, which is one more reason to register early and keep it current.
If you are in a disagreement with a landlord or tenant, read our article on the Rental Dispute Center to understand the filing process, fees and timelines before taking action.
Final Thoughts
Ejari takes a short time to complete, but it underpins the rest of your tenancy in Dubai. Register it as soon as the contract is signed, renew it every time the contract is renewed, and cancel it when you leave. Doing those three things on time prevents most of the problems people run into with DEWA, visas and disputes.
If you are still searching for a home, you can browse properties for rent in Dubai, including apartments for rent in Dubai, villas for rent in Dubai and studios for rent in Dubai. Comparing neighbourhoods first? Our Dubai communities pages and area guides cover lifestyle, access and typical property types, and our Dubai market reports track how rents are moving.
Tenants weighing renting against buying can run the numbers with our mortgage calculator. And if you would like help with a rental, from viewing to Ejari registration, our Luxora agents can guide you, or you can contact the Luxora team directly.
