Ejari Registration in Dubai: Fees, Documents, Renewal and Download

Ejari registration records your tenancy contract with the Dubai Land Department. Online, through the Dubai REST app or the DLD website, it costs AED 177.75 and needs a copy of the signed Unified Tenancy Contract. A trustee centre charges AED 220. You get a downloadable certificate.

It is a small job, but it matters more than the fee suggests. Without a registered Ejari you will struggle to connect electricity and water, sponsor family for residence visas, or bring a straightforward case at the Rental Disputes Center. Here is how the system works, what it costs and how to handle renewals, cancellations and downloads without surprises.

What is Ejari?

Ejari, Arabic for 'my rent', is the online tenancy registration system run by the Dubai Land Department (DLD) through its regulatory arm RERA, the Real Estate Regulatory Agency. Registering a tenancy contract on Ejari creates an official government record of who is renting which unit, from whom, for how long and at what rent. Law No. 26 of 2007, which governs landlord–tenant relationships in Dubai, requires tenancy contracts to be registered.

The contract itself is the Unified Tenancy Contract, the standard form DLD uses for Dubai leases. You and the landlord can add clauses in an addendum, such as who pays for maintenance or how many cheques you will pay with. Those clauses must not conflict with the law. A clause waiving your right to 90 days' notice of a rent increase, for example, carries little weight.

Why Ejari matters to a tenant

• Utilities: DEWA, the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority, links move-in to your Ejari. Once the tenancy is registered, DEWA can send your account and deposit details.
• Residence visas: family sponsorship applications typically ask for a registered tenancy contract as proof of address.
• Disputes: the Rental Disputes Center asks for the latest registered lease. You can file without one, but you then have to prove the tenancy some other way.
• Rent increases: a registered Ejari lets the official rental index calculator pull your unit details, so you can check what your landlord may charge at renewal.
• Protection on sale: if the landlord sells, a registered lease makes your continuing rights easy to prove to the new owner.

How much does Ejari registration cost?

Ejari fees are set by the Dubai Land Department and are the same for new registrations and renewals. The only difference is the channel. Registering yourself online is the cheapest option. Agents and property managers often do it for you and may add their own handling charge on top of the government fee.

Who pays is a matter for the contract. Many landlords and agents in Dubai expect the tenant to pay, but it is negotiable, so agree it in writing before you sign. For the full picture of move-in costs, including the security deposit, agency fee and DEWA deposit, see our guide to renting in Dubai.

What documents do you need for Ejari?

For the Dubai REST app or DLD website, DLD lists a copy of the Unified Tenancy Contract as the core requirement. The contract should be signed by both parties and show the tenant's and landlord's details, the unit and the rent. The system pulls the property details from DLD's own records. At a trustee centre, bring the original signed contract, your Emirates ID, and a power of attorney if you are registering on someone else's behalf.

Have these to hand anyway, because the app or the counter may ask for them:

• The signed Unified Tenancy Contract and any addendum.
• Tenant's Emirates ID (or passport and visa if the ID is still being processed).
• The landlord's title deed number, or the property's DLD reference.
• The DEWA premise number, printed on a previous DEWA bill for the unit or on a small plate near the meter.
• For company tenants: trade licence and the signatory's Emirates ID.

How to register Ejari online, step by step

The Dubai REST app is the Dubai Land Department's official app for real estate services. It covers tenancy registration, the rental index, title deed checks and more. Ejari online registration through the app usually takes only a few minutes once your contract is ready.

1. Download the Dubai REST app from the official app store listing and sign in with UAE Pass.
2. Choose the tenancy contract registration service and select that you are the tenant or the landlord.
3. Enter or confirm the property details. Where the unit is linked to your UAE Pass or the landlord's title deed, many fields fill in automatically.
4. Enter the contract details: start and end dates, annual rent, number of cheques and security deposit.
5. Upload a clear copy of the signed Unified Tenancy Contract and any other documents requested.
6. Review everything carefully. Names, unit number and dates must match the contract exactly.
7. Pay the AED 177.75 fee by card.
8. Download the Ejari certificate when it is issued and keep the PDF with your contract.

Ejari download and print: getting your certificate

Once registration is complete, the Ejari certificate is available as a PDF. You can download it from the Dubai REST app under your contracts and print it at home. An Ejari print from the PDF is fine for most purposes; you do not need a stamped paper copy. The certificate shows the Ejari number, which you will be asked for when you set up DEWA, check the rental index or renew.

If an agent or property manager registered the contract for you, ask them to email the PDF. You can also retrieve it yourself through the app if the tenancy is linked to your UAE Pass. Keep a copy somewhere other than your phone, because you will need it again at renewal and when you move out.

How does Ejari renewal work?

Every renewal of a tenancy contract needs its own Ejari registration, at the same fee as the first. Do it soon after you sign the renewal, ideally before the old registration expires, so your address record never lapses. If the rent changes at renewal, the new Ejari records the new figure, which then becomes the baseline for next year's rental index check.

Before you agree a higher rent, run the official calculator or our rent increase calculator, and read our RERA rental index guide. Your landlord must give at least 90 days' written notice before expiry to change the rent, and any increase is capped by Decree 43 of 2013.

How do I cancel an Ejari?

Cancelling matters because a unit cannot be registered to a new tenant while an old Ejari is active, and a tenant cannot register a new home while still tied to the previous one. Either the tenant, the landlord or an authorised representative can request cancellation through the Dubai REST app, the DLD website or a trustee centre.

1. Settle and close your final DEWA bill and keep the clearance.
2. Get written confirmation from the landlord that you have handed over the keys, or a mutual termination agreement if you are leaving early.
3. Submit the cancellation request with the Ejari number and supporting documents.
4. Keep the cancellation confirmation. You will need it before you can register your next home.

Common Ejari mistakes to avoid

That last point catches newcomers out. Short-term furnished stays booked through holiday-home operators are licensed as tourist accommodation, not tenancies. They are convenient for a first month, but they usually do not give you an Ejari, so you cannot use them for a DEWA account or visa sponsorship. When you are ready to sign a proper lease, browse apartments for rent in Dubai or our list of the best areas to live in Dubai.

Do landlords who own off-plan or newly handed-over units need Ejari?

Yes. Once a unit is handed over and let, the tenancy must be registered like any other. Owners of newly completed homes sometimes find the unit is not yet fully set up in DLD's systems, which can delay the first registration. If you have bought off-plan property, confirm the title deed or registration status before advertising the unit, and see our off-plan property guide for the handover steps.