What is Ejari? Dubai’s rental
registration system, explained
Ejari (Arabic: إيجاري, “my rent”) is the Dubai Land Department system that registers every tenancy contract in Dubai. Registration is mandatory under Law No. 26 of 2007. Without an Ejari certificate you cannot connect DEWA, sponsor a residence visa, enrol a child in school, or file a case at the Rental Dispute Centre.
What Ejari actually is
| What it records | The parties, the property, the contract dates and the annual rent — one row per tenancy, per year |
| Who runs it | RERA, under the Dubai Land Department (dubailand.gov.ae) |
| What you get | A one-page PDF certificate with a unique Ejari contract number and a verification QR code |
| How long it lasts | As long as the contract — normally one year, then it must be renewed |
| Where it applies | Dubai only. Abu Dhabi uses Tawtheeq; other emirates register at municipality level |
Why Ejari is mandatory — what it unlocks
| DEWA utilities | Move In, Move Out and name changes are all refused without an active Ejari — see DEWA activation |
| Residence visas | GDRFA requires it for new visas, renewals and family sponsorship |
| School enrolment | Dubai schools accept Ejari as the proof of address for catchment and registration |
| Rental disputes | The Rental Dispute Centre will not hear a case on an unregistered tenancy |
| Legal standing | An unregistered contract is not protected by the rent-cap and eviction-notice rules you would otherwise rely on |
Ejari vs tenancy contract vs Title Deed
| Tenancy contract | The private agreement you and the landlord sign. Created by you, on the DLD Unified Tenancy Contract form. Free template and field guide |
| Ejari certificate | The government registration of that contract. Issued by RERA after you file the contract. Carries the Ejari number |
| Title Deed | Proof that the landlord owns the property. Issued to the owner by DLD. You never receive one as a tenant — you only upload a copy |
What is on an Ejari certificate
What Ejari costs in 2026
| Yourself, Dubai REST app or DLD portal | AED 177.75 — the government fee on its own, nothing added |
| Trustee / typing centre | AED 219.75 — same registration, higher service-partner fee, a clerk checks your scans |
| Agent or online filing service | AED 300–500 — the AED 177.75 fee plus their margin |
| Renewal | Identical to first registration. There is no renewal discount and no late-payment surcharge |
| Cancellation | Free |
How to get an Ejari certificate
- Dubai REST app — log in with UAE Pass, Services → Real Estate Services → Register Ejari, upload the signed contract, both Emirates IDs and the Title Deed, pay AED 177.75. Cheapest and usually fastest.
- Trustee or typing centre — walk in with the same documents and AED 219.75. Worth it if your scans are poor or the paperwork is unusual.
- Agent or property manager — they file it for you and bill the fee plus a margin.
Ejari across the UAE — and what replaces it elsewhere
| Dubai | Ejari — Dubai Land Department / RERA. Mandatory for all leases |
| Abu Dhabi | Tawtheeq — Department of Municipalities and Transport. Mandatory, filed by the landlord |
| Sharjah, Ajman, RAK, Fujairah, UAQ | Municipality-level tenancy registration, rules and fees set locally |
After registration: renew, or cancel
- Renewing the lease? Register the new contract before the old Ejari expires — renewal guide. A new certificate and a new Ejari number are issued each year.
- Moving out? Cancel the Ejari so the registration cannot block the next tenant or your own next contract — cancellation is free.
- Rent going up at renewal? Decree No. 43 of 2013 caps the increase — check yours with the RERA rent increase calculator.
Frequently asked questions
What does Ejari mean?
Ejari (إيجاري) is Arabic for “my rent”. It is the name of the Dubai Land Department registry that records every tenancy contract in the emirate, and by extension the name of the certificate you receive once your contract is registered.
Is Ejari mandatory in Dubai?
Yes. Article 4 of Dubai Law No. 26 of 2007 requires every tenancy contract in the emirate to be registered with Ejari. It applies to residential, commercial and industrial leases, to renewals as well as new contracts, and to short-term corporate leases.
What is the difference between Ejari and a tenancy contract?
The tenancy contract is the private agreement between landlord and tenant. Ejari is the government registration of that agreement. You sign the contract first, then register it; Ejari does not replace the contract, it makes it enforceable and recognised by DEWA, GDRFA and the Rental Dispute Centre.
How much does Ejari cost in 2026?
AED 177.75 if you file it yourself in the Dubai REST app or on the DLD portal: AED 100 registration, AED 10 knowledge fee, AED 10 innovation fee, AED 55 service-partner fee and AED 2.75 VAT. At a trustee or typing centre the same registration costs AED 219.75, because the partner fee rises to AED 95.
Who pays for Ejari — the landlord or the tenant?
UAE law does not assign the cost to either party. Law No. 26 of 2007 places the registration duty on the landlord, but Dubai contracts routinely delegate it to the tenant, and in practice the tenant usually pays. Whoever pays, write it into the contract so it cannot be argued later.
What happens if you do not register Ejari?
DEWA will not connect or transfer utilities, GDRFA will not process residence visas or family sponsorship, schools will not accept the address, and the Rental Dispute Centre will not hear your case. Landlords and agents running unregistered tenancies face regulatory penalties reaching AED 50,000.
How long does Ejari take to issue?
Filed through Dubai REST with clean documents, the certificate is normally issued the same day and often within minutes. A trustee centre issues it while you wait. Delays almost always come from a mismatch between the contract and the Title Deed rather than from processing time.
How long is an Ejari certificate valid?
Exactly as long as the tenancy contract it registers — normally one year. It expires with the contract, and every renewal needs its own fresh Ejari registration with a new certificate and a new Ejari number.
Can I get Ejari without the landlord?
You can file it yourself, but you cannot file it without the landlord's documents: the Title Deed and the landlord's Emirates ID or passport are mandatory uploads. A landlord who will not supply them is obstructing a legal obligation that Law 26/2007 places on them, which is grounds for a Rental Dispute Centre complaint.
Does Ejari exist outside Dubai?
No. Ejari is a Dubai-only system run by the Dubai Land Department. Abu Dhabi runs a separate registry called Tawtheeq, and the other emirates use their own municipality-level registration. An Ejari certificate has no standing outside Dubai.