Ejari Explained: Dubai Tenancy Contracts (2026)

Ejari is the official registration of a tenancy contract with Dubai Land Department. Without it you cannot connect DEWA, sponsor a family visa, or take a dispute to the rental committee.

It costs about AED 220 and takes minutes. It is also the single document tenants most often fail to insist on.

What Ejari is for

You need Ejari to	Why
Connect DEWA	Water and electricity cannot be registered without it
Sponsor a family visa	Immigration requires proof of registered housing
Get a liquor licence	Requires a registered address
File a rental dispute	The Rental Dispute Centre will not hear an unregistered tenancy
Enrol children in some schools	Proof of address

Who registers it

In practice the landlord or the managing agent does it, and the cost is usually passed to the tenant. What matters is that it happens: an unregistered tenancy leaves you without the protections the law gives you.

Ask for the Ejari certificate before you hand over cheques, or make it a written condition of the contract.

What you need to register

The signed tenancy contract
Tenant's passport, visa and Emirates ID
Landlord's passport copy and the title deed
A recent DEWA bill or the premises number

Reading your tenancy contract

The cheque schedule

The number of cheques and their dates are the commercial heart of the contract. A bounced cheque is a serious matter in the UAE, so agree a schedule you are sure of.

Maintenance

The contract should say who pays for what. The common split is major repairs to the landlord, minor ones to the tenant, but the threshold should be written down rather than assumed.

Early termination

Leaving before the end of the term usually costs one to two months rent, but only if the contract says so. Read this clause before signing rather than when you need it.

Renewal and notice

Any change to rent or terms requires 90 days written notice before the contract ends. Without that notice, the tenancy renews on the same terms.

If something goes wrong

Disputes go to the Rental Dispute Centre, filed for a fee of 3.5 percent of the annual rent. A registered Ejari is required, which is the practical reason to insist on one at the start rather than argue about it later.

More on renting

Our complete tenant guide covers costs, cheques and your rights end to end. Browse current apartments for rent or talk to an adviser.

Frequently asked questions

What is Ejari?+

Ejari is the official registration of a tenancy contract with Dubai Land Department. It costs about AED 220 and is required to connect DEWA, sponsor a family visa, or file a case at the Rental Dispute Centre.

Who pays for Ejari, the landlord or the tenant?+

Registration is the landlord's or managing agent's responsibility in practice, and the cost is usually passed to the tenant. What matters is that it is done, because an unregistered tenancy leaves you without legal protection.

What happens if my tenancy is not registered with Ejari?+

You cannot connect DEWA in your name, sponsor family visas, or take a dispute to the Rental Dispute Centre. Insist on the certificate before handing over cheques.