Independent guide — not affiliated with the Dubai Land Department, RERA, or the official Ejari system. Operated by Cendale Documents Clearing Services FZCO.

Ejari Registration in Dubai — How Tenancy Registration Works

Every rental contract in Dubai has to be registered. Ejari is the official Dubai Land Department system that records your tenancy so it is legally recognised — the step that lets you process a residence visa, connect DEWA, enrol children in school, and rely on the contract if a dispute arises. This page explains what Ejari registration is, who is responsible, what you need, what it costs and how long it takes.

Quick answer

What it is: official registration of your Dubai tenancy contract with the Dubai Land Department (DLD).
Who must do it: legally the landlord; in practice often the tenant, agent or property manager.
Where: the Dubai REST app (online) or a Real Estate Services Trustee Centre (in person).
Cost: a government registration fee, plus a service fee if a provider handles it for you.
Time: same day in person; usually 24–48 hours online after the landlord approves.

What Ejari is

Ejari (Arabic for “my rent”) is the tenancy-registration system run by the Dubai Land Department through RERA. It puts every lease into one regulated, government-recorded format so the contract is recognised across Dubai’s other systems — immigration, DEWA, the courts and the Rental Dispute Centre. A registered tenancy produces an Ejari certificate with a unique contract number. Without it, many everyday processes simply will not proceed.

Who has to register Ejari

Under Dubai’s rental rules the legal duty to register sits with the landlord. In day-to-day practice the job is often done by the tenant, the managing agent or a property-management company — and it is usually the tenant who needs the certificate first, because the visa and DEWA steps depend on it. Whoever submits it, the registration needs the landlord’s cooperation: their details and, online, their approval of the request.

How registration works

There are two routes. Online, through the Dubai REST app, the tenancy details and documents are submitted, the landlord approves the request, and the fee is paid in the app — the certificate follows, usually within a day or two. In person, at a Real Estate Services Trustee Centre, the documents are presented over the counter and the certificate is typically issued the same day.

See the step-by-step guide to registering on Ejari.

What you need

At minimum: the signed tenancy contract, the tenant’s and landlord’s Emirates ID or passport, a copy of the title deed, and the DEWA premises number for the unit. Renewals also need the previous Ejari certificate and a recent DEWA bill.

See the full documents checklist

What it costs

Ejari has two parts to its cost: a government registration fee set by the DLD, which is lower online than in person, and — if you ask a provider to handle it — a service fee on top. Because the DLD can change the government fee, the current amount is best confirmed at the point of registration.

See how the cost is made up.

Renewing and cancelling

Ejari is tied to the lease, so it must be renewed each time the tenancy is extended, even if nothing in the contract has changed. When a tenant moves out, the Ejari is cancelled, which needs the landlord’s cooperation.

See renewal and cancellation.

Why it matters

A registered tenancy is what makes the rest of life in Dubai work: sponsoring a family visa, opening or moving a DEWA account, school enrolment, and standing before the Rental Dispute Centre if there is a disagreement. An unregistered lease leaves you without that footing.

Doing it yourself, or having it handled

Most people register Ejari themselves — online through Dubai REST or in person at a trustee centre. If you would rather not, a tenancy-registration service such as ejaries.ae will handle the documents, the landlord approval and the certificate for you. Either route ends in the same official record in the Dubai Land Department system.

Common questions

Is Ejari mandatory?
Yes — every residential and commercial tenancy in Dubai must be registered.

Can the tenant register it themselves?
Often yes, with the landlord’s details and approval, though the legal duty is the landlord’s.

How long is an Ejari valid?
It is tied to the tenancy term and is renewed when the lease is renewed.

Do I need Ejari for a visa or DEWA?
Yes — both typically require a valid Ejari certificate.