Are you moving to a new apartment and wondering about the requirements you need to register your tenancy contract? Are you unsure what Ejari is? Don’t worry; we’ve got you covered!
The Real Estate Regulatory Agency (RERA) launched Ejari to control and facilitate Dubai’s rental market.
The Ejari certificate guarantees openness and transparency between the landlord and the tenant, fully integrating rental contracts into the legal system and allowing for easy contract revision in the event of a disagreement. The Ejari certificate also ensures that the rights of both the tenant and the landlord are met in the case of a conflict.
Once your tenancy contract is registered, an Ejari certificate with your Ejari contract number will be issued.
Why do I need to register Ejari?
- You need your Ejari certificate to register an account with the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), which ensures your water and electricity services are operational when moving into your apartment/villa.
- Before issuing any service, building and community management companies will require an Ejari certificate.
- In case of a conflict between you and the landlord, you will be on the safe side by having your rights guaranteed.
- Renewing children’s residency, as the number of bedrooms at your apartment needs to be sufficient/match
- To issue or renew a trade license for commercial use
How does Ejari get done?
- The landlord or property management is authorised by RERA to provide you with an Ejari contract for every lease and renewed one. If you are leasing from Wasl, we will manage the Ejari process on your behalf after you finalise/renew your lease through our eServices and pay the required fees.
- For individual registration, the tenant has to register the contract online through the Dubai REST app, which is the official government app for real estate.
- The tenant registers the contract in person.
In Dubai, there are five Ejari offices; you walk in without a need for an advance appointment and present the relevant documents provided by your real estate agent or landlord. You will receive your Ejari certificate on the spot. Make sure that your Ejari needs to be issued as soon as your tenancy contract is signed.
Required Documents
In order to get Ejari done, all you have to do is prepare several documents before you head to the centre. These include an original signed tenancy contract, the tenant’s Emirates ID and copies of their passport and visa, a copy of the landlord’s passport (the signature needs to be visible), and a copy of the title deed that is provided by the landlord. The fee that you have to pay is only AED 206 plus VAT. If you are renewing Ejari, you will also require a recent DEWA “green bill” is required.
Registration Tips
Here are some additional tips to ensure a smooth and easy registration process. Ejari must be under one tenant’s name; if you are sharing the rent with someone, a lead tenant must be chosen to register the contract under. Only high-quality scans are allowed if the landlord is unable to sign in person. Keep in mind that many people are not aware when a tenancy contract will be renewed, there should not be an overlap between the end date of the existing contract and the start date of the new one. Additionally, the DEWA premise number is located outside the front door or adjacent to the garage in the case of villas.
Cancelling Ejari
At the end of a tenancy period, the Ejari should be cancelled. This must be done by the landlord, as each property should have one Ejari at a time, so make sure that your landlord has terminated the existing Ejari before you try to register a new one. At Wasl, we will help cancel your Ejari after your lease contract is terminated/ended.
