How to register Ejari online in Dubai: the landlord opens the Ejari service in the DubaiNow app, completes and signs the tenancy contract with UAE PASS and sends it to the tenant, who signs with UAE PASS and pays AED 177.75. Dubai Land Department (DLD) announced this enhanced Ejari service on 2 November 2026: the Ejari certificate is issued as soon as the contract is approved, and the tenant can pay the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) security deposit in the same journey. It is for individuals who own and manage their own property. Everyone else uses the Dubai REST app, the Ejari system or a Real Estate Services Trustee centre.
Last checked: 11 November 2026. We update this page when DLD changes the service or its fees.
Three ways to register an Ejari contract, from DLD's service pages (checked 11 November 2026):
| Itinéraire | DubaiNow app | Application REST de Dubaï | Trustee centre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frais | AED 177.75, paid by the tenant | AED 177.75 | 220 AED |
| Heure | Instant | After a DLD employee approves it; no time published | 25 minutes, excluding waiting |
| Who starts | The owner | Tenant or landlord; a tenant's request needs the landlord's approval | The tenant or a representative with a power of attorney, in person |
| Who signs, and how | Owner, then tenant, in the app with UAE PASS | No in-app signing listed: you upload a copy of the unified tenancy contract | No signing listed: you hand in the original unified tenancy contract |
| What you need | Valid Emirates ID and UAE PASS | A copy of the unified tenancy contract | Original contract, applicant's Emirates ID, any power of attorney; DLD's FAQ adds the owner's no-objection letter |
| Who can use it | Individuals who own and manage their own property | Tenant and landlord both individuals; owner's details with DLD up to date | Homes not managed by a real estate company or an owner with Ejari system access |
| Matériau | DLD: Dubai Now service | DLD: Register / Renew, DLD FAQ | DLD: Register / Renew |
A fourth route, the Ejari system on DLD's website, serves licensed property management companies, owners who manage their own property and owners' representatives with a power of attorney, at the same AED 177.75.
How to register Ejari online in DubaiNow, step by step
The owner starts and the tenant finishes. DLD's Dubai Now service page lists four steps, two for each side, and gives the completion time as instant. Both need a valid Emirates ID and UAE PASS, which is used to sign the contract electronically. Payment is through Noqodi.
- Landlord: open the Ejari service in DubaiNow and log in with UAE PASS.
- Landlord: choose New Contract, complete the required fields, sign the contract and submit it to the tenant.
- Tenant: review and accept the contract, sign it with UAE PASS and pay the service fees (AED 177.75).
- Tenant: go on to the next step and pay the DEWA fees, if they apply.
DLD's release says the Ejari certificate is issued immediately after the contract is approved. The page doesn't list the fields the owner fills in; Dubai's tenancy law requires a lease to state the property, its purpose, the term, the rent and how it is paid (Article 4), so agree those first.
What changed on 2 November 2026?
DLD's release of 2 November 2026 describes one journey in DubaiNow: create and register the tenancy contract together, renew or cancel it with landlord and tenant connected through UAE PASS, and pay the DEWA security deposit in the same place. It doesn't say which parts are new that day; DLD's Dubai Now tenancy page was already online in late October.
It also gives the scale: in the first quarter of 2026, 118,385 new tenancy contracts and 135,607 renewals were registered in Dubai, worth about AED 32.2 billion.
Can a tenant register Ejari online without the landlord?
Not from start to finish. In DubaiNow the owner starts the contract and the tenant signs and pays. In Dubai REST a tenant can start the registration, but DLD's FAQ says the landlord's approval is needed to complete it. At a trustee centre the tenant applies in person, and the FAQ asks for the owner's no-objection letter.
The same FAQ sets two limits: one tenant's name per Ejari (others can be added as co-occupants in Dubai REST), and at most three residential Ejari contracts per individual.
How much does it cost to register Ejari online?
AED 177.75 in DubaiNow, Dubai REST or the Ejari system: AED 100 registration, AED 55 service fee, AED 10 knowledge fee, AED 10 innovation fee and AED 2.75 VAT on the service fee. A trustee centre costs AED 220, so registering online saves AED 42.25 (DLD's pages, checked 11 November 2026).
DLD lists the same fees for a new contract and a renewal. DubaiNow's steps have the tenant pay; DLD's pages for the other channels (credit card, cash or Noqodi wallet) don't say which side pays, so settle it in the contract.
How does the DEWA deposit step work?
After signing and paying the Ejari fee, the tenant moves to a step that takes DEWA's payment if it applies. DLD's release says paying the security deposit there lets the tenant activate electricity and water for the home. DLD's pages say nothing more about it.
They don't give the deposit amount, DEWA's other move-in charges, when the step applies or how soon supply starts. The app shows what is due before you pay, and DEWA publishes its charges on its move-in service page. The DEWA bill is also where Dubai Municipality collects a tenant's housing fee, based on the rent in the registered contract.
When will DubaiNow not work?
DLD limits DubaiNow to individuals who own and manage their own properties and hold a valid Emirates ID. If a company manages the building, if either side is a company, or if someone has no Emirates ID yet, use another route. DLD's pages leave some cases open, and we won't guess.
- A property management company runs the home: it registers the contract in the Ejari system. That includes homes on the instalment plans in our Flexi Rent guide, which participating management companies offer.
- Landlord or tenant is a company: DubaiNow covers individual owners and Dubai REST needs both sides to be individuals. That leaves the Ejari system or a trustee centre; DLD's pages don't spell out a company tenant's case.
- Power of attorney: the Ejari system and trustee centres accept a representative. The Dubai Now page doesn't mention one.
- No Emirates ID yet: DubaiNow and trustee centres both ask for one. DLD's pages describe no passport-only route.
- Not covered: which communities and free zones are included, joint owners, and out-of-date owner details in DLD's records.
For any of these, call DLD on 800 4488 or use its Malik chat before relying on the app.
How do you renew Ejari in DubaiNow?
Follow the same four steps and choose Renew Contract in step two. The owner completes and signs, the tenant accepts, signs with UAE PASS and pays AED 177.75, and DLD issues the renewed contract instantly. A change to the rent or terms needs 90 days' notice before expiry unless both sides agree otherwise.
Check any increase against DLD's index first: see our RERA rent increase calculator guide.
How do you cancel Ejari in DubaiNow?
The owner starts it: log in to the Property Wallet, select the property, choose Cancel Tenancy Contract and submit the request. The tenant approves or declines, and the owner is notified. No document is issued. DEWA's final bill, both deposits and the other routes are in our Ejari cancellation guide.
What if the landlord will not register the contract?
Registration isn't optional. Article 4 of Law No. 26 of 2007, as amended by Law No. 33 of 2008, requires every lease and amendment to be registered with the Real Estate Regulatory Agency (RERA), and says courts and government departments may not consider a claim on an unregistered lease. It doesn't say which side must register.
So a tenant can start: in Dubai REST, where the landlord then approves, or at a trustee centre. If the landlord won't cooperate, ask DLD what it needs; our Rental Disputes Center guide explains how disputes are filed. This is practical information, not legal advice.
Landlords who would rather not handle contracts, renewals and handovers themselves can talk to our property management team. Tenants still looking can browse our homes for rent.
Foire aux questions
Can I register Ejari online in Dubai?
Yes. Individuals who own and manage their own property can create, sign and register the contract with their tenant in the DubaiNow app. DLD's Dubai REST app and Ejari system also register contracts online. The fee is AED 177.75.
How much is the Ejari fee in DubaiNow?
AED 177.75: AED 100 registration, AED 55 service fee, AED 10 knowledge fee, AED 10 innovation fee and AED 2.75 VAT. A trustee centre charges AED 220 (DLD, checked 11 November 2026).
Who pays the Ejari fee, the landlord or the tenant?
In DLD's DubaiNow steps the tenant pays after signing. DLD's pages for the other channels don't say which side pays, so agree it in the contract.
How long does Ejari registration take online?
DubaiNow is instant, DLD says, with the certificate issued right after approval. In Dubai REST and the Ejari system a DLD employee reviews the request and no time is published. A trustee centre takes 25 minutes, excluding waiting.
Can I pay the DEWA deposit in DubaiNow?
Yes. DLD says the tenant can pay the DEWA security deposit in the same journey to activate electricity and water. DLD's pages don't state the amount; the app shows it.
How do I download my Ejari certificate?
From the Dubai REST app, or through Download Ejari Certificate on the home page of DLD's website, according to DLD's FAQ.
Références
- DLD news, 2 November 2026: enhanced Ejari service through DubaiNow: what the service does, the DEWA deposit, first-quarter 2026 figures
- DLD: Register / Renew / Terminate Tenancy Contract via Dubai Now: steps, eligibility, documents, fees, time
- DLD: Register / Renew Tenancy Contract: Dubai REST, Ejari system and trustee centre steps, fees, terms
- DLD: Frequently asked questions: tenant-started registration, one tenant per contract, three-contract limit, 90-day notice, certificate download
- Law No. 26 of 2007 as amended by Law No. 33 of 2008 (PDF): Article 4
- DEWA: Activation of Electricity/Water (Move-in): DEWA's deposit and activation charges (no amounts quoted here)
DLD's pages and the law were checked on 11 November 2026.
