Ejari explained: registering a tenancy contract in Dubai

Published 9 November 2026 · 6 min read

Ejari is the Dubai Land Department (DLD) system for registering tenancy contracts. Signing a lease is only half the job: until the contract is registered, it does not carry its full legal weight. This guide covers what registration means, who is responsible and how it is done.

Why registration matters

Dubai Law No. 26 of 2007, which regulates the relationship between landlords and tenants, requires a written lease signed by both parties. Article 4 then goes further: all leases covered by the law must be registered with the Real Estate Regulatory Agency, and courts and government bodies may not consider a dispute or claim arising from a lease that has not been registered. In practice, an unregistered lease leaves both sides exposed.

Who is responsible

DLD's guidance is that responsibility for Ejari registration lies with both the tenant and the landlord. The standard form used is the Unified Tenancy Contract. DLD also notes that an individual may hold no more than three residential Ejari contracts.

The four channels

• The Ejari system on the DLD website, mainly used by licensed property management companies and by individual owners who manage their own properties.
• The Dubai REST app, where both landlord and tenant must be individuals and the owner's data must be up to date.
• Real Estate Services Trustee centres, which register leases on DLD's behalf.
• Dubai Now, for individual owners who manage their own property.

What to bring to a trustee centre

1. The original Unified Tenancy Contract.
2. The applicant's Emirates ID.
3. A power of attorney if you are acting for the tenant or the landlord. A Dubai-issued power of attorney can be referenced by its number; one issued in another emirate must be attached.

At a trustee centre, the tenant or an authorised representative applies, and the landlord must be the owner or a legally authorised representative. This channel is for properties that are not managed by a real estate company or by an owner who already has access to the Ejari system.

Registering through Dubai Now

On Dubai Now, the owner signs in with UAE PASS, chooses a new or renewed contract, completes and signs it, and sends it to the tenant. The tenant reviews it, signs with UAE PASS and pays the service fees, and may be taken to a utility connection step where applicable. To end a lease on this channel, the owner submits a cancellation request from the property wallet and the tenant approves or declines it.

What you receive

Once the request is approved, DLD issues an electronic contract registration certificate. Online applicants receive it by email; trustee centre applicants collect it after payment.

Renewal, notice and disputes

Ejari registration covers renewals as well as new contracts, so a renewed lease should be registered again. The text of Law No. 26 of 2007 published on the Dubai Legislation Portal requires a party who does not wish to renew to notify the other at least 90 days before expiry, and it provides that a lease does not end on the death of the landlord or the tenant but continues with the heirs. Rental disputes are heard by the Rental Disputes Centre.