If you're renting a home or an office in Dubai, your lease isn't legally recognised until it's registered on Ejari. Most people only find this out when something stops: DEWA won't connect the power, the visa application asks for proof of address, or the trade license renewal won't go through.

Probiz registers, renews and cancels Ejari for tenants, landlords and companies across Dubai. Before anything is submitted, we check your contract against the title deed and the DEWA details, which is where most applications fail.

Send us your tenancy contract on WhatsApp and we'll tell you whether anything is missing before you pay for anything.

What Ejari is, and why everything else depends on it

Ejari (Arabic for "my rent") is Dubai's official register of tenancy contracts. It's run by the Real Estate Regulatory Agency (RERA) under the Dubai Land Department, and it applies to every residential and commercial lease in Dubai.

The registration itself takes minutes. What matters is everything that checks for it afterwards:

The legal duty to register sits with the landlord. In practice, the tenant almost always does it, because the tenant is the one who needs the certificate.

Ejari for businesses: trade licenses, flexi desks and office leases

For a company, Ejari isn't a one-off form. It's tied to your trade license, your visa quota and your renewal dates. This is where most of the problems we fix come from.

• Your license needs a registered address. A mainland company in Dubai must have an Ejari-registered office before the license is issued, and again at every renewal.
• The names must match exactly. The tenant name on the Ejari has to match the company name on the trade license, spelling included. A missing "L.L.C" or a different spelling is enough to send it back.
• The space affects your visas. The size of the office you lease affects how many employee visas you can apply for. A flexi desk suits a small team, but it won't support a large visa quota.
• Flexi desks and business centres come with their own Ejari. If you take a desk or office through a business centre, the Ejari is issued for that space. Check the activity and license details are correct before it's registered.
• Moving office means re-registering. The old Ejari has to be cancelled and a new one registered, and your license address updated to match.

Probiz can arrange the office space, the Ejari and the license amendment together, so you aren't coordinating three different offices. See our Flexi Desk and Business Center options.

Documents required for Ejari registration

What you need depends on whether the property is residential or commercial.

Residential tenancy

• Tenancy contract signed by both landlord and tenant
• Tenant's Emirates ID and passport copy
• Landlord's passport or Emirates ID copy
• Title deed copy (from the landlord)
• DEWA premise number (shown on any previous DEWA bill for the unit)

Commercial tenancy

• Signed lease agreement
• Valid trade license copy
• Title deed copy
• Emirates ID and passport copy of the license's authorised signatory
• DEWA premise number

Renewal

• The renewed or extended tenancy contract
• The existing Ejari number
• A recent DEWA bill

If the landlord is slow to send the title deed or the DEWA number, tell us. We can contact the landlord or the agent directly to get them.

How Ejari registration works

1. Contract signed. Both landlord and tenant sign, with the final rent, dates and names agreed.
2. Documents checked. We compare the contract with the title deed, the Emirates IDs and the DEWA details before anything is submitted.
3. Application submitted. Ejari is registered through the Dubai Land Department's channels: the Dubai REST app, the DLD website or an authorised service centre.
4. Fees paid. The government fee is paid at submission.
5. Certificate issued. You receive the Ejari certificate with its registration number, which DEWA, immigration and the licensing authority will check.

Where it usually goes wrong

• The previous tenant's Ejari was never cancelled. A property can't carry two active registrations, so the new one is rejected until the old one is closed.
• Wrong or missing DEWA premise number. This is the most common reason an application stops at submission.
• Names that don't match. The name on the contract differs from the Emirates ID, the passport or the trade license.
• The contract doesn't match the title deed. The unit number, plot number or owner name is different.
• Expired documents. An Emirates ID or trade license that has expired, or will expire before the lease starts.

We check for each of these before submitting. That's usually the difference between same-day registration and a week of back-and-forth.

How long does it take?

With complete, matching documents, Ejari is usually registered the same day. Delays almost always come from one of the problems listed above, not from the system itself. If your visa or DEWA appointment is close, tell us the date when you message, and we'll prioritise accordingly.

Ejari fees in Dubai

The cost has two parts: the government fee set by the Dubai Land Department, and a service fee if someone registers it for you. DLD revises its fees from time to time, so we confirm the current government fee and our own fee before starting. Renewal costs the same as a new registration.

Whether the landlord or the tenant pays is set in the lease. Usually it's the tenant.

Ejari renewal and cancellation

Ejari runs with your tenancy contract. When the lease is renewed, the Ejari must be renewed too. Start about 30 days before expiry, especially if a visa or license renewal falls in the same month.

When you move out, cancel the Ejari. If you don't, the next tenant can't register, and your landlord, agent or new tenant will come back to you to sort it out. A company moving office also needs the old Ejari cancelled before the new address can go on the trade license.

Probiz handles renewals and cancellations the same way as new registrations.

Is Ejari valid outside Dubai?

No. Ejari is Dubai's system and only covers properties in Dubai. An Ejari certificate can't be used for a lease in Abu Dhabi, Sharjah or any other emirate, which each register tenancies their own way. Abu Dhabi uses Tawtheeq, Sharjah uses tenancy contract attestation, and Ajman uses Tasdeeq.

If your property or office is in Dubai, Probiz can register it for you, wherever in the UAE you're based.

Why clients use Probiz for Ejari

• Documents checked before submission. This avoids rejections and repeat fees.
• We deal with the landlord or agent when the title deed or DEWA number is missing.
• One team for Ejari, trade license and visas. Your registration lines up with your license and visa dates.
• A real office you can visit: Office 110 B, Al Barsha Business Centre, Dubai.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Ejari mandatory in Dubai?

Yes. Every residential and commercial lease in Dubai must be registered on Ejari. Without it, DEWA won't connect services, visa applications needing proof of address can't proceed, and a mainland trade license can't be issued or renewed.

How much does Ejari registration cost?

The government fee is set by the Dubai Land Department and changes from time to time, and a service fee applies if you use a service provider. We confirm the full cost before starting, and renewal costs the same as a new registration.

How long does Ejari registration take?

With complete, matching documents, usually the same day. Delays come from document problems such as a wrong DEWA premise number or a previous tenant's Ejari that was never cancelled.

Who is responsible for registering Ejari: the landlord or the tenant?

Legally it's the landlord. In practice the tenant usually completes it, because the tenant needs the certificate for DEWA and visas. Who pays the fee is agreed in the lease.

Is Ejari valid in Abu Dhabi, Sharjah or Ajman?

No. Ejari covers Dubai properties only. Other emirates have their own systems, such as Tawtheeq in Abu Dhabi, tenancy contract attestation in Sharjah and Tasdeeq in Ajman. Probiz handles Ejari for properties in Dubai.

Do I need Ejari for my trade license?

For a mainland company in Dubai, yes. The license needs an Ejari-registered office address to be issued and renewed, and the company name on the Ejari must match the license exactly.

Can I get Ejari for a flexi desk?

Yes. A flexi desk or business centre office comes with its own Ejari, which can be used for licensing. Keep in mind that a small space limits how many employee visas you can apply for.

What if the previous tenant's Ejari wasn't cancelled?

Your registration will be rejected until the old one is closed, because a property can only have one active Ejari. The landlord or the previous tenant needs to cancel it. We can coordinate this for you.

Do I need to renew Ejari every year?

Yes, whenever your tenancy contract is renewed. Start about 30 days before it expires, especially if a visa or license renewal falls around the same time.

Can Ejari be registered if I'm sharing a flat?

Yes, but only under one tenant's name. Agree on the lead tenant before registering, because that person's name goes on the DEWA account and the certificate.