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Ejari renewal in Dubai is done through the same DLD service as a first registration, Register / Renew Tenancy Contract, and costs the same: AED 177.75 on the Dubai REST app or the DLD website, or AED 220 at a DLD trustee center. You renew it every time the lease itself is renewed, using the new Unified Tenancy Contract.
Why renewal matters more than people think
A lease that has rolled over without a new Ejari leaves you with an expired certificate. That is fine until something asks for a current one:
- A dependant's visa renewal. The sponsor needs a valid lease or ownership proof again. See visa renewal in Dubai.
- Bringing family for the first time. The family visa file starts with the housing proof.
- A company licence renewal. A business lease that has lapsed in Ejari stalls the licence. Companies should read office Ejari for a trade licence.
So treat the Ejari renewal as part of signing the new lease, not a separate errand for later.
Renewal online or at a center
| Online (Dubai REST or DLD website) | DLD trustee center | |
|---|---|---|
| What you bring | Copy of the renewed contract | Original renewed contract, Emirates ID |
| Who can apply | Tenant, landlord, company | The same, or a representative with a power of attorney |
| Fee | AED 177.75 | AED 220 |
| How you get the certificate | By email | At the counter |
Source: DLD Register / Renew Tenancy Contract page, checked . The Ejari fees page breaks both totals down.
The online steps are the same as for a new lease, which the Ejari registration online guide walks through screen by screen. If you prefer a counter, see Ejari centers near me.
What changes on renewal
Only a few lines should change: the start and end dates and, if agreed, the rent. If anything else differs, for example the tenant's name or the unit, it is not really a renewal. That is a new contract, and the old Ejari should be cancelled. The Ejari cancellation page shows how.
Take care with the name. If your passport was renewed with a different spelling, update the lease before you renew so the new certificate matches the visa file.
When the landlord renews it for you
DLD lists the property management company as a channel, and many managed buildings renew the Ejari themselves when you sign the new term. That is convenient, but check rather than assume. Ask the manager for the new certificate and look at the dates on it. If they are still the old ones, the renewal never went in, and you can do it yourself online the same day.
Keep the renewed certificate with the old one, so you can show each term if a file asks for your address history.
What blocks a renewal
- An earlier term that was never registered. Register it first, as DLD's FAQ indicates.
- No landlord approval for a tenant-started request.
- A non standard lease instead of the Unified Tenancy Contract.
- Renewing the wrong contract. If you hold more than one, check the Ejari number on the old certificate. The Ejari number page shows where it is.
What to have ready for both renewals and new leases is on the Ejari documents page.
