Start with the person or company that manages your rental. A tenant whose landlord manages a single apartment may be able to finish through Dubai Now, while a tenant in the next flat may need a licensed property manager to submit the registration. Both need to know who starts the request, who approves it and where to get the finished record. On 2 November 2026, Dubai Land Department (DLD) announced an enhanced Dubai Now process that brings signing and registering together and allows payment of the electricity and water deposit in the same app for applicable cases. The other official channels still serve different situations. DLD’s November announcement · DLD’s general registration service
Identify who needs to act first
Ejari registers the tenancy with Dubai Land Department. For leases covered by Dubai’s tenancy law, the amended Article 4 requires registration and specifies information for the lease, including the property, its intended use, the term, the rent and the payment method. Before submitting, check the actual unit number, names, dates and payment terms against what both parties agreed. Ask the owner or manager which channel they use and whether the unit already has a registration that needs attention. Amended Dubai tenancy law, Article 4 · DLD registration requirements
When a licensed real estate company manages the property, contact that company first. DLD lists the Ejari system for licensed property management companies and permits qualifying self-managing owners and authorised representatives to use it. Ask the company what it needs from you and who will send the registration certificate. If an agent only introduced you to the property, ask them to identify the registered manager or confirm that the owner manages it directly. That distinction can determine whether a trustee centre can accept your application. DLD terms for system users and trustee centres
Use Dubai Now when the individual owner can initiate
DLD’s Dubai Now service is available to individuals who own and manage their properties, with a valid Emirates ID required for users. The owner opens Ejari in Dubai Now using UAE PASS, chooses the new contract or renewal option, enters the agreed terms, signs and sends the contract to the tenant. The tenant reviews, signs using UAE PASS and pays the service fee. If you are the tenant and nothing appears for you to sign, ask the owner whether they completed their signing step and submitted the request. Dubai Now eligibility and signing sequence
Review the details on screen before approving, even if you already checked a draft. Compare the start date, end date, rent, payment terms and unit to the agreement. If there is a difference, ask the owner to correct it before you sign. DLD publishes a total of AED 177.75 and says the certificate is issued immediately after contract approval in the enhanced process. That timing starts after approval. Allow time for both people to review and complete their steps. Where applicable, the tenant can continue to pay the DEWA deposit in the app. Check that registration and utility activation each show the expected status before relying on them for move-in. Dubai Now fee and utility step · Certificate timing after approval
Use Dubai REST or a trustee centre when the case fits
For Dubai REST, DLD’s registration service lists a copy of the unified tenancy contract and says both parties must be individuals with the owner’s data up to date for mobile registration. DLD’s Ejari campaign guidance describes the tenant route as requiring landlord approval and says the request is cancelled automatically if that approval does not arrive within five days. If the property does not appear, the owner’s details look wrong or the other party is a company, ask DLD or the licensed manager which channel accepts the specific case. Mobile registration terms · Tenant approval guidance
Before going to a real estate service trustee, ask whether the property is managed by a real estate company or an owner who already has access to the Ejari system. DLD’s registration terms exclude these cases from the trustee route. Where it applies, the service page calls for the original unified tenancy contract and presentation of the applicant’s Emirates ID. A representative needs official power of attorney. DLD says a Dubai-issued power of attorney can be entered by number, while one issued in another emirate must be attached. Check the current procedure if the landlord is represented too. Trustee eligibility and documents
The DLD service page displays AED 177.75 for Dubai REST or the department website and AED 220 for a trustee centre. Confirm the exact payment before you submit. The trustee page estimates 25 minutes for service, excluding the wait. If a document is missing or the property cannot be registered through that channel, resolving the issue can take longer than the counter visit. Save the receipt and keep a note of who submitted the request so you can follow up with the right party. DLD’s published registration totals and trustee service time
Have the contract and the application details ready
Before you open an app or go to a centre, keep the signed contract or agreed contract details, your ID and the contact details of whoever needs to approve the request together. Check the actual property identifier against the one in the application. A building name can be shared by several towers or phases, so use the unit details on the contract. Ask the other party to confirm the contact they use for the service before you submit. If you are acting under a power of attorney, confirm how that document needs to be presented for the route you chose. DLD documents and eligibility
For an owner using Dubai Now, agree with the tenant when both of you can review the request. For a tenant using Dubai REST, tell the landlord to expect the approval request. For a management-company submission, get the name of the person handling registration and agree who will send the finished certificate. If one person is unavailable, you can still prepare the details and check which step must wait. Keeping the request number, submission date and receipt in one place also makes it easier to distinguish a missing approval from a payment issue. Dubai Now party actions · Dubai REST tenant guidance
Renew the existing tenancy when both parties are staying with the agreement
Open the current certificate before starting the renewal. Confirm the contract number and expiry date, then check the agreed new period and rent. Ask who will submit the renewal and when the other party needs to review it. For an eligible Dubai Now renewal, the owner chooses the renewal option and sends the signed contract to the tenant, who signs and pays. If a management company handles the rental, ask it to confirm receipt of the renewal paperwork and tell you when the updated certificate is available. Dubai Now renewal procedure · General registration and renewal service
Suppose you agreed to stay in the same apartment for another year. The building and unit stay the same, but the new start and end dates and any revised payment schedule need a fresh check. If the app opens the old contract, confirm you are looking at the renewal request before accepting or paying. After approval, open the new certificate and verify its dates against the renewed agreement. Save it alongside the previous one so you can show which period each covers.
If you and the landlord are still discussing the rent or another condition, resolve the contract terms before approving the registration request. An Ejari renewal records the tenancy terms submitted for the new period. If a name, unit or date is wrong after issue, keep the issued record and receipt and ask the original submitting party or DLD which correction route applies. Describe the field that is wrong and have the signed agreement ready. A new submission can leave you with a second request while the first still needs attention. DLD’s renewal service and support contacts
Work out whether the request is waiting for a person or a record
On a tenant-initiated Dubai REST application, check whether the landlord received the request and whether it is still open. DLD’s campaign guidance gives the landlord five days to approve. If the request expired, agree who will submit it again and when the other party will be available. For Dubai Now, check the sequence in reverse. Confirm the owner sent the request after signing, then check the tenant’s acceptance and payment. Tell support which app you used so they can locate the right workflow. Dubai REST approval guidance · Dubai Now owner and tenant steps
If a previous registration is blocking a new tenancy, ask the owner or manager to check which record is still active and what DLD requires to clear it. Keep the new lease and application reference handy. The cancellation route is a separate service, with different requirements for an active contract. DLD’s trustee guidance lists an owner letter for an active contract, while the Dubai Now termination flow has the owner submit a request and the tenant accept or decline. Ask which route applies to the earlier lease before opening a second registration request. DLD cancellation requirements · Dubai Now termination workflow
For example, if you just signed for a company-managed apartment and the previous registration is still showing, the first call is to the company. Ask it to confirm the old record status and the submission route for the new lease. If you agreed a move-in date, ask when it expects to be able to submit and when it can send the certificate. If another appointment depends on the document, give the provider the confirmed timing once you have it. DLD’s published trustee service time applies to the service itself, while clearing the earlier record is a separate task. Company and trustee registration terms · Separate cancellation service
Download and check the certificate
DLD says you can recover the certificate through its website if you have the Ejari contract number. In Dubai REST, DLD’s campaign guide points to Property Wallet, the property entry and contract details. If you have no contract number or the property does not appear in your account, ask whoever submitted the registration for the certificate or the request reference. A receipt can help trace the payment while the approval is being checked. Save a copy of the issued certificate where you can find it again and keep the signed agreement with it. Official certificate download · DLD’s app download guidance
Check the names, the unit and the registered period while the paperwork is still easy to find. If you requested termination instead of renewal, check the status with the owner or submitting party. DLD’s campaign guidance says it does not issue a cancellation certificate, and its Dubai Now service lists no document for cancellation. An approved cancellation and a downloadable registration certificate are different outcomes. DLD’s cancellation record guidance · Dubai Now service outputs
Check the handoff to utilities
If you are registering a new lease for a move, check what happens after the certificate arrives. In the integrated process, DEWA receives the details from Ejari and sends a welcome message with the account and deposit information. If the message has yet to arrive, its FAQ directs customers to the Move In service, where they can look up the payment with the Ejari or premises number. Compare the premises number with the one for your unit before paying. If the lookup returns the wrong property or fails after the tenancy has been approved, keep the Ejari number and utility reference together when you contact support. Ask which side of the handoff needs attention so you can give the right team the right record. DEWA’s Ejari and Move In FAQ
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