Ejari Cancellation in Dubai: 2026 Process, Fees and Move Out Rules

Closing an Ejari record removes a tenancy contract from the Dubai Land Department's rental register once the lease has expired or both parties have agreed to end it. Ejari itself is the official record of the lease, and Article 4 of Law No. 26 of 2007 makes registration compulsory. Courts and government bodies will not hear a dispute over a lease that was never registered.

Why the Register Does Not Close a Lease on Its Own

The Ejari record stays active after the end date until someone applies to close it. Article 6 of the same law adds a second reason to act: if the tenant stays on after expiry and the landlord does not object, the lease renews on the same terms for the original period or 1 year, whichever is shorter. Clear written notice and a closed record prevent that outcome.

A property can carry only one active Ejari registration at a time. Until the old record is closed, the next lease on that unit cannot be registered, which is why landlords and incoming tenants both ask for proof of cancellation.

Dubai Rental Registrations in Q1 2026

The data shows how often this step happens. Dubai registered 118,385 new tenancy contracts and 135,607 renewals in Q1 2026, with a combined value of AED 32.2 billion, while cancelled contracts fell 25% against the previous period.

Who cancels Ejari depends on the channel. On Dubai Now and the Ejari system the request starts with the owner or the property manager, while a tenant can apply in person at a trustee centre. The Dubai Land Department sets separate rules for each. Pick the route that matches your case before you apply.

Tenants Applying at a Trustee Centre

At a Real Estate Services Trustee Centre, the tenant or a representative holding an official power of attorney can submit the request. The landlord must be the owner or a representative with a POA. This route is not available when the property is managed by a real estate company or by an owner who has direct Ejari system access.

Individual Owners Using the Dubai REST App or Dubai Now

The mobile app route works only when both the landlord and the tenant are individuals and the owner's details on the Dubai Land Department record are up to date. On Dubai Now, the owner opens the property, selects the option to cancel the tenancy contract and sends the request to the tenant, who can approve or decline it. The owner is then notified of the decision.

Property Management Companies Using the Ejari System

Companies need a licence for property management activity to close leases through the Ejari system on the Dubai Land Department website. Individual owners can manage their own units there too, and agents acting for an owner need a legal POA that covers property management. If a licensed agency manages your unit, the trustee centre route is closed, so ask the agency to file the request.

Cancel Commercial Ejari for an Office, Shop or Warehouse

The Dubai Land Department's cancellation service does not set a separate document list for commercial leases, so offices, shops and warehouses follow the same channel rules. The difference is in who the parties are. When the tenant is a company, the mobile app route is closed, because it works only between 2 individuals, so the request goes through the Ejari system or a trustee centre.

A business also has to switch off DEWA on its own, because the automatic DEWA link covers residential units only, as section 4 explains. Timing matters for a business that leaves early: under Article 25(1), a landlord can seek eviction if a commercial unit stays unoccupied for 30 consecutive days or 90 separate days in a year, unless the contract says otherwise.

You can cancel Ejari online through 3 digital channels or in person at a trustee centre, and the steps are short in each case. The trustee centre route takes about 25 minutes once your documents are checked.

Cancel Ejari on the Dubai REST App or Ejari System

Step 1: Register or log in to the Dubai REST app or the Ejari system on the Dubai Land Department website.

Step 2: Complete the required data for the tenancy contract and attach any documents requested.

Step 3: Submit the request electronically.

Step 4: Wait for the confirmation email, which is your proof that the record is closed.

Terminate a Tenancy Contract Through Dubai Now

Step 1: The owner logs in to the Property Wallet in Dubai Now and selects the property.

Step 2: The owner chooses Cancel Tenancy Contract, fills in the fields and sends the request to the tenant.

Step 3: The tenant logs in, reviews the request and approves or declines it.

Dubai Now issues no document for a termination, so keep a screenshot of the approved status for your records.

Close the Lease at a Real Estate Services Trustee Centre

At the centre, staff check the documents, enter and audit the transaction, and approve it. You then pay the service fee by card, cash or Noqodi wallet and collect the receipt. Bring the originals listed in section 4.

Check Whether Your Ejari Is Cancelled

The email the Dubai Land Department sends on approval is the official proof that an online request went through, and the receipt is your proof of the transaction at a trustee centre. On Dubai Now, the owner receives a notification once the tenant approves or declines, so both sides can see the outcome. If no email arrives after you submit, call Dubai Land Department support on +971 8004488 with your contract number.

Download Ejari Certificate Online

The Ejari certificate is the proof of a registered lease, and you can get a copy online at no cost in 3 ways:

• Dubai Land Department website: select Download Ejari Certificate, enter the Ejari contract number and either the DEWA premise number or the Dubai Municipality number from the Leased Unit section, then complete the captcha and download.
• Dubai REST app: log in, open Certificates, pick the Ejari certificate option and fill in the fields to save a digital copy.
• UAE PASS app: open Documents, tap the plus icon, choose Dubai Land Department and then Tenancy Contract. The app finds contracts linked to your Emirates ID and notifies you when one is ready.

The documents to cancel Ejari are few, but most come with a condition. The official trustee centre list from the Dubai Land Department has 4 items, and the DEWA step is handled through DEWA itself.

• Original unified tenancy contract: surrendered for cancellation, or presented if the contract is still active.
• Emirates ID of the applicant.
• Power of attorney, if a representative applies: a POA issued in Dubai needs only its number entered, while one issued in another emirate must be attached.
• Letter from the owner requesting cancellation: required only when the contract is still active.

Landlord Letter to Cancel Ejari: What to Include

When the lease is still active, the owner's letter is the request itself, so it should leave no room for doubt. A clear letter states the owner's full name and Emirates ID or passport number, the tenant's name, the building and unit number, the DEWA premise number, the tenancy contract number, the agreed end date and confirmation that the unit is vacated. It ends with the owner's signature, plus the company stamp if a company owns the unit.

How DEWA Clearance Reaches RERA

For residential units with a single premise number, DEWA links its move out process to the Ejari system. When the owner requests cancellation, DEWA contacts the tenant to arrange deactivation. Once the tenant pays the final bill, DEWA sends the clearance certificate automatically to both the tenant and RERA, so the cancellation can proceed.

Other cases, including business accounts, property owner accounts and free zone areas, do not use this link. They request DEWA deactivation themselves through Dubai Now or DEWA's digital channels, and the clearance certificate is emailed once the final bill is settled.

The fee to cancel Ejari is small, but moving out in Dubai involves 3 separate charges: closing the old lease, switching off DEWA, and registering the next lease. The table lists each published fee.

The online registration total for the next lease is made up of AED 100 for the contract, an AED 55 service fee, AED 10 each for the knowledge and innovation fees and AED 2.75 VAT on the service fee. At a trustee centre, the service fee rises to AED 95 plus VAT, which brings the total up.

For a tenant in an apartment with small meters who closes the old lease online and registers the new one online, the full registration and utility cost of moving is AED 322.75. Your DEWA security deposit is set against the final bill, so you either pay the difference or receive the balance back.

A Dubai tenancy contract cannot be ended early by one side alone. Article 7 of Law No. 26 of 2007 says a valid lease may not be terminated unilaterally during its term, so early termination of a tenancy contract in Dubai needs either mutual agreement or one of the grounds set out in the law.

Notice Before Expiry Under Article 14

A landlord or tenant who does not want to renew, or who wants to change the terms, must tell the other side at least 90 days before the lease ends, unless the contract sets a different period. Send this in writing and keep proof of delivery, because the date of notice decides whether a rent change or non-renewal can apply.

When a Landlord Can End a Lease During the Term

Article 25(1), as amended by Law No. 33 of 2008, lets a landlord seek eviction during the lease on set grounds, served through a notary public or by registered mail. The first ground listed is rent that stays unpaid 30 days after the landlord's payment notice. Others include subletting without written approval, illegal use, serious damage and condemned buildings.

Ending a Lease at Expiry Under Article 25(2)

At expiry, a landlord can recover the unit to sell it, to use it personally or for a first degree relative when the owner has no other suitable property, to demolish and rebuild, or for major renovation. The notice must be served through a notary public or by registered mail at least 12 months before the eviction date. A unit taken back for personal use cannot be re-let for 2 years if residential.

Dubai's Rental Disputes Center warned in October 2026 that many disputes start from verbal promises and side arrangements that never made it into the contract. If you agree an early exit with your landlord, put the date, the penalty and the deposit terms in a signed letter. Do not accept verbal confirmation.

When tenancy contract cancellation is skipped on the Ejari register, the unit stays linked to the old lease. The next tenant cannot register, the landlord cannot re-let on paper, and the outgoing tenant has no record that the tenancy ended. A planned timeline avoids all 3 problems.

This is non-negotiable due diligence for a tenant: keep the approval email, the DEWA clearance certificate and the move out photos in one folder for at least a year. If a later claim about damage or unpaid bills appears, those 3 records are your evidence.

The 2 to 3 week booking window in the table is a planning margin, not a legal rule. DEWA deactivates within 24 working hours of the slot you choose and lets you reschedule within its limits.

Fees and channel rules come from the Dubai Land Department and DEWA online service pages as listed in October 2026. Legal rules come from Dubai Law No. 26 of 2007 and Law No. 33 of 2008. Registration totals cover Q1 2026.

Service fees and eligibility rules can change. Before you apply, check the current service page on the Dubai Land Department or DEWA website, and read the termination and deposit clauses in your own tenancy contract.

No estimates are used in this guide. Every figure is a published fee, a legal period, a reported registration total or a calculation shown in the text.