Facts checked on October 18, 2026
Long-term letting: Ejari registration
Every residential tenancy in Dubai must be registered with RERA, including later amendments. This is done in Ejari, the Dubai Land Department's registration system.
You use the Unified Tenancy Contract. You can register on the website, in the Dubai REST app or at a Real Estate Services Trustee Center, and then download the Ejari certificate.
- Website or app: AED 177.75 in total
- Trustee Center: AED 220, due to a higher service partner fee
Rent increases and the RERA rental index
Increases on renewal are capped by Decree 43 of 2013. The benchmark is the rent index approved by RERA. Since 2 January 2025 this is the Smart Rental Index, which rates each building on construction, maintenance, location and services.
To change the terms of a lease, give notice at least 90 days before it expires.
- Rent less than 10% below average: no increase
- 11 to 20% below: up to 5%
- 21 to 30% below: up to 10%
- 31 to 40% below: up to 15%
- More than 40% below: up to 20%
Ending a tenancy and disputes
After the lease ends, a landlord can seek eviction only on set grounds: sale, own use, demolition and rebuilding, or works that cannot be done with a tenant in place. Notice must be at least twelve months, served by a notary public or registered mail.
Disputes go to the Rental Disputes Center. The deposit covers damage beyond normal wear. If you buy a tenanted unit, read the Ejari contract and its end date first.
Short-term letting: the holiday home permit
Letting to tourists is a regulated activity. You need a licence and a holiday home permit for each unit from the Department of Economy and Tourism (DET). The permit is valid for one year.
The unit must be furnished and meet the standards for its class, deluxe or standard. Letting without DET's prior approval can be fined.
- The sale and purchase agreement must not expressly forbid holiday home use
- Guest details are reported to DET regularly
- The licence holder carries insurance from an insurer licensed in Dubai
- Developers and building managers must allow the activity
Service charges, housing fee and UAE tax
Service charges in jointly owned buildings are approved by RERA and published per project in the Service Charge Index. Owners pay them through Mollak into RERA-approved accounts. Tenants pay a municipality fee of 5% of the annual rent on their electricity bill.
Long-term letting by an individual without a licence falls outside UAE corporate tax. A holiday home under a DET permit counts as a business; tax only applies once business turnover exceeds AED 1 million in a calendar year. Tax in your home country is covered in our tax guide.
What to check before you buy to let
I do not quote expected rents or returns. I would rather say honestly what I do not know. Ask what any forecast is based on.
- The building's service charges in the Service Charge Index
- Whether holiday homes are allowed in the building
- The rental index for comparable units
- Any existing Ejari contract and its end date
- Your broker's RERA card
Frequently asked questions
Can I buy property in Dubai and rent it out?
Yes. Long-term letting requires a tenancy contract registered in Ejari. Letting to tourists requires a holiday home permit from the Department of Economy and Tourism.
How much does Ejari registration cost?
Registering on the website or in the Dubai REST app costs AED 177.75 in total. At a Trustee Center it costs AED 220.
How much can a landlord increase rent in Dubai?
It depends on how far the current rent is below the average in the RERA rental index. The cap ranges from 0% to 20%.
Can I rent out my Dubai apartment on Airbnb?
Only with a DET holiday home permit, and only if the purchase agreement and building do not rule it out. Letting without approval can be fined.
