The UAE is not one jurisdiction for tenancy law. Each of the seven emirates has its own legislation, registration system, rent rule and dispute body.
Registration
| Emirate | System | Who files |
|---|---|---|
| Dubai | Ejari | The agency or landlord; a tenant with the landlord's approval |
| Abu Dhabi | Tawtheeq | The lessor starts it; the tenant reviews it |
| Sharjah | Municipality attestation | The landlord, within 15 days |
| Ajman | Tasdeeq | Not confirmed by a primary source |
| Ras Al Khaimah | RAK Municipality (SANAD) | Not confirmed by a primary source |
| Fujairah | EJAAR | The tenant, the owner or a property manager |
| Umm Al Quwain | — | Not confirmed by a primary source |
Rent increases
| Emirate | Rule |
|---|---|
| Dubai | Five bands by the gap to the RERA index average, 0%–20% (Decree 43/2013) |
| Abu Dhabi | 5% a year (Law 20/2006, Art. 16(2)); 0% under the ADREC measure since 3 June 2026 |
| Sharjah | Frozen 3 years, then the committee's "fair rent" — no percentage cap (Law 5/2024) |
| Ajman | 3-year freeze, then 20% — reported, not confirmed |
| Ras Al Khaimah | No statutory cap — increases are contractual |
| Fujairah | 5% — reported, not confirmed |
| Umm Al Quwain | 10% — reported, not confirmed |
Dispute bodies
Dubai — Rental Disputes Centre. Abu Dhabi — Rent Dispute Settlement Committee (Judicial Department). Sharjah — Rental Disputes Center. Fujairah — a Rental Disputes Settlement Committee under its 2011 law. Ras Al Khaimah — the rental disputes committee. Ajman and Umm Al Quwain — check with the authority.
How well each emirate is sourced
| Source status | Emirates |
|---|---|
| Primary-verified | Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah |
| Secondary-sourced | Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah, Umm Al Quwain |
| Not verified | Fujairah's rent ceiling |
A secondary or unverified rule is a reason to check with the authority before acting on it.
In TenancyDesk
Each property records its emirate, and the deal applies the rules TenancyDesk holds for that emirate — showing how each rule is sourced. Ejari, Tawtheeq and Sharjah attestation have their own preparation tabs; the other emirates get a registration tab with the official portal and the reference. You file with the authority yourself.
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