Registration Systems: Ejari vs Tawtheeq vs Others

Dubai — Ejari

Authority: Dubai Land Department. Registration is mandatory (Law 33/2008, Art. 4(2)); the law sets no day-count and no fine.
Who files: the agency or landlord at a Trustee centre or in the Dubai REST app; a tenant can file with the landlord's approval — DLD cancels the request if the landlord does not approve within 5 days.
Fee: AED 177.75 online / AED 220 at a Trustee centre.
Without it: the Rental Disputes Centre will not hear a dispute; DEWA connection and many visa steps ask for the certificate.

Authority: ADREC, through DARI.
Who files: the lessor starts it; the tenant reviews it.
Fees (ADREC/DARI scheme): residential under 4 years — AED 50 per contract; 4 years or more — 1% of the annual rent; commercial/industrial — AED 50 per contract (under 4 years) or AED 50 a year (4 years or more); residential municipality fee — 5% of the annual rent for non-nationals, minimum AED 450.
Without it: neither Law 20/2006 nor the Tawtheeq terms set a fine for an unregistered tenancy contract.

Who files: the landlord, within 15 days, including renewals (Law 5/2024, Art. 4).
Without it: an administrative fine on the landlord (twice the attestation fee, per the Municipality's template); government entities refuse an uncertified lease; the tenant or the Municipality can ask the emergency judge to compel certification.

Fee: 2% of the rental value, minimum AED 400 for expatriates; no fee for UAE citizens; one business day (official service card).
Who files: not confirmed by a primary source.

Fee: application AED 50 residential / AED 100 commercial or investment, plus attestation of 5% of the annual rent (minimum AED 200 / AED 500).
There is no "RAK RERA".

The fee and who files are not confirmed by a primary source — check with the authority.