Every UAE emirate requires tenancy contract registration, but each has its own system with different names, portals, fees, responsibilities, and penalties. This quick reference covers all seven.
At a Glance
| Emirate | System | Portal | Fee | Who Registers | Penalty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dubai | Ejari | Dubai REST / AQARI | AED 155-220 | Tenant/Agent | No DEWA, no visa, no disputes |
| Abu Dhabi | Tawtheeq | tamm.abudhabi / dari.ae | AED 50/yr + AED 900 property | Landlord ONLY | AED 5K-500K fines |
| Sharjah | Municipality | Sharjah Municipality | 4% rent + taxes | Landlord (15-day deadline) | Emergency judge compulsion |
| Ajman | Tasdeeq | tasdeeq.am.gov.ae | 2% or AED 400 | Varies | Limited |
| RAK | Municipality | rak.ae | AED 25 + 5% rent | Varies | Limited |
| Fujairah | EJAAR | ejaar.fujmun.gov.ae | FREE | Varies | Contract NULL & VOID |
| UAQ | Smart UAQ | portal.uaq.ae | 2% + AED 44 | Varies | Limited |
Detailed Breakdown
Dubai: Ejari ("My Rent")
- Authority: Dubai Land Department (DLD) / RERA
- Deadline: 30 days from contract signature
- Language: Arabic required (English acceptable if attested)
- Key requirement: DEWA premises number
- Methods: Dubai REST app, AQARI WhatsApp, typing centres
- Unique: WhatsApp-based registration via AQARI (2-4 hours)
Abu Dhabi: Tawtheeq ("Attestation")
- Authority: DMT / ADREC
- Key difference: Only landlord or property manager can register — tenant cannot
- Language: Arabic required (bilingual OK, English-only REJECTED)
- Methods: TAMM portal, DARI platform
- Unique: Highest potential penalty (up to AED 1M for repeat offenses)
Sharjah: Municipality Attestation
- Authority: Sharjah Municipality (Rent Regulation Department)
- Deadline: 15 days from contract drafting (landlord responsible)
- Cost: Most expensive — 4% attestation + 5% housing + 2% rental tax
- Unique: SEWA auto-activated upon attestation; emergency judge for landlord non-compliance
Ajman: Tasdeeq
- Authority: Municipality / AjmanRE
- Processing: ~1 week
- Required: Sewerage clearance, electricity/water clearance
- Unique: 3 copies of agreement required
RAK: Municipality Online
- Authority: RAK Municipality
- Processing: ~2 hours (fastest in UAE)
- Fee: 5% of annual rent — highest percentage-based fee
- Unique: RERA pre-approval required for rent increases
Fujairah: EJAAR
- Authority: Fujairah Municipality
- Fee: FREE (only AED 105 for transfers)
- CRITICAL: Unregistered contracts are null and void — strongest enforcement
- Unique: Only free registration system in UAE
UAQ: Smart UAQ Portal
- Authority: UAQ Municipality
- Fee: 2% of rent + AED 44
- Template: Available at uaqejari.gov.ae
- Unique: Smallest market, simplest process
TenancyDesk Registration Tracking
TenancyDesk tracks registration status and deadlines for every system:
- Automatic deadline calculation based on emirate
- Document readiness checker (validates all required documents)
- Registration status dashboard per deal
- Reminder alerts before deadlines
Register on time, every time — TenancyDesk tracks deadlines for all 7 registration systems.
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