Ejari (Arabic for "my rent") brings every Dubai tenancy onto a central RERA register, standardising contracts and giving both landlord and tenant an enforceable record. Without an Ejari certificate a tenant generally cannot open a DEWA (utilities) account or use the tenancy for residence-visa purposes.
Registration is usually the landlord's or agent's responsibility and requires the tenancy contract, title deed, and parties' IDs. The certificate must be renewed with each contract renewal. Ejari also underpins the Rental Dispute Settlement Centre, which resolves landlord-tenant disputes.
For investors letting out a Dubai property, Ejari is a compliance step, not optional paperwork — an unregistered tenancy weakens enforcement and can hold up the tenant's own visa and utilities.