How To Renew A Tenancy Contract In Dubai | Rules, Fees & Timeline

Whether you’re a tenant planning to stay or a landlord preparing for renewal, this guide explains the entire process, including legal notice periods, rent increase rules, required documents, Ejari registration, and what to do if you cannot reach an agreement.

If nobody gives notice, the contract renews automatically on the same terms (Article 6). Rent increases are capped by the RERA index under Decree No. 43 of 2013. Once terms are agreed, sign the renewal and register it in Ejari through the Dubai REST app (AED 177.75) or a trustee centre (about AED 220), within 14 days of the new term starting. Start the process about 3 months before expiry. If you cannot agree on terms, the Rental Dispute Centre decides.

When Should You Start the Renewal?

Ninety days before expiry. That is the deadline Article 14 sets for either party to propose any change to the contract, including a rent increase or decrease. Whoever wants a change must give written notice before that date, unless the contract says otherwise.

If neither side gives notice, automatic renewal under Article 6 kicks in. The contract continues on the same terms for the same period or one year, whichever is shorter.

So the practical calendar looks like this. At 4 months before expiry, decide whether you are staying and on what terms.

At 3 months, any change notice must already be served. In the final month, sign and register.

How to Renew a Tenancy Contract in Dubai: Step by Step

How Much Does Renewal Cost?

The contract renewal itself has no government fee. What you pay for is the Ejari registration of the renewed contract, and the price depends on the channel:

Fees are current as of 2026 and worth reconfirming on the DLD fee schedule before you pay. Agency renewal or admin fees, if any, are a private matter between you and the broker, not a government charge.

Can the Rent Change at Renewal?

Yes, in either direction, but an increase must clear two hurdles. The landlord must have served the 90-day notice, and the increase must fit the caps in Decree No. 43 of 2013:

Since January 2025 the comparison runs through Dubai’s Smart Rental Index, which rates individual buildings rather than only neighborhoods. Two identical apartments on the same street can now have different lawful ceilings, so always check your own unit rather than relying on a neighbor’s renewal.

A late notice kills the increase. If the landlord asked for more rent 60 days before expiry, the demand has no effect on this cycle, and the contract renews at the old rent.

For a detailed explanation of Dubai’s rent increase rules, read our guide on Can a Landlord Increase Rent Every Year in Dubai? to understand the RERA rental index, legal limits, notice requirements, and when a rent increase is permitted.

Renewing Your Ejari Registration

Ejari does not renew itself when your lease does. Every renewed contract needs a fresh registration, and DLD guidance expects it within 14 days of the new term starting. A lapsed Ejarican stall DEWA, family visa applications, and trade license renewals tied to the address.

Have these ready before you apply:

• The signed renewed tenancy contract in the unified format.
• Emirates ID and passport copy of the tenant.
• A copy of the title deed and the previous Ejari certificate.
• A recent DEWA bill for the unit.
• For commercial tenants, a valid trade license.

By law the landlord carries the registration duty, but in practice tenants usually handle it, and either party can. The certificate is issued electronically, often within 1 to 2 working days.

If renewal terms remain disputed, get legal advice before the notice period or payment deadline passes.

What If the Landlord Refuses to Renew?

Refusal alone changes nothing. A landlord cannot end the tenancy just because the term is over. Eviction at expiry is only possible on the four grounds in Article 25(2): sale, personal use, demolition, or major renovation, and only after a 12-month notice served through the notary public or by registered mail.

Until a valid notice runs out, the contract keeps renewing under Article 6, and you stay on the same terms. We cover this in detail in our guide on what happens when a tenancy contract expires in Dubai. 

What If You Cannot Agree on the New Terms?

The Rental Dispute Centre decides. Either party can file a case, and the tribunal will hold the parties to the lawful position: the old terms if no valid notice was given, or the capped increase if the notice was valid.

One tool tenants often overlook is offer and deposit. If a landlord refuses to accept rent to manufacture a default, the tenant can formally offer payment and deposit the rent through the legal process. That protects the tenant from being painted as a non-payer while the renewal dispute is decided.

Filing costs 3.5% of the annual rent, with a minimum of AED 500 and a maximum of AED 20,000. Conciliation is targeted at 15 days, and most first-instance decisions follow within about 30 days.

The Legal Provisions That Govern Renewal

The framework sits in Law No. 26 of 2007 Regulating the Relationship between Landlords and Tenants in the Emirate of Dubai, as amended by Law No. 33 of 2008. The official text is on the Dubai Legislation Portal (dlp.dubai.gov.ae).

• Article 4: Tenancy contracts must be registered with RERA through the Ejari system.
• Article 6: automatic renewal on the same terms, for the same period or one year, whichever is shorter, where the tenant remains without objection.
• Article 9: the rent is whatever the parties agree in the contract, subject to the review rules below.
• Article 13: the parties may amend terms or review the rent, up or down, for the purposes of renewal.
• Article 14: A party seeking any amendment or non-renewal must give at least 90 days’ written notice before expiry, unless agreed otherwise.
• Article 25(2): the only four grounds on which a landlord can refuse renewal and demand eviction, with a 12-month formal notice.

Alongside the law, Decree No. 43 of 2013 fixes the maximum rent increase slabs against the RERA index, and Decree No. 26 of 2013 gives the Rental Dispute Settlement Centre jurisdiction over renewal disputes.

What the Courts Have Said

Renewal disputes reach the Rental Dispute Centre daily, and the decisions follow consistent lines.

No notice, no increase. The Centre holds landlords strictly to Article 14.

Where the 90-day notice was late or missing, tribunals refuse the increase and treat the contract as renewed at the existing rent. The same logic applies against tenants who demand a reduction without notice.

Courts will order renewal, not just refuse eviction. In a December 2024 decision, the Rental Dispute Settlement Committee rejected an eviction based on an undocumented renovation claim and went further: It ordered the lease renewed for one more year at the same rent, with an Ejari-registered contract.

The offer and deposit protect the paying tenant. In Case No. 46 of 2026, the Dubai Court of Cassation dealt with a dispute that began with a lease renewal and a landlord’s refusal to accept payment. The ruling confirmed that the offer and deposit procedure remains available to a tenant who wants to prove willingness to pay, and it clarified that appeal judgments on such petition grievances are final.

Renewal is for one year at most. Tribunals apply Article 6 literally. A tenant under an expired multi-year lease gets a renewal for the same period or one year, whichever is shorter, not a repeat of the full original term.

Need legal assistance with a tenancy renewal dispute? Contact Leaders Advocates for practical advice and experienced representation before Dubai’s Rental Dispute Centre.

Commonly Asked Questions