Month 1
Time
10 min online · power same day
Cost
AED 130 activation + AED 2,000/4,000 deposit
Difficulty
Easy
What to bring
Ejari number
Emirates ID
Your move-in date
Not needed: A site visit. Activation is remote for most buildings
Your options
DEWA (app or website)
The only game in town
AED 130 + refundable deposit
"Move-in" service in the DEWA app: enter Ejari number, Emirates ID, pay, done. Deposit is AED 2,000 for apartments, AED 4,000 for villas. Refunded when you leave.
Typing centre
If you'd rather not do apps
+ AED 50–100 service fee
Any Amer or typing centre will file the move-in for a small fee. Same documents.
Prices checked June 2026
Do it
- 1
Finish Ejari first
DEWA validates the Ejari number automatically — no certificate, no activation.
- 2
Apply for move-in ("tawtheeq")
DEWA app → Move-in. Premise number is on the meter or ask the landlord; Ejari usually auto-fills it.
- 3
Pay activation + deposit
AED 130 activation plus the refundable deposit, by card. Power and water typically switch on the same day.
- 4
Set up auto-pay
Bills run monthly in the app. Watch the "housing fee" line — 5% of your annual rent, billed monthly through DEWA for the municipality.
Words you'll hear
DEWADEE-wah
Dubai Electricity & Water Authority. Your utility bill, plus the 5% municipality housing fee that rides on it.
Chiller-free
A building where cooling is included in rent. The opposite. District cooling on your meter. Can add AED 500–1,000/month in summer.
Ejarieh-JAR-ee
RERA's official tenancy register. An unregistered lease barely exists legally. No DEWA, no family visas, no disputes.
Common questions
Why is my deposit AED 2,000?
Flat-rate security deposit — AED 2,000 for apartments, 4,000 for villas, refundable when you close the account. Activation itself is same-day once Ejari exists.
What's this 5% "housing fee" on my bill?
The municipality fee — 5% of your annual rent, split across twelve DEWA bills. It surprises everyone's first bill; budget for it.
Does DEWA cover my air conditioning?
Only if the building runs normal electric AC. District-cooling towers (Empower/Emicool) bill cooling separately with their own deposit — ask "chiller-free?" before signing.
Full checklist tracking and task completion live in the Settli app for Dubai.