Brief to keys
How to rent an office in Dubai, step by step
10 steps from the first brief to the day you get the keys — who does each one, what to bring, and what the authorities charge.
- 1–3FindBrief, shortlist, viewings and checks
- 4–5AgreeOffer, terms, contract and the first payment
- 6–8RegisterEjari, DEWA and your trade licence
- 9–10Move inFit-out approvals, handover and the keys
Fees are indicative and change; we confirm the current ones on the day.
Stage 1 of 4 · Find
Step 01 of 10
Your brief
Find
- 1
Your brief
Size, area, fit-out, parking, budget, the licence you hold or need, and your move-in date — sent once, by WhatsApp, phone or the form.
- Who
- You
- 2
Shortlist and viewings
Offices that fit, including ones that are not advertised, each with its specs and first-year cost. We arrange the viewings and are there for each one.
- Who
- Us
- 3
The ten checks
Run the checks on the office you like, and see the title deed — or the owner’s power of attorney, and their written consent to sub-let if the person letting it is a tenant.
- Who
- You, with us
Agree
- 4
Offer and terms
The rent, the number of cheques, any rent-free period for fit-out, the start date and how renewal works. We negotiate them with the landlord and confirm in writing.
- Who
- Us, with the landlord
- 5
Contract and first payment
The tenancy contract is signed, and the first cheque, VAT, the security deposit and the agency fee are paid. The later cheques are handed over post-dated.
- Who
- You
- Bring
- Trade licence (or the application)
- Passport and Emirates ID of the signatory
- Company cheque book
Register
- 6
Ejari
The tenancy is registered with Ejari, Dubai’s lease register. The certificate is what the licensing authority and DEWA ask for.
- Who
- Us, or the landlord
- Cost
- About AED 220
- 7
DEWA, and cooling
Electricity and water are connected in your name, with a refundable deposit set by the power load. District cooling, where the building uses it, is opened the same way.
- Who
- You
- Cost
- Deposit from about AED 4,000, plus connection
- 8
Your trade licence
The office address goes on your licence — with Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism for mainland companies, or with the free zone that the building sits in.
- Who
- You, or your PRO
Move in
- 9
Fit-out approvals
Any works need the building’s approval first, and larger ones the authorities’ — your contractor files the drawings. A shell & core office is where the rent-free period earns its keep.
- Who
- You and your contractor
- 10
Handover and keys
A walk-through with the landlord, a condition report with photos, access cards and parking. Keep the report — it is what the deposit comes back against.
- Who
- Us
Talk to an advisor
Tell us what you need. We will send you spaces that fit.
Size, area, fit-out, parking, budget and move-in date — send it once. Not every space we handle is on the website, and the right one is often off-market.