Losing your Ejari certificate is more annoying than it is serious. The document itself is replaceable, and knowing how to replace a lost Ejari certificate will save you a panicked trip across Dubai the next time a government office asks for it. In Dubai, every tenancy contract must be registered with the Dubai Land Department’s Ejari system, and the certificate you receive at registration is the proof landlords, DEWA, telecom companies, and visa offices ask for. If you misplace the printout or delete the email it arrived in, you can get a new one quickly — usually on the same day.
Quick Answer
To replace a lost Ejari certificate, log in to the Dubai REST app or the Dubai Land Department website and download a fresh copy from your tenancy records — or visit any Real Estate Services Trustee Centre with your Emirates ID to request a reprint. The lost certificate is replaced, not re-registered: your original registration number and contract stay exactly the same. A nominal reprint fee may apply, so confirm the current charge on the official portal before you go.
What a Lost Ejari Certificate Actually Means
Before you worry, it helps to understand what you’ve lost. The Ejari certificate is a digital record — the registration lives in the Dubai Land Department’s system under your tenancy contract number, not in the piece of paper you lost. Losing the printout changes nothing about your legal status as a registered tenant. Your landlord’s registration obligations are unaffected, your DEWA connection stays active, and no one can cancel your tenancy just because you can’t find the certificate.
The practical problem is that many services ask to see the certificate: DEWA when opening or closing an account, your employer’s PRO during visa processing, banks during address verification, and Etisalat or du when setting up a home connection. So the fix is simply to obtain a replacement copy and keep it somewhere safe — which brings us to the options.
How to Replace a Lost Ejari Certificate Online
The fastest route is self-service through the DLD’s digital channels. If you registered the contract yourself (or have access to the registered tenant or landlord account), this takes a few minutes:
- Open the Dubai REST app (or the DLD website) and log in with UAE Pass.
- Go to your tenancy contracts. Your registered contracts are listed under the Ejari/RERA services section.
- Select the active contract for your current address and download the certificate as a PDF.
- Save a backup. Keep one copy on your phone and one in an email or cloud folder you won’t accidentally delete.
The downloaded copy carries the same registration number and validity as the original — it is a true replacement, not a new registration. If you originally registered through a Dubai Ejari registration trustee centre and never created a digital account, you may need the in-person route below instead.
What If You Don’t Have UAE Pass?
Registering for UAE Pass takes a few minutes with your Emirates ID and is worth doing regardless, because most Dubai government services now route through it. If you can’t complete UAE Pass verification immediately, skip to the trustee centre option — they can verify you in person with your physical Emirates ID.
How to Get a Replacement at a Trustee Centre
If the online route isn’t available to you, any Real Estate Services Trustee Centre (the typing centres across Dubai authorised by the DLD) can reissue your certificate:
- Bring your Emirates ID (original, not a copy).
- Ask for an Ejari certificate reprint and provide the property address or the tenancy contract/Ejari number if you have it. The staff can also search by your name.
- Pay the reprint fee, if one applies — centres typically charge a small administrative fee, so it’s worth confirming the amount at the counter.
- Receive your certificate. Reprints are usually issued within minutes.
If someone else is collecting on your behalf — a spouse, a PRO, or a representative — they will generally need an official power of attorney or a written authorisation letter. Centres are strict about this, so don’t send someone empty-handed.
What If the Tenancy Was Registered by a Company?
If your tenancy was registered by a real estate company or your employer’s PRO rather than by you personally, the online self-service route may not show the contract under your account. In that case, contact the company that handled the registration first — they can re-download and email you the certificate in minutes. If the company no longer exists or won’t respond, a trustee centre can still help: bring your Emirates ID and the property details, and they’ll locate the record under your name as the registered tenant.
What to Do If Your Certificate Details Changed
A replacement is only a copy. If the underlying contract details have changed — a new phone number, a corrected name spelling, a new landlord — request a reprint and make sure the registration itself is corrected. A fresh certificate showing outdated information will keep getting rejected. Check the contract information on your certificate against your signed tenancy agreement, and if anything is wrong, ask for a modification at the same visit rather than paying for a reprint twice.
How to Verify Your Replacement Is Genuine
Every Ejari certificate carries a unique registration number (and often a QR/barcode) that any authority can cross-check against DLD records. If an office is unsure about your reprint, that’s the number they use to verify an Ejari certificate — a quick check that confirms the contract is registered and active. A reprint obtained from the DLD’s own channels or an authorised trustee centre will always pass this check.
Preventing It Next Time
Once you’ve replaced the certificate, make losing it twice impossible:
- Save the PDF in two places — your phone’s files and an email archive or cloud drive.
- Keep the Ejari/contract number noted separately (a note on your phone is enough); with that number alone, any centre can pull the record.
- Ask your landlord or agent for their copy too, so you have a second source if both your copies disappear.
- Check your Ejari copy at renewal. Each year when you renew, download the new certificate immediately and archive the old one with the old contract.
Tenants new to the city often lose track of rental paperwork among the flurry of move-in tasks; the Dubai rental market guide for tenants walks through the full sequence of documents worth keeping from day one.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Do I need to register my tenancy again if I lost the certificate?
No. Replacing the certificate is not a new registration. Your original registration remains in the DLD system with the same number and dates — you’re only obtaining a fresh copy of the proof. Don’t let anyone charge you a full registration fee for a simple reprint.
Can I get a replacement if I’m not the person who registered the Ejari?
Possibly, with limits. The registered tenant or landlord can access the certificate online or in person. Anyone else typically needs authorisation from one of them (a power of attorney or a signed letter with ID copies). Trustee centres won’t hand your tenancy details to a stranger, which is exactly how it should be.
How long does it take to replace a lost Ejari certificate?
Online, it takes minutes — the download is immediate once you’re logged in. At a trustee centre, expect it to take a few minutes plus any queue time. Either way, this is a same-day task.
Is there a fine for losing an Ejari certificate?
No. There is no penalty for misplacing the certificate itself. The only cost is the reprint fee at the centre (and your time). Fines in the Ejari world relate to failing to register or renew — not to losing paperwork.
Will the replacement show the same registration number?
Yes. The replacement is a copy of the same record, so the registration number, contract dates, and all details are identical to the original. If anything differs, that’s a sign the record was changed, not just reprinted — and you should find out why.
Can my landlord get the replacement for me?
Yes — the landlord is also a party to the registered contract and can access the certificate through the same online channels or a trustee centre. This is often the quickest option if you’re travelling and can’t visit a centre yourself.
The Bottom Line
Learning how to replace a lost Ejari certificate takes about five minutes of reading and even less doing: download it from the Dubai REST app or DLD website, or pick up a reprint at any authorised trustee centre with your Emirates ID. There’s no fine, no re-registration, and your tenancy record never changed — so treat the loss as a filing problem, not a legal one, and set up a proper backup this time.
Last Updated: 8 October 2026
About the author: Zaviyar Sultan is a UAE-focused writer at Asandada24, covering driving, visas, banking, insurance and everyday UAE life. His guides are researched from official UAE government and regulator sources and updated regularly.
Asandada24 is an independent informational website, not affiliated with the UAE government or any agency mentioned; content is general information only, not legal, immigration or financial advice; verify critical details with official sources before acting.