A common pattern among expat tenants: you sign a lease, pay rent on time, then hit a wall somewhere else — an Iqama renewal that asks for a "valid rental contract," or an electricity company that refuses to put the meter in your name because the lease "doesn't show" in their system. In almost every case, the lease was never registered on Ejar, only signed and kept as a paper or PDF copy.
In short:
- Registering a residential lease on the Ejar network is mandatory, and Ejar is the official reference used to verify that a lease is valid. (Ejar)
- Several government procedures ask for proof of a registered lease, and work-permit (Iqama) renewal has required a tenancy agreement since a 2018 Ministry of Labour policy. (Ejar; Al Tamimi & Company)
- Transferring the electricity meter into the tenant's name is free and, according to Ejar, mandatory once the lease is documented. (Ejar — Financial Liability Transfer)
- A security deposit, where the contract includes one, is held in a dedicated Ejar account; handing it directly to the landlord or broker in cash is a violation of the Real Estate Brokerage Law. (Sabq, citing Ejar)
- We charge SAR 120 to register a residential Ejar contract (SAR 150 commercial); by law the registration cost itself falls on the landlord unless the parties agree otherwise.
Why Ejar registration matters more when you're an expat
For a Saudi national, an unregistered lease is mostly a legal risk. For a resident on an Iqama, it can also stop day-to-day life: proving your address for government services, renewing your work permit, or simply getting utilities billed in your own name. Ejar's own materials describe the network as the sole official reference used to confirm a residential lease is valid, and note that government services tied to proof of a lease rely on that registration — not on a signed paper copy.
What you need to register, as a resident
Ejar does not let a landlord or tenant create the contract directly; it is entered by a licensed real estate broker and then approved electronically by both sides. As a non-Saudi tenant, you are treated the same way as a citizen, with one practical difference in the identity field:
- Your Iqama number stands in for a national ID. Ejar's identity field explicitly allows "national, resident, or passport" identity types.
- A mobile number registered on Absher, used to approve the contract electronically.
- The landlord's ID and an up-to-date title deed for the unit — Ejar requires this to create the electronic contract at all.
- Agreement on rent, payment method, and contract term, which both parties confirm on the platform.
If your landlord already has a broker who documents their units, ask them to register yours the same way. If not, we can register it for you remotely — see our tenant services or the main Ejar contract documentation service.
Moving the electricity meter into your name
Once your lease is registered, the electricity meter can be moved to your name through the Ejar network, the Saudi Electricity Company's own channels, or the Tawakkalna app. Ejar states plainly that the service is free and that the transfer is mandatory. You will need the meter's location number from a recent bill, and both you and the landlord have to approve the request. If the meter still has unpaid charges from before and there is no ownership record on file for it, you can accept or reject responsibility for that balance before the transfer goes through.
The security deposit: who holds it, and how you get it back
A security deposit is an optional item that landlord and tenant agree to include in the contract, not a fixed legal requirement. Where it is included, Ejar reserves the amount from the tenant's e-wallet when the contract is documented and holds it as a neutral party until the unit is handed back without damage. Ejar has publicly stated that paying the deposit directly to the landlord or to a real estate broker, outside the platform, is a violation of the Real Estate Brokerage Law — the deposit is meant to sit with the authority or its designee, not in either party's pocket. When the lease ends, both sides sign a handover form and any amount due is credited back automatically.
What our SAR 120 covers
For a residential contract, our fee of SAR 120 (SAR 150 for commercial units) covers verifying the landlord's title and identity, entering your contract on the Ejar network, and following up until both sides have approved it electronically — all done remotely, so you do not need to visit an office. This fee is for our service; it is separate from the registration itself, which the law places on the landlord unless you and the landlord agree otherwise.
Bottom line
A paper lease or a scanned PDF will not satisfy an Iqama renewal, will not get your electricity meter transferred, and offers you no neutral place to keep a deposit. Registering the same lease on Ejar does all three, and it takes one conversation with a licensed broker to set up.
Need help registering your Ejar contract, transferring your meter, or securing your deposit? Reach us directly:
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need an Ejar contract to renew my Iqama or work permit?
Generally yes. A Council of Ministers decision made the Ejar network the official reference used to verify a residential lease, and several government procedures ask for proof of a registered contract, including, since a 2018 Ministry of Labour policy, work-permit (Iqama) renewal. Confirm the current requirement with the authority handling your case, since procedures can be updated.
How do I transfer the electricity meter into my own name?
Once your lease is registered on Ejar, you can request the transfer through the Ejar network, the Saudi Electricity Company's own channels, or the Tawakkalna app. You will need the meter's location number from a recent bill, and both tenant and landlord must approve the request. Ejar states the service is free and mandatory.
Is the security deposit refundable when I move out?
Yes, if your contract includes one. The deposit is held in a dedicated Ejar account rather than paid directly to the landlord or broker — Ejar has stated that handing it over in cash is a violation of the Real Estate Brokerage Law. It is released to you in full or in part once you hand back the unit undamaged.
Can I register an Ejar contract without a Saudi national ID?
Yes. Ejar accepts a resident's Iqama number as the identity document, together with a mobile number registered on Absher. Non-Saudi tenants are registered the same way as citizens.
How much does it cost to register my lease?
Our fee is SAR 120 for a residential contract and SAR 150 for a commercial one, paid after registration is complete. By law the registration itself is the landlord's responsibility unless both parties agree otherwise; our fee is for our office's service and is separate from that.
Sources: Ejar — residential registration is mandatory · Ejar — Financial Liability Transfer (free & mandatory) · Ejar — official FAQs on the deposit · Sabq — deposit handling under the Real Estate Brokerage Law · Al Tamimi & Company — tenancy agreement for Iqama renewal