Renting a Home in Saudi Arabia: The Ejar Guide

Renting a home in Saudi Arabia is straightforward once you understand one essential system: Ejar. Whether you are a long-term resident or newly arrived, your lease is only legally protected when it is documented on the Ejar electronic network. This guide from سعودي ليفنج explains how Ejar works, what a valid contract must contain, how much registration costs, and how renewals and terminations are handled — so you can rent with confidence and avoid disputes.

Why Ejar Matters

Only rental contracts documented on the Ejar network are legally valid and enforceable in the Kingdom. An unregistered lease has no administrative or judicial effect, meaning it cannot help you before the courts or government offices. Ejar is operated under the Real Estate General Authority (REGA) and the Ministry of Municipal, Rural Affairs and Housing.

• Registration is mandatory for all residential and commercial rentals within urban areas.
• Any rental agreement made outside the platform is simply not recognized.
• The standard unified Ejar contract is treated as an executive instrument — enforceable directly through the Execution Court.

How to Access Ejar

You can use the official Ejar web portal (ejar.sa) or the official Ejar mobile app. Login and digital signature are handled through Nafath, so you sign your lease securely from your phone. Landlords, tenants, and licensed real-estate brokers all work on the same network to document, renew, and terminate contracts and to issue enforceable notices.

What the Contract Must Contain

The standard Ejar contract records, at a minimum:

• The contract start and end dates.
• The total rent amount.
• The security-deposit amount.
• The payment method.

Residential leases usually run for one year, with clear renewal and termination rules built into the platform. Before signing, read every clause carefully — once digitally signed, the contract is binding.

Fees and How to Pay

Ejar registration is not free in 2026. The platform fee is typically 2.5% of the annual rent, split roughly 1.25% for the tenant and 1.25% for the landlord, though the exact division can be negotiated in the contract.

• For an annual rent of SAR 60,000, the total Ejar fee is usually about SAR 1,500 — around SAR 750 each for landlord and tenant.
• Payment is made electronically through the platform, commonly via SADAD.

Always confirm the current fee structure on the official Ejar portal before you commit, as amounts vary with your rent.

Security Deposit and Rent Rules

For residential leases, the security deposit is capped at 5% of the total lease value, protecting tenants from excessive upfront demands. There is no nationwide rent cap. However, a five-year rent-increase freeze applies within Riyadh city from 25 September 2025. This freeze is embedded within Ejar, so landlords in Riyadh cannot raise rent without platform approval.

Registration, Renewal, and Termination

New contracts are created and signed on the platform by both parties through Nafath. When your lease nears its end, renewal and termination follow the rules defined inside Ejar, and any formal notice between landlord and tenant is issued through the same network to remain enforceable.

• Keep a copy of your signed contract saved from the portal or app.
• Follow the notice periods embedded in your contract if you intend to leave or renew.
• If a dispute arises, the registered contract is your strongest evidence.

Practical Tips Before You Sign

• Insist that your lease is registered on Ejar — never accept a handshake or paper-only agreement.
• Confirm who pays which share of the platform fee before signing.
• Check that the deposit stays within the 5% cap.
• Verify all details — names, dates, rent, and payment method — match reality.
• Confirm any specific fees or procedures on the official Ejar portal, as these can change.

Renting through Ejar gives both tenants and landlords real legal protection. Take the time to understand your contract, and your move into a new Saudi home will be smooth and secure.

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