Renting in Saudi Arabia: How the Ejar Contract Works

Renting a home is one of the first big steps when you settle into life in Saudi Arabia, and the single most important thing to understand is the Ejar platform. In the Kingdom, residential leases should be registered electronically through Ejar using the Saudi Standard Lease Contract. This isn't just paperwork — a registered Ejar contract is an enforceable executive instrument before judicial and enforcement authorities, which protects both tenants and landlords. This guide from سعودي ليفنج walks you through how the contract works, what it costs, and how to renew or end it safely.

Why Ejar matters

The Ejar system standardizes rental agreements across the Kingdom and gives your lease real legal weight. Because the Standard Contract is treated as an enforceable executive document, you don't have to go through lengthy legal steps to uphold its terms — the registered contract itself carries authority. For a tenant, this means your agreed rent, payment schedule, and rights are documented and protected.

How the contract is created

The landlord or a licensed real-estate broker creates the lease inside Ejar using the Saudi Standard Lease Contract. A complete contract includes several required sections:

• Contract duration
• Property and unit details
• Landlord and tenant information
• Financial information (rent and payment schedule)
• Terms and conditions

The contract may use either Gregorian or Hijri dates, and the duration can be set in years, months, and days. Once it's drafted, both the landlord and the tenant must review and electronically approve it through Ejar before it becomes active. Saudi national ID and electronic authentication may apply through the identity-verification methods integrated with Ejar; non-Saudi residents should make sure their residence permit and registered contact details are valid and up to date.

Fees and commission

Understanding the costs up front avoids surprises:

• Ejar documentation fee: SAR 125 with partial years rounded up. The landlord or broker pays this fee, as specified in the contract.
• Brokerage commission: must not exceed 2.5% of the first year's rent.

During approval, the contract fee is reserved, and if either party rejects the contract, that amount is refunded.

Inspect before you sign

Never approve a contract without seeing the property first. Before signing, take time to inspect the unit and verify that the contract reflects reality. Check:

• The correct unit and property details
• The agreed rent and payment schedule
• Utilities and who is responsible for them
• Maintenance responsibilities
• The deposit amount and conditions
• Termination terms

Under the Standard Contract, the landlord is generally responsible for regular maintenance and building safety, but it's always wise to confirm this is clearly reflected in your contract's terms.

If the landlord won't register the lease

If a landlord refuses to register the lease, you are not stuck. As a tenant, you can request registration through Ejar yourself. After notification, the landlord has a window of 60 days to object to the contract data. This safeguard ensures the renting relationship is properly documented even when one party is reluctant.

Renewing your contract

For automatic renewal, the landlord must pay the renewal fee before the 60-day period preceding the contract's expiry. Renewal itself is handled inside Ejar by:

• Selecting the eligible contract
• Reviewing the details
• Submitting it to the other party
• Obtaining the other party's electronic approval

Renewal payments are made through the Ejar wallet using the available electronic payment methods.

Ending the lease

When both parties agree, mutual termination of an authenticated lease is available directly through Ejar. This keeps the process clean and documented, so there's a clear record that the agreement ended by consent.

Final tips from سعودي ليفنج

Keep your details current, read every section before approving, and remember that a registered Ejar contract is your strongest protection as a tenant. For any specific fee changes, timelines, or procedural updates, always confirm the latest details through the official Ejar platform before you commit.

---

Stay updated with the latest news, events, sports updates, business insights, real estate and lifestyle stories on Saudi Living — the leading online platform for residents, expats, and visitors in Saudi Arabia.

Follow Saudi Living for daily updates:

• Instagram - @saudiliving
• X - @saudiliving
• Facebook - @saudiliving
• YouTube - @saudiliving