Renting in Saudi Arabia: How the Ejar Contract Works

Oct 22, 2026•4 min read

Renting a home in Saudi Arabia is straightforward once you understand how lease contracts are documented. The country uses an official electronic rental network called Ejar to record residential leases, protect both landlords and tenants, and give every agreement a clear, legally recognised status. Whether you are a long-term resident or newly arrived, knowing how the Ejar contract works will help you avoid disputes and sign with confidence. This Saudi Living guide walks you through the full process, from creating the contract to approval, fees, renewal, and termination.

What Ejar Is and Why It Matters

Ejar is Saudi Arabia's official platform for documenting residential rental contracts. Instead of relying on informal paper agreements, landlords and tenants use a unified electronic contract that records all the key terms in one place. A documented contract is widely recognised across government and service procedures, which makes it valuable far beyond the rental relationship itself.

The contract is usually created by the landlord or by a licensed real-estate broker acting on the landlord's behalf. Once prepared, it is sent electronically to both parties for review and approval.

How to Log In and Create the Contract

Access to the system is secured through Nafath, so you will need a valid Saudi national ID or Iqama and a mobile number linked to Absher. The contract itself gathers all the essential details of the tenancy into a single unified document.

Landlord and tenant identities
Property and specific unit details
Agreed rent and the payment schedule
Security deposit amount
Utilities and who is responsible for them
Maintenance responsibilities
Contract term and start date
Any special conditions agreed between the parties

You will generally need valid identification, ownership documentation for the property, and an Absher-linked mobile number to complete the process.

Reviewing and Approving the Contract

After the contract is prepared, it is sent to both the landlord and the tenant electronically. Each party can approve or reject it. If you reject, you should include a clear reason so the issue can be corrected.

Approval is completed through the Ejar notification or your Ejar account, using the mobile number registered with Absher. It is important to note that approval is not done through any contracts section inside Absher itself. Both parties must approve within 7 days; if that window passes without approval, the contract returns to draft status and will need to be re-sent.

Before you approve, double-check the following carefully:

Property address and unit
Rent amount and payment schedule
Start and end dates
Deposit amount
Maintenance duties and utility responsibilities
Termination conditions

Once both parties approve, the contract becomes documented and its effective date begins. Always keep a copy of the electronic contract PDF.

Fees You Should Know

Understanding the costs up front prevents surprises:

The documentation fee for a residential contract is SAR 125 per year, with partial years rounded up. The landlord normally pays this fee.
A previously undocumented residential lease can be registered as a rental incident for SAR 250 per year.
Registering other contract types as rental incidents costs SAR 400 per year.
A real-estate broker's commission must not exceed 2.5% of the first year's rent, unless a separate lawful arrangement applies.

Keep in mind that Ejar records the rent and payment schedule you and the landlord agree on — it does not set the market rent. The monthly or annual figure is always a matter of negotiation between the two parties.

Renewal and Termination

A contract can renew automatically if that option is included in its terms. For automatic renewal to take effect, the landlord must pay the contract fee before the 60-day period preceding expiration. If you prefer not to renew, make sure the contract terms and timelines are clear well ahead of the expiry date.

When both parties agree, a documented contract can be terminated by mutual agreement directly through Ejar. This keeps the ending of the tenancy as clear and formal as its beginning.

Practical Tips Before You Sign

Verify every figure and date in the contract before approving — once documented, the terms are binding.
Confirm who pays for utilities and maintenance to avoid future disputes.
Save the PDF securely; you may need it for other official procedures.
Use only official channels: the Ejar platform, Nafath, and the Sakani application where supported.

For the latest fees and any updates to the process, always confirm the details on the relevant official Saudi government portal before signing.

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