DEWA move-in is the service that switches on electricity and water at your new Dubai home. For tenants it starts automatically once the lease is registered: DEWA emails an account number and a payment link. Pay the refundable deposit (AED 2,000 for a flat, AED 4,000 for a villa) plus activation charges, and supply is connected within 15 working hours.
This guide is the utilities step in our complete guide to renting in Dubai.
How One Step Move-in works
DEWA and the Dubai Land Department share data. When a lease is registered on Ejari, DEWA receives the tenant and unit details and creates the account itself.
- Your lease is registered through the DLD tenancy registration service. See our Ejari registration guide.
- DEWA sends an SMS and a welcome email with the contract account number, deposit amount and payment link.
- You pay the deposit and activation charges online or through any DEWA channel.
- Electricity and water are connected within 15 working hours of payment.
DEWA’s own FAQ says no separate request and no documents are needed for this route. You only need the 9-digit premise number displayed at the unit’s entrance, which goes on the lease.
DEWA move-in fees for 2026
Item | Flat | Villa |
Refundable security deposit | AED 2,000 | AED 4,000 |
Connection charge (small meter) | AED 125 | AED 125* |
Registration fee | AED 10 | AED 10 |
Knowledge fee | AED 10 | AED 10 |
Innovation fee | AED 10 | AED 10 |
Activation total (small meter) | AED 155 | AED 155 |
*Large meters cost AED 300 to connect instead of AED 125. VAT applies to activation charges. Source: DEWA Activation of Electricity/Water (Move-in).
Holders of the Thukher card (senior citizens) and Sanad card (people of determination) get 50% off activation charges. Non-residential deposits are based on expected consumption.
Budget for a flat: about AED 2,155 at move-in, of which AED 2,000 comes back when you leave.
If the welcome email never arrives
This is the most common hiccup. Nine times out of ten, someone typed the wrong email or phone number on the lease when it was registered, so the message went to an inbox nobody checks.
- Apply online. Use DEWA’s move-in service on the website or app and enter your Ejari number. With a valid number, no documents are needed.
- Check the lease details in Dubai REST and correct the email with whoever registered it.
- Call DEWA on 04 601 9999 if supply is not on 15 working hours after payment.
Situations that work differently
Free zone tenants exempt from Ejari apply directly on the DEWA website or app with their tenancy contract and pay the deposit there.
Owners moving into their own home apply online with the title deed or sale and purchase agreement. An owner’s deposit is refunded only when the property is sold, not when they move out.
Existing DEWA customers moving within Dubai can use Move-to, which closes the old account and opens the new one in a single request, carrying the deposit across.
Landlords must pay a deposit for premises under maintenance between tenants.
What commonly goes wrong
- The previous lease is still active. The new lease cannot be registered, so One Step Move-in never starts. Ask the landlord to cancel it; see our Ejari cancellation guide.
- Wrong premise number on the lease, so the account is created for another unit.
- The previous tenant’s account is still open. New activation may be blocked until it is closed. You are not responsible for the old tenant’s bill; that sits between them and the landlord.
- Moving in on a Friday afternoon and paying late. The 15-hour clock is in working hours. Pay the day before the keys if you can.
Photograph the meters on handover day. It settles any argument about where your billing starts, and it takes ten seconds.
What your first DEWA bill will include
Your bill shows electricity, water, sewerage charges and fuel surcharge, plus one line that surprises new tenants: the Dubai Municipality housing fee. It is 5% of your annual rent, split across 12 bills. Our housing fee guide explains it.
In buildings with district cooling, air conditioning is billed separately by the cooling provider, not DEWA. Ask the agent which provider your building uses before signing.
Getting the deposit back when you leave
Request move-out on the DEWA app or website, pay the final bill and the deposit balance is refunded through DEWA’s channels. A paid final bill also helps with cancelling the lease and recovering your landlord deposit.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the DEWA deposit for an apartment?
DEWA charges a refundable security deposit of AED 2,000 for a flat and AED 4,000 for a villa. On top, activation charges for a small meter come to AED 155 (AED 125 connection plus AED 10 each for registration, knowledge and innovation), with VAT. Large meters cost AED 300 to connect.
How long does DEWA take to connect after payment?
DEWA says electricity and water are connected within 15 working hours of paying the security deposit and connection fees. If supply is still off after that, call DEWA on 04 601 9999. Paying on a working day, before you collect keys, avoids most waiting.
Can I get DEWA without Ejari?
Tenants outside free zones need a valid registered lease; DEWA asks for the Ejari number and One Step Move-in only starts after registration. Free zone tenants exempt from Ejari apply with their tenancy contract. Owners apply with a title deed or sale and purchase agreement.
Is the DEWA deposit refundable?
Yes. Tenants get the deposit back, less any unpaid amounts, when they request move-out and the final bill is settled. Property owners’ deposits are refunded only when the property is sold. If you move within Dubai, Move-to transfers the account and deposit to your new home.
Do I pay the previous tenant’s DEWA bill?
No. An unpaid bill from the previous tenant is not your liability; it is for the previous tenant and landlord to settle. An old account still open on the unit can delay your activation, so ask the landlord to make sure it is closed before your move-in date.
Plan your DEWA move-in before you get the keys
Register the lease, watch for the welcome email, pay a day early and photograph the meters on handover. Fees can change, so confirm on DEWA’s payment screen. General information, not legal advice. Browse more real estate guides or visit the Live In Gulf homepage.
