Understanding Ejar: The Complete Rental Contract Guide for Expats in Saudi Arabia (2026)

Ejar is Saudi Arabia’s rental-contract documentation platform, overseen by the Real Estate General Authority (REGA). A documented contract records the agreed tenancy and provides a clearer record of rent, payments and obligations. This guide concerns residential rentals; commercial contracts can have different fees and payment rules.

Reviewed against official sources: 30 September 2026. This is practical information, not individual legal advice. Check the linked official rules and your actual contract before making a payment or giving notice.

Before You Sign

Verify the property, the landlord’s identity and the authority of any representative. Check a broker’s licence with REGA. Agree on the rent, exact start and end dates, payment schedule, maintenance responsibilities and any deposit before approving the contract.

REGA’s residential registration service lists a valid identity document and a mobile number registered with Absher among the documentation requirements. Follow the current Ejar authentication flow rather than relying on an old SMS or an agent’s screenshot.

An Ejar contract documents your tenancy. For Iqama renewal, follow Absher’s published requirements for your residency category; do not assume that a rental contract is a universal prerequisite for residency renewal, dependent sponsorship or opening a bank account.

Review and Approval

The lessor or broker prepares the residential contract and submits it to the parties for electronic documentation. Review the actual contract in Ejar: property and party details, rent, dates, instalments, deposit, repairs and additional conditions. Ask for corrections before approving and save the completed contract and payment records.

The separate objection rule appears in clause VII of REGA’s landlord–tenant regulatory provisions. Do not confuse it with renewal notice periods.

Fees, Deposits and Rent Payments

Residential documentation: SAR 125 per contract year. The official residential-registration manual hosted by the Digital Government Authority states that partial years are rounded up and identifies the lessor or brokerage office as payer. A two-year contract is therefore not the same fee calculation as a one-year contract. Check the amount shown in the current documentation workflow.

Brokerage commission is separate. Article 14 of the Real Estate Brokerage Law sets the default rental commission at 2.5% of the first year’s rent unless the parties agree otherwise in writing. The responsible payer is determined by the brokerage contract; do not assume it must always be the tenant.

A deposit is not a universal one- or two-month charge. Record the agreed amount, custody, handover condition and refund arrangements. Articles 12 of the Brokerage Law and 20 of its implementing regulations address guarantees and their resolution. Do not assume that every deposit is automatically returned to a wallet or that a disputed deduction has a guaranteed processing time.

Use the prescribed rent-payment channels. REGA’s announcement reported by SPA on 2 January 2024 requires rent payments for new residential contracts from 15 January 2024 through Ejar’s Mada/SADAD channels, including SADAD biller 153. The announcement excludes commercial contracts and says outside-channel payment evidence is not recognized under that rule. A direct transfer to a landlord or a cheque is not the same as an Ejar SADAD payment. Follow the payment instructions attached to your contract and retain the receipt.

Negotiate instalment dates before signing. Do not infer a standard payment premium, deposit amount or annual term from general market anecdotes.

What to Check in the Contract

• Dates and calendar: read the actual dates; Ejar supports Hijri and Gregorian dates. Do not assume every lease lasts 354 days.
• Rent and instalments: confirm the total, due dates, included services and payment channels.
• Repairs: record responsibilities. The Civil Transactions Law addresses necessary repairs, defects and normal wear; contractual details still matter.
• Deposit and handover: photograph the property at move-in and record existing damage.
• Additional conditions: read every term, not just an English summary or a verbal explanation. Ask a qualified adviser or trusted translator if you cannot understand the contract.
• Early exit and subletting: check the agreement and applicable law. There is no universal two- or three-month early-exit penalty established by these sources.

Documented standard contracts can have enforceable-instrument status, but the official registration manual distinguishes the effect of additional terms. Do not assume every dispute or customized contract can be taken straight to the Execution Court. REGA’s unilateral termination service requires an enforcement decision terminating the contract.

Riyadh’s Rent Restrictions

REGA’s 25 September 2025 announcement explains the five-year restriction starting 25 September 2025 for residential and commercial property within Riyadh’s urban boundaries.

Under clauses II–VI of the regulatory provisions, existing and newly concluded contracts are subject to the restriction. For a previously rented vacant property, the total rent must not exceed the last contract’s amount; rent for a property never previously rented is agreed by the parties.

Substantial structural renovation or a last contract concluded before 2024 can support an objection to the ceiling for a vacant property. These are not automatic permission to increase an occupied tenant’s rent. The property must be vacant when the objection is submitted, and REGA determines it under its objection controls.

The provisions initially limit these restrictions to Riyadh and allow extension through the specified approval process. Do not assume the Riyadh rule automatically applies elsewhere or that another city has a standard permissible percentage increase.

Renewal and Exit

Clause VIII establishes automatic renewal unless a party gives at least 60 days’ notice before expiry, subject to its exceptions and to the restrictions on a landlord’s refusal to renew in Riyadh. A tenant intending not to renew should use the current Ejar process and retain proof of notice.

Residential personal/family use has a longer landlord notice period. REGA’s subsequent decision requires at least 365 days before expiry when non-renewal is for the landlord’s personal use or a first-degree relative’s use. Its application decision for existing residential contracts addresses renewal where insufficient notice remains. Do not apply the general 60-day period indiscriminately.

The automatic-renewal service describes fee deduction from the lessor’s wallet when the contract enters the 60-day window, if the balance is sufficient. Check the actual renewal status rather than assuming a deduction occurred.

For an early exit, review the contract, seek a written agreement where possible and obtain advice for a dispute. Article 442 of the Civil Transactions Law addresses termination for an unforeseen personal excuse and resulting compensation; it is not a blanket right to leave without cost.

Practical Checklist

• Inspect the property and verify ownership or representation and the broker’s licence.
• Open Ejar directly, review the contract and confirm the correct property and parties.
• Save the completed contract, payment instructions and receipts.
• Record repairs, utilities, the deposit and handover condition in writing.
• Read renewal and early-exit terms; calculate notice from the actual expiry date.
• For a dispute, retain the documents and use the relevant Ejar/REGA service or obtain qualified legal advice. Do not rely on a promised resolution time.

If you are still comparing homes, see the Riyadh renting guide, the Jeddah renting guide, or current listings in Riyadh and Jeddah. Advertised prices on Kite are asking prices, not completed tenancy terms.