Article 25 · Notary service · Execution
Filing an Eviction Case in Dubai
Eviction is not a decision a landlord takes — it is a judgment the Centre issues and then enforces. The route there is strictly formal: a valid ground under Article 25, the correct notice period, served the correct way.
Direct answer
To evict a tenant in Dubai you need a ground under Article 25, a legal Notice served through a Notary Public or by registered mail, then a case at the Rental Disputes Centre, then execution of the judgment. The notice period is 30 days for grounds arising during the term, and 12 months for the four grounds available at the end of the tenancy.
A landlord may not evict the property personally, change the locks, or cut services.
The permitted grounds
During the term — 30 days' notice
- Rent unpaid 30 days after Notice
- Subletting without written consent
- Illegal or immoral use
- Commercial premises empty 30 consecutive or 90 non-consecutive days
- Safety-endangering changes or deliberate damage
- Use conflicting with the permitted purpose
- Risk of structural collapse on a technical report
- Any other breach not cured within 30 days of Notice
- Government demolition mandate
At expiry — 12 months' notice
- Demolition, reconstruction or additions
- Restoration that cannot be done with the tenant in place, on a technical report
- Owner's personal use or a first-degree relative's, where the owner owns no suitable alternative
- The owner wishes to sell
The most common defect in eviction notices
Confusing the 90-day notice with the 12-month notice. Ninety days (Article 14) is notice to change the terms or the rent at renewal. Twelve months (Article 25(2)) is notice to recover possession at the end of the tenancy — including where the reason is sale. A 90-day eviction notice for a sale is defective on its face.
The route
- 1
Fix the legal ground
The notice and the claim rest on one specific ground. Mixing the during-term and expiry grounds is the most frequent reason a case is refused.
- 2
Draft and serve the notice
Through a Notary Public or by registered mail, keeping the officer's report or receipt — a core document in the file.
- 3
Let the period run in full
Thirty days or twelve months, counted from valid service.
- 4
File the case
3.5% of the annual rent, minimum AED 500 and maximum AED 20,000, with the file complete and in Arabic.
- 5
Execute
An execution file opens after judgment. Eviction execution is 1% of the annual rent, capped at AED 5,000, and an extension of the eviction date can be requested electronically.
The tenant still owes rent throughout
Article 31 is explicit: filing an eviction claim does not relieve the tenant of paying rent throughout the proceedings and until the award is executed. Claims for possession and for arrears run together, not in sequence.
A correct notice is half the case
Send the contract and the facts. We identify the right ground, draft the notice for notarisation, prepare and translate the file, and handle filing and execution.
Frequently asked questions
How much notice is required to evict?
Thirty days for grounds arising during the term, and twelve months for the four grounds available at the end of the tenancy — including where the owner wants to sell or occupy the property.
Can I serve the notice by email?
No. A Notice is a written notification served through a Notary Public or by registered mail under Article 2. Email and WhatsApp are evidence, not Notices.
The tenant refuses to leave despite the judgment.
Open an execution file with the Centre's Judgment Enforcement Directorate. Eviction execution costs 1% of the annual rent, capped at AED 5,000, and the enforcement tools include attachment, travel ban and arrest warrant.
Can I sell while the eviction notice is running?
Yes — the Centre confirms there is no legal impediment. The new owner must serve a fresh Notice if they want possession.
Can an eviction judgment be appealed?
Yes. Eviction judgments are among the exceptions to the AED 100,000 finality threshold, so they can be appealed regardless of value, within 15 days.
I evicted for personal use — when can I re-let?
After two years for residential property, three for non-residential. Re-letting sooner entitles the former tenant to claim fair compensation under Article 26.
Can I cut the electricity to speed things up?
No. Article 34 prohibits it, and the March 2026 explanatory memorandum confirms Dubai Police can order it stopped and record the incident without a prior court order.
What documents does an eviction case need?
The latest Ejari contract, claimant ID or trade licence with manager ID, a bank letter showing the IBAN, and the notarised Notice with the officer's report or the registered-post receipt — all in Arabic or certified translation.
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Disclaimer. General information, not legal advice. Legislation is cited from the Dubai Legislation Portal and procedure and fees from the Rental Disputes Centre as published at the date of writing. Taw-Theeq Corporate Services and Legal Translation LLC is a legal support services provider — not a law firm and not a government authority.