The paperwork that holds up more Dubai moves than anything else is not the lease or the DEWA account. It is the building permit. Most towers and gated communities want a move in or move out permit before a truck can use the loading bay, the service lift or the community gate.
This guide covers what our crew sees on real jobs: who issues the permit, which papers buildings usually ask for, how deposits and lift slots work, and how to time it all at both ends. Every building writes its own rules, so treat it as a list of questions to ask, not a rulebook.
Who Issues a Move Permit in Dubai
There is no single office for move permits. The permit comes from whoever runs the property day to day, and that depends on how the building is managed.
In most apartment towers it is the building management or facilities office, often acting for the owners association. In villa and townhouse communities such as Arabian Ranches, Mudon or The Springs, it is usually the master community management team, and the security gate checks the permit against the truck. A few properties need both: one approval from the building and another from the master community that controls the roads and gates.
Many management companies run permits through an online portal or an app, while smaller buildings still use a form at reception and an email. Ask which route yours uses as soon as you know the date. Offices are no different, which is why permits are part of every office and commercial removal we plan.
Documents Buildings Commonly Ask For
Requirements vary, but the same papers come up again and again. Have clear scans ready before you start, because a missing page is the usual reason a request stalls.
Owners are sometimes asked to show that service charges are paid up before a move out is approved, and tenants may need the landlord's written consent. We send our trade licence and crew details to the building on request, so that part is not left to you.
- Tenancy contract or Ejari certificate, for tenants
- Emirates ID copy, or a passport copy where the building accepts it
- Title deed, for owners moving into or out of their own unit
- Landlord's authorisation, in some buildings, when a tenant applies
- The moving company's trade licence, sometimes with crew names and vehicle plate numbers
- For move outs, proof that the final DEWA bill or service charges are settled, where asked
Refundable Deposits and How to Get Them Back
Many buildings ask for a refundable deposit or a security cheque before they issue the permit. It covers damage to shared areas: lift walls, lobby floors, corridor corners and the loading bay. Each building sets its own amount and its own refund process.
Take dated photos of the service lift, the corridor and your door frame before the crew starts, and again when they finish. Our crew lines the lift with padding and lays protection on hard floors along the carrying route. When the job is done, ask the building to inspect while you are still on site, or at least note who signed off. Most deposit disputes come down to scuffs nobody recorded at the start.
Moving Hours and Service Lift Slots
Most buildings set the hours when moves may happen, and some close them entirely on certain days or public holidays. Inside those hours the service lift is booked in slots, and in a busy tower in Business Bay or Jumeirah Lake Towers that lift may be shared with deliveries, contractors and other residents moving the same day.
Slot length matters more than people expect. Book a short slot for a three bedroom apartment and the crew either rushes or overruns, and overrunning can mean losing the lift to the next booking. When we survey apartment and villa moves, we estimate the number of lift trips and ask for a slot that fits, then stage packed boxes near the lift so every trip goes down full.
Measure large pieces against the service lift before the day. A corner sofa that does not fit has to be taken apart or carried down the stairs, and both eat into the same window.
How Far Ahead to Apply
Apply as soon as your date is fixed. Approval times differ between buildings and portals, and slots near the end of the month go first, because that is when most Dubai leases start and finish. We suggest starting at least two weeks before the move, and earlier if your date falls in the last days of a month.
In many buildings the permit is tied to one date and one time slot. If the date changes, you usually reapply rather than amend. Confirm the moving day with your mover and your landlord before you submit anything, not after.
What Happens If the Permit Is Missing on the Day
Security will normally stop the truck at the loading bay or the community gate, and the service lift will not be switched to moving mode. The crew waits while you chase the management office, and if nobody can approve it, the move is rebooked.
The cost is more than lost time. The other building is expecting you in its own slot, and in summer a loaded truck idling in the sun is hard on furniture and electronics, as our guide to moving in Dubai in summer explains. Some buildings also treat an unpermitted move as a breach of their rules.
Lining up Both Ends of the Move With DEWA and Ejari
Every move involves two buildings, each with its own permit, hours and often its own deposit. Aim for both slots on the same day in a sensible order: the move out slot in the morning at the old place, the move in slot later at the new one, with enough time between them for the drive and the lift queue.
Ejari and DEWA sit in the same timeline. For a rental, the new tenancy contract is registered through Ejari, and many buildings ask for that certificate with the move in permit. DEWA uses the Ejari details to set up a tenant's connection, so registering early also clears the way for power and water. At the old home, set the DEWA move out for after the crew has finished, so nobody is packing a kitchen without lights or air conditioning.
A Short Permit Checklist
Run through this list twice, once for the old home and once for the new one. For everything else in the weeks before, our Dubai moving checklist works back from moving day. To hand the building side to us, request a free quote with both building names and we will check what each needs before booking the crew.
- Ask the building or community office who issues the permit and how to apply
- Gather the Ejari or tenancy contract, Emirates ID copy and, for owners, the title deed
- Get the mover's trade licence and crew details if the form asks for them
- Confirm the deposit, how it is paid and how it is returned
- Book the service lift slot and note the allowed moving hours
- Measure the largest furniture against the service lift
- Time the DEWA move out and move in around the moving day
- Save the approved permit on your phone for security
