How to Set Up DEWA (Water & Electricity) in Dubai

DEWA, the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority, is the government-owned utility that supplies electricity and water across Dubai. Almost every residential property in the emirate connects through DEWA, so activating an account is one of the first jobs after you sign a tenancy or complete a purchase.

Without an active DEWA account the property has no power or running water, and many building managers and community developers ask to see an active connection as part of move-in clearance. The account is also where the Dubai housing fee is billed each month, for owners and long-stay residents alike.

DEWA runs almost everything online. You rarely need to visit an office: setup, payments, bills and account closure all happen on the website or the smart app.

Set up DEWA once your tenancy is in place and your Ejari is registered. Ejari is Dubai's official system for recording rental contracts, and DEWA move-in activation runs off it. Since mid-2017, DEWA has required a registered Ejari, not a paper tenancy contract, for move-in.

As a tenant, the order is: sign the tenancy contract, register Ejari (your agent or a typing centre can do this for a fee), then activate DEWA. As an owner moving into a property you bought, you activate DEWA in your own name with your title deed and ownership documents.

The order matters because the Ejari carries the DEWA premise number and the registered annual rent, and both feed your activation and your monthly housing fee. If you try to activate before Ejari is registered, the request will not go through.

Have these ready as digital copies or clear photos, so you can finish the online form in one sitting:

Registered Ejari certificate, which also shows your DEWA premise number.

Valid Emirates ID (front and back). If your Emirates ID is still being processed, some applications can proceed with your residence visa or entry permit; DEWA's own channels show the current requirement.

Tenancy contract, or the title deed if you own the property.

Passport copy, and for tenants a copy of the landlord's details as recorded on the Ejari.

Owners activating a brand-new home from the developer may also need a handover or completion document. If anything is missing, DEWA or your building management can tell you which paper your community requires.

You can activate a move-in connection at dewa.gov.ae or in the DEWA smart app for iOS and Android. The steps match on both.

Create or log in to a DEWA account and choose the move-in or activation service. Enter the DEWA premise number from your Ejari, then upload your Emirates ID, tenancy contract or title deed, and passport copy.

Review the charges: the refundable security deposit plus small one-off activation and admin fees. Pay online by card, and keep the receipt and your new DEWA account number.

Once payment clears, DEWA switches on the supply. Where a meter already exists and was connected before, this often happens within a few hours. Brand-new properties take longer because the meter and connection may need verifying first. If the supply is still off after the window DEWA gives you, call DEWA customer care. Follow the on-screen instructions in your own application, since steps can change.

DEWA returns the security deposit when you close the account and settle any final bill. The commonly quoted figures are around AED 2,000 for an apartment and around AED 4,000 for a villa, which reflects a house's higher expected load. Check the exact amount shown for your property when you activate.

DEWA also charges small one-off fees: a connection or activation fee plus minor knowledge and innovation fees. Together they come to a modest sum, and you see the exact amounts before you pay.

Your monthly bill then carries the Dubai housing fee, about 5% of the annual rent registered on your Ejari. DEWA collects it for Dubai Municipality, spreads it across twelve monthly instalments, and shows it as a municipality or housing charge. UAE nationals are exempt in most cases. Because the fee follows your registered rent, it differs from home to home.

Each monthly bill separates electricity, water, sewerage and the housing fee, plus any regulatory charges. On the website or app you can view and download bills, track usage and pay, and you can set up direct debit or auto-pay so nothing lapses.

When you move out, don't just stop paying. Submit a move-out or account closure request, settle the final bill, and give DEWA the bank account for your refund. After the final reading and settlement, DEWA refunds the deposit by bank transfer within its stated processing period.

Moving to another Dubai property? You can often transfer or open a fresh connection at the new address in the same session, keeping your customer record. Closing the old account cleanly releases your deposit and stops charges running in your name.