Dubai Moving Guides

Start with your situation

Moving within Dubai

Begin with the 8-week moving checklist, then the permit for your community and DEWA, district cooling and internet. For prices, see moving costs by home size.

Moving out of a rented home

The move-out checklist covers the permit, final bills, Ejari cancellation and the handover inspection.

Moving abroad from Dubai

Start with the international documents checklist and sea vs air freight, then the customs guide for your destination.

Moving to Dubai from abroad

The moving checklist has a section on shipping household goods into Dubai and the order of local paperwork, starting with Ejari.

Move-in and move-out permits

• All Dubai move-in permitsWho issues the permit for each community, lead times and moving hours.
• Emaar move-in and move-out permitSakani portal, documents and access cards.
• Nakheel move-in permitFree permit, 3 to 4 working days, mover daily pass.
• DHCM permit for Dubai Properties communitiesJBR, Business Bay, Mudon and more.
• Meraas move-in permitCity Walk, Bluewaters and La Mer through DHCM.
• Service elevator bookingSlot, size and protection for tower moves.

Also: DAMAC, DMCC (JLT), wasl, Union Properties and building NOC.

Costs

• Moving cost calculatorTypical ranges for your home size, route and extras.
• Extra charges on a quotePacking, boxes, building fees, storage and VAT.
• Tipping moversWhat published guides suggest per mover.
• All cost guidesIncluding typical prices by home size.

Checklists

• Moving checklist: 8-week timelineFrom notice to your first week in the new home.
• Packing checklist, room by roomBox counts by home size and what to pack when.
• Move-out checklistPermit, final bills, cleaning and handover.
• Change of addressWho to update after the move.

Ejari, utilities and insurance

• Ejari registration and certificateFees, documents and how to print the certificate.
• DEWA, district cooling, du and e&In the order you need them.
• Moving insurance and claimsLiability, transit cover and Sanadak.
• All resourcesPaperwork around a Dubai move.

Moving abroad

• UK ToR1 reliefDuty-free import of your belongings.
• India transfer of residenceBaggage Rules, 2026 allowances.
• Saudi customs and FASAHThe household goods exemption.
• All international guidesDocuments, sea vs air and more.

How these guides are written

• Movers Dubai is an independent guide and quote-request service, not a moving company, developer or community manager.
• Rules, fees and timings are taken from the official page that publishes them, and each guide links to it and says when it was last checked.
• Prices are typical ranges published by Dubai movers and quote sites, with the month they were checked. They are not prices offered by Movers Dubai.

Spotted something out of date? Tell us through the contact page. More on how the site works is on the about page.