Permits
Dubai Move-In and Move-Out Permits
Most gated communities and managed towers in Dubai will not let a moving truck in without a move-in or move-out permit from the community manager. You apply online with your Ejari or title deed, Emirates ID and passport copies, from at least one business day ahead (Emaar) to 3 to 4 working days ahead (Nakheel). Nakheel charges nothing for the permit.
By Movers Dubai editorial teamLast checked against Emaar Community Management (opens in a new tab), Nakheel (opens in a new tab), Dubai Holding Community Management (DHCM) (opens in a new tab) and wasl (opens in a new tab)
Movers Dubai is an independent guide, not a moving company.
Who issues your permit
The permit comes from whoever manages the community or tower, which is not always the developer whose name is on the building. Dubai Holding Community Management (DHCM), for example, now lists Meraas, Dubai Properties and Nakheel communities in its portfolio. If you are not sure, your landlord or the tower reception can tell you which portal or app to use.
| Community or area | Who manages moves | Where you apply | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dubai Hills Estate, Arabian Ranches, Arabian Ranches II, Emirates Living (Springs, Meadows, Lakes), Emaar South, The Valley, The Greens and Views | Emaar Community Management | Sakani move-in permit portal | Emaar permit |
| Palm Jumeirah, Jumeirah Islands, Jumeirah Park, JVC, JVT, Discovery Gardens, Al Furjan | Nakheel (also listed by DHCM) | My Nakheel app or Nakheel Online Services | Nakheel permit |
| JBR, Business Bay, The Executive Towers, Mudon, Remraam, Serena, Villanova | Dubai Holding Community Management | DHCM community app | DHCM permit |
| City Walk, Bluewaters, La Mer, Port de La Mer, Central Park, 1/JBR | Dubai Holding Community Management (Meraas communities) | DHCM community app | Meraas permit |
| DAMAC Hills, DAMAC Hills 2 | DAMAC | DAMAC Living app | DAMAC permit |
| wasl freehold communities | wasl Community Management (WCM) | WCM online form | wasl permit |
| Jumeirah Lake Towers | Each tower’s management, under DMCC | Your tower’s facility manager | JLT permit |
| Motor City | EDACOM (Union Properties) | Signed form to MotorCity Community Management | Union Properties permit |
| Other towers | Owners association or facility manager | Building reception or FM office | Building NOC |
How the permit process works
The details differ by manager, but the order of steps is the same almost everywhere. Each developer guide above covers its own portal; this is the common sequence.
- Confirm who manages the building
Ask your landlord or agent which portal or app the community uses. In a tower inside a master community you may need both the community permit and the tower’s own lift booking.
- Clear anything that blocks the application
Emaar Community Management notes that tenants may not be able to apply while service fees on the unit are unpaid, so ask the landlord to settle them first. For a move-out, DHCM wants keys, access cards and outstanding fees settled before departure.
- Upload your documents and pick a date
Tenants usually upload Ejari, Emirates ID and passport with visa page; owners upload or log in with the title deed. Choose a date inside the community’s moving hours.
- Book the service lift and loading bay
The community permit does not always reserve the lift. In towers, book the slot with the facility manager as well. See the service lift booking guide.
- Send the approval to your mover
Share the permit, date and time window with the moving company. Where the community asks for it, the mover applies for its own gate pass with its trade licence and staff IDs.
- Move, then close out
Show the permit at the gate. After a move-out, expect an inspection of common areas; any damage is charged to the resident, often from a deposit if the building holds one.
Documents managers ask for
The lists below are the ones the managers publish. Your portal may ask for more, depending on the unit and whether you rent or own.
- Tenant moving in: Ejari (or the registered tenancy contract), Emirates ID front and back, passport copy with visa page. This is the list on the Emaar Community Management move-in page.
- Owner moving in: title deed or sales and purchase agreement and ID. Emaar homeowners log in with their own credentials and upload nothing further.
- Tenant moving out: wasl asks for a NOC from the owner, plus gas and chiller NOCs where they apply. DHCM asks for a move-out permit and a clearance certificate.
- For the moving company: some gates check the crew. Nakheel asks movers for a daily pass with the company trade licence, staff Emirates ID or visa copies and a landlord or tenant NOC.
Lead times and moving hours
| Manager | Apply at least | Moving hours | Permit fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emaar Community Management | 1 business day before | Shown when you apply | Not published |
| Nakheel | 3 to 4 working days before (approval usually 1 to 2 days) | Mon to Sat 9 am to 5 pm; Sun 10 am to 1 pm | Free |
| Dubai Holding Community Management | 48 hours in the app, 72 hours by email; the community rules say 3 days for a move-in | Move-in Mon to Sat 9 am to 5 pm; move-out 10 am to 5 pm; no Sundays or public holidays | Not published |
| wasl Community Management | About 2 working days to process | WCM team works Mon to Fri 8 am to 4 pm | Confirmed by WCM |
| EDACOM (Motor City) | 2 business days before | Noisy assembly work ends by 8 pm | Not published |
| DAMAC | Not published | Shown in the DAMAC Living app | Not published |
Truck hours on Dubai roads
Your moving hours inside the community are only half the timing. From 1 October 2026 the RTA bars trucks from some roads at peak times, including Sheikh Zayed Road between 6 am and 10 pm. Check the RTA truck restrictions with your mover when you pick the slot.
Fees and deposits
Community managers rarely publish a permit fee. Where a charge exists it is usually set by the tower for the permit or the lift booking, and some buildings hold a refundable deposit against damage to lifts and corridors. Published Dubai price guides show these typical ranges:
| Building charge | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Move permit or lift booking fee | up to AED 500 one-off |
| Refundable move deposit (some buildings) | AED 1,000–2,000 one-off |
Two charges are published officially: Nakheel’s permits are free, and Emaar Community Management charges AED 200 for each new or replacement vehicle access card in communities such as Dubai Hills Estate. Ask your building for its own figure in writing before you pay a mover a deposit for it.
All permit guides
- Emaar move-in and move-out permitDubai Hills Estate, Arabian Ranches, Emirates Living, Emaar South and other Emaar Community Management areas.
- Nakheel move-in permitPalm Jumeirah, Jumeirah Islands, Jumeirah Park, JVC, JVT, Discovery Gardens and Al Furjan.
- Dubai Holding (DHCM) move permitJBR, Business Bay, Mudon, Remraam and the other Dubai Properties communities.
- Meraas move-in permitCity Walk, Bluewaters, La Mer, Port de La Mer, Central Park and 1/JBR, issued through DHCM.
- DAMAC move-in permitDAMAC Hills and DAMAC Hills 2, applied for in the DAMAC Living app.
- DMCC move-in permit for JLTJumeirah Lake Towers, where each tower’s management handles the move.
- wasl move-in permit and NOCwasl-managed freehold communities, through the WCM form.
- Union Properties move-in permitMotor City and other communities run by EDACOM.
- Building NOC from tower managementFor towers run by an owners association or facility manager rather than a master developer.
- Service lift booking for moving dayHow to reserve the service lift and loading bay once the permit is approved.
Move permit questions
Do I need a permit if I am moving within the same community?
Usually yes. Dubai Holding Community Management, for example, asks for a valid move permit for any move-in or move-out, and Emaar Community Management issues separate move-in and move-out permits. Moving between two units still means one permit to leave and one to arrive.
Is there a fee for a move-in permit in Dubai?
It depends on the manager. Nakheel states that its move-in and move-out permits are free. Other managers do not publish a fee, and some towers charge for the permit or the lift booking. Published Dubai price guides put that charge at up to AED 500, plus a refundable damage deposit in some buildings.
Can I move on a Sunday?
Not in Dubai Holding communities: their rules allow moves Monday to Saturday only, with no moves on Sundays or UAE public holidays. Nakheel allows Sunday moves between 10 am and 1 pm. For other communities, check the hours shown when you apply.
Who applies for the permit, me or the moving company?
The resident (tenant or owner) applies for the move permit. In some communities the moving company also needs its own gate pass: Nakheel asks third-party movers to request a free daily pass 1 to 2 working days before the move.
What happens if I move without a permit?
Security can refuse entry. Emaar Community Management says access will be denied without a move-in permit, and Dubai Holding lists moving items without approval as a violation that can lead to a fine. You may also pay the movers for the time they spend waiting at the gate.
Official sources
- Emaar Community Management: Moving in (Emirates Living) (opens in a new tab)ecm.ae
- Nakheel: FAQs (move-in and move-out permits) (opens in a new tab)nakheel.com
- Dubai Holding Community Management: FAQs (Moving in and out) (opens in a new tab)dubaiholdingcommunities.ae
- Dubai Holding Community Management: Community rules (opens in a new tab)dubaiholdingcommunities.ae
- wasl: Move-in or move-out permission (opens in a new tab)wasl.ae
- EDACOM: MotorCity community rules handbook (move-in and move-out procedures) (opens in a new tab)edacom.ae
Where the price ranges come from
4 published price pages, read October 2026. Method: how the ranges are built.
- eHouse Movers: Moving cost breakdown Dubai (page dated July 2026)
- SAMA Movers: Moving costs Dubai, full breakdown (page dated March 2026)
- Ruby Movers: House shifting cost in Dubai (page dated October 2026)
- MoveConnector: 2026 UAE Moving Cost Guide (page dated August 2026)
Moving into a gated community or tower?
Request a free quote and name the community and building. Ask the mover which documents it will send you for the gate pass and how it protects the service lift.
The mover sets the price, not Movers Dubai.