It’s easy to assume the electricity and water switch off once you hand over the keys. They don’t. The DEWA account stays open in your name until you file a Move-Out request, and the bills keep arriving whether or not anyone lives there.

The fix takes a few minutes online. The order matters, though, mostly because of Ejari. Here is how it works in 2026, what it costs, and where people get stuck.

Why DEWA cancellation matters

A move-out request lets DEWA record your official move-out date, take a final meter reading, issue the final bill and send you a clearance certificate. That certificate is your proof that you owe nothing further on the account.

It also affects your Ejari. DEWA’s Move-Out service is linked to Ejari cancellation. Once your landlord starts cancelling the Ejari, DEWA sends you a notification to deactivate your electricity and water. In practice, trustee centres ask for the settled final DEWA bill when you cancel an Ejari. So the order matters, and doing DEWA late can hold up everything after it. =

What to prepare first

• Your 10-digit DEWA Contract Account Number, printed at the top of any past bill
• Your 9-digit premise number, found on the utility box, the door frame or the top-right corner of a past bill
• Your UAE PASS login if you plan to apply online
• Your IBAN, if you want the security deposit refunded to your bank account
• Any unpaid bills, which you need to clear before you can move out

Two ways to cancel DEWA

Through the DEWA website or smart app

1. Go to dewa.gov.ae or open the DEWA smart app and log in with UAE PASS.
2. Select the Contract Account Number you want to close.
3. Pay any outstanding bill.
4. Pick the date and time you want the supply switched off, so DEWA can take the final reading.
5. Choose how you want your deposit returned: IBAN, cheque or transfer to another active DEWA account.
6. Enter the verification code sent to you and submit.

The DubaiNow app follows nearly the same steps. You find it under Services, then Housing & Properties, then Deactivation of Electricity and Water.

Without logging in

DEWA has also allowed move-out requests without a login. You enter your account number and 9-digit premise number, then confirm with a verification code sent to your registered email or mobile. That page is a few years old, so check dewa.gov.ae to see whether this option is still offered.

What happens after you submit

Disconnection happens within 24 working hours of the date and time you chose. DEWA then emails and texts your final bill within another 24 working hours. The bill is due immediately. Once you pay it, the clearance certificate arrives automatically, and DEWA also shares it with RERA for the Ejari cancellation.

Pick a move-out date that matches your actual last day in the property. If you are leaving at the end of the month, don’t leave the request until the final afternoon.

Fees and your security deposit

DEWA lists a Dh125 deactivation charge for small meters, Dh300 for large meters, and a Dh20 knowledge and innovation fee. Check the DEWA site for the current amounts before you apply, since fees can change.

When you first connected, you paid a refundable deposit of Dh2,000 for an apartment or Dh4,000 for a villa. DEWA subtracts your final bill from it. If the deposit is bigger, you get the difference back. If the bill is bigger, you pay the rest.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Leaving without submitting the request, then finding the account still active weeks later
• Forgetting unpaid bills, which can block the request
• Entering an IBAN with a typo, which delays the refund
• Deleting the final bill and clearance certificate. Keep both, along with the move-out confirmation, as proof of when your responsibility ended.

A simple order of steps

1. Give your landlord notice and agree the check-out.
2. Submit the DEWA move-out request.
3. Pay the final bill.
4. Get the clearance certificate.
5. Cancel the Ejari.
6. Follow up on the deposit from your landlord.

For a seamless process, consider reaching out to, Ejari Registration Service – Dubai for expert assistance with both Ejari and DEWA cancellations. Let us take the hassle out of your move-out process and ensure everything is handled efficiently and correctly.

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