Dubai Eviction Notice Requirements — Article 25, 12-Month & Breach Notices
Dubai eviction notice guide based on Article 25: when 12 months applies, when a 30-day cure period applies, valid service channels, proof of service, and the 90-day rule people often confuse with eviction.
There is no single “Dubai eviction notice period.” Article 25 of Dubai’s tenancy law separates eviction during the lease because of specified tenant conduct from eviction sought at the end of the lease for specified owner reasons. The notice wording, timing and evidence should match the legal ground actually being relied on. If you need the notice drafted and served rather than an explanation of the rules, use Dubai eviction notice service.
Article 25 is the starting point. Paragraph (1) lists grounds on which a landlord may seek eviction before the lease expires. Paragraph (2) lists the limited grounds for seeking eviction upon expiry, and requires at least 12 months’ notice stating the reason, served through a Notary Public or by registered mail.
The two notice tracks people most often mix up
| Situation | Core timing | Service channel |
|---|---|---|
| Owner seeks eviction on an Article 25(2) ground at lease expiry: demolition/reconstruction, comprehensive maintenance that cannot be done with the tenant in place, owner/first-degree-relative use, or sale. | At least 12 months before the required eviction date. | Notary Public or registered mail. |
| Non-payment: tenant fails to pay rent after a payment notice. | Unless otherwise agreed, 30 days from service of the notice requesting payment before this ground is engaged. | For Article 25(1), the law requires notice through a Notary Public or registered mail. |
| Failure to comply with another legal or contractual obligation where Article 25(1)(h) applies. | Unless otherwise agreed, 30 days from service of a notice requiring compliance. | Notary Public or registered mail under Article 25(1). |
A 30-day period is not a universal eviction notice
Article 25 contains several grounds that are not simply “give 30 days and evict.” The 30-day cure language is specifically important for non-payment and failure to comply with legal or contractual obligations, subject to the wording of the law and any agreement where the Article says otherwise. Other grounds—such as unauthorised subletting or illegal use—have their own elements.
When the 12-month eviction notice applies
Article 25(2) grounds at lease expiry
- Demolition and reconstruction, or adding new construction that prevents the tenant from using the property, subject to the required permits.
- Restoration or comprehensive maintenance that cannot be carried out while the tenant occupies the property, supported by the technical report required by the law.
- The owner wants the property for personal use or for a first-degree relative, subject to the statutory conditions.
- The owner wishes to sell the leased property.
For these end-of-lease grounds, Article 25(2) requires the landlord to state the eviction reason and notify the tenant at least 12 months before the required eviction date. The statutory channels are the Notary Public or registered mail. The notice should therefore identify the actual ground; a generic “please vacate in 12 months” notice creates avoidable ambiguity when the later RDC claim depends on a specific statutory reason.
The 90-day rule is different — it is not the 12-month eviction notice
90 days — Article 14
- Applies, unless the parties agree otherwise, when a party wants to amend lease terms on renewal, including reconsidering rent.
- It is a contract-term notification rule, not the Article 25(2) owner-ground eviction notice.
12 months — Article 25(2)
- Applies to the specified owner/property grounds for eviction upon lease expiry.
- The notice must state the reason and be served through Notary Public or registered mail.
Service is part of the evidence, not an administrative afterthought
RDC’s current first-instance rental service asks for a copy of the notarised notice with the notification officer’s report, or registered post with the result/acknowledgment of service, when the claim seeks eviction. That is why the notice text and the proof of how and when it was served should be kept together. A beautifully drafted notice without reliable service evidence can create a different problem at filing.
Do not rely on WhatsApp alone for an Article 25 eviction notice
Messages may be relevant evidence of communications between landlord and tenant, but Article 25 specifies Notary Public or registered mail for the eviction notices covered by that Article, and RDC’s filing requirements ask for the corresponding service evidence in eviction claims. A separate question is whether a WhatsApp message can help prove another fact in the dispute; that should not be confused with statutory service of the eviction notice.
Before drafting: identify the legal ground and the date you are trying to prove
Practical drafting file
- Latest signed tenancy contract and Ejari details.
- Correct landlord/tenant names and the leased-property details that identify the unit without ambiguity.
- The exact Article 25 ground being relied on, not a generic desire to end the tenancy.
- For a 12-month notice, the required eviction date and the statutory reason stated clearly.
- For a breach/payment notice, the breach or amount demanded and the cure/payment requirement applicable to that ground.
- A plan to retain the final notice plus the service report, registered-mail receipt and delivery result as applicable.
What happens after the notice period?
An eviction notice does not itself physically remove the tenant or automatically create an enforcement file. If the statutory ground is disputed or the tenant does not vacate, the landlord may need an RDC claim and, after obtaining an enforceable judgment, a separate execution stage. RDC’s current first-instance filing requirements include the eviction notice and proof of service. For litigation support see eviction-case support, and for the later stage see RDC execution support.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. The 12-month rule in Article 25(2) applies to the specified end-of-lease grounds such as sale, owner/first-degree-relative use, demolition/reconstruction and qualifying comprehensive maintenance. Article 25(1) contains different grounds and, for some of them, different notice/cure rules.
It is specifically important where the tenant fails to pay rent within 30 days after a payment notice, unless otherwise agreed, and where the tenant fails to comply with a legal or contractual obligation within 30 days after a notice requiring compliance, again subject to the statutory wording. It is not a universal period for every eviction ground.
No. Article 14 deals with notice to amend lease terms on renewal, unless the parties agree otherwise. The 12-month eviction notice for Article 25(2) is a different legal requirement.
Article 25 specifies service through a Notary Public or by registered mail for the eviction notices governed by that Article. Keep the service report or registered-mail delivery result because RDC asks for service evidence when an eviction claim is filed.
Do not rely on WhatsApp alone for statutory service of an Article 25 eviction notice. Messages may still be relevant evidence of communications, but Article 25 specifies Notary Public or registered mail and RDC’s eviction filing requirements ask for the corresponding service proof.
Article 25(2) identifies demolition/reconstruction or qualifying new construction, comprehensive maintenance that cannot be done with the tenant in place, owner or first-degree-relative use subject to the statutory conditions, and sale.
No. If the tenant does not vacate or the ground is disputed, the landlord may need to file an RDC claim and obtain a judgment. Enforcement, where required, is a later separate stage.
Keep the final notice and the evidence generated by the service channel, such as the notification officer’s report for a notarised notice or the registered-post receipt and delivery result. RDC’s current filing page specifically asks for service evidence in eviction claims.