Transferring DEWA to a new apartment means disconnecting electricity and water at your current Dubai home and activating supply at the next one under your name — usually through DEWA’s Transfer of Electricity/Water (Move-To) service if you already have an account, or Activation of Electricity/Water (Move-In) if you are opening utilities for the first time. This guide covers Move-To versus Move-In, official deposits and fees from DEWA’s service pages (verified September 2026), the Ejari link, free-zone paths, DubaiNow / app channels, and timelines — without repeating the full Renting in Dubai: Complete First-Timer’s Walkthrough.
What Does It Mean to Transfer DEWA to a New Apartment?
In Dubai, “transfer DEWA” for a tenant who already has an active account almost always means using DEWA’s Move-To service: one request that schedules move-out at the old premises and move-in at the new premises, and can transfer your security deposit to the new account.
Move-To does not keep the same contract account number forever in a silent background switch. DEWA still deactivates the old supply on your chosen date, activates the new supply after deposit and connection fees are paid or transferred, and issues a final bill for the old unit. You avoid filing separate Move-Out and Move-In applications as two disconnected journeys.
If you have no existing DEWA residential account in Dubai (first apartment, or you never held the account in your name), you use Move-In, not Move-To. See the Move-In section below.
Move-To vs Move-In vs Move-Out — Which Service Do You Need?
Use Move-To when you already hold a DEWA account and are shifting to another premises within Dubai in the same category (residential → residential). Use Move-In for a first activation. Use standalone Move-Out only when you are leaving Dubai supply entirely or closing an account without opening a new one in the same flow.
| Situation | DEWA service | Deposit behaviour (official framing) |
|---|---|---|
| Moving apartment → apartment (or villa → villa) with an existing account | Move-To | Existing deposit transfers if it covers the new requirement; pay any difference |
| Flat → villa (higher deposit) | Move-To | Pay the AED 2,000 shortfall so the villa deposit reaches AED 4,000 |
| First Dubai tenancy / no existing account | Move-In | Pay full refundable deposit + activation charges |
| Leaving Dubai / closing account with no new DEWA premises | Move-Out | Deposit adjusted against final bill; refund via IBAN / cheque / other active account per DEWA options |
| Free-zone unit exempt from Ejari | Move-In (or Move-To if already a customer — with tenancy contract instead of Ejari) | Same deposit bands; apply with valid tenancy contract per DEWA |
DEWA’s Move-To FAQ states you may shift only within the same category — residential to residential, commercial to commercial. Do not assume a residential Move-To will open a shop account.
What Do You Need Before You Apply?
For Move-To, DEWA lists: your existing contract account number, a move-out date, the new premises number, and a valid Ejari number for the move-in premises (or a valid tenancy contract for free-zone customers).
Practical checklist:
- Settle outstanding dues on the current account — Move-To will not proceed cleanly while bills are unpaid.
- New Ejari for the destination unit (mainland tenants). Register first — see Ejari Registration.
- DEWA 9-digit premises number for the new unit (usually on the door/meter area). Agents and landlords should give this when the lease is signed.
- Move-out date and time you can live with — supply at the old home deactivates on that schedule; DEWA notes that Move-Out-linked disconnections are not done on Sundays or public holidays.
- Login ready: UAE Pass or DEWA user ID for website / Smart App / DubaiNow.
Owners use title-deed paths DEWA lists; this article focuses on residential tenants.
How Much Does DEWA Transfer Cost? (Official Fees)
Expect a refundable security deposit of AED 2,000 for a flat or AED 4,000 for a villa, plus Move-To deactivation and activation charges that DEWA publishes separately for small and large meters. Figures below are taken from DEWA’s live Move-To, Move-In, and Move-Out service pages on 28 September 2026 (Asia/Dubai). Confirm the amount shown at checkout — DEWA can update fees.
Security deposit (refundable)
| Property type | Deposit (AED) |
|---|---|
| Flat (residential) | 2,000 |
| Villa (residential) | 4,000 |
| Non-residential | Calculated from premises consumption |
On Move-To, if the deposit already held is enough for the new premises type, you do not pay it again — DEWA transfers it. If you move flat → villa, pay the difference before the request completes. Owners’ deposit refund rules differ (DEWA states owner deposits are refunded upon sale of the premise only).
Move-To service fees (DEWA Move-To page)
| Stage | Component | Small meters (AED) | Large meters (AED) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deactivation | Disconnect electricity & water | 112.5 | 300 |
| Deactivation | Knowledge + innovation | 10 + 10 | 10 + 10 |
| Activation | Connect electricity & water | 112.5 | 300 |
| Activation | Registration + knowledge + innovation | 10 + 10 + 10 | 10 + 10 + 10 |
Most apartments use small meters. Adding the published small-meter line items (excluding any deposit top-up) comes to about AED 275 in connection-side fees — a guide from DEWA’s list, not a personal quote.
First-time Move-In fees (if you are not using Move-To)
DEWA’s Move-In page lists connection at AED 125 (small) or AED 300 (large), plus AED 10 registration, AED 10 knowledge, and AED 10 innovation. DEWA’s own FAQ summarises small-meter activation as about AED 155 on top of the deposit. Standalone Move-Out lists disconnect at AED 125 (small) / AED 300 (large) plus knowledge and innovation fees — slightly different packaging from the Move-To line items above. Always pay what the live DEWA form calculates.
Thukher (senior citizens 60+) and Sanad (People of Determination) cardholders who are UAE nationals get a 50% discount on activation/deactivation charges as stated on DEWA’s pages — not on the security deposit itself.
Uncertainty flag: older Gulf News summaries sometimes show rounded “Dh200 / Dh600” combined figures that no longer match DEWA’s current Move-To split (112.5 + 112.5 for small meters). Prefer dewa.gov.ae. Whether VAT appears as a separate line at payment can vary by channel — check the payment receipt.
How Do You Transfer DEWA With Move-To? (Step-by-Step)
Log in on DEWA’s website, Smart App, or DubaiNow, open Transfer of Electricity/Water (Move-To), choose the old account and move-out date/time, enter the new Ejari and premises details, pay any dues, deposit difference, and connection fees, then submit and keep the reference number.
Order that matches DEWA’s published journey:
- Finish Ejari for the new apartment (mainland) and note the Ejari number and 9-digit premises number.
- Clear outstanding bills on the current DEWA account.
- Open www.dewa.gov.ae → Consumer → Supply Management → Transfer of Electricity/Water (Move-To), or use the DEWA Smart App, or DubaiNow (individuals).
- Sign in with UAE Pass or DEWA credentials.
- Select the contract account you are leaving and the deactivation date & time.
- Enter Ejari and premises details for the new home (free-zone: tenancy contract path as DEWA prompts).
- Pay any outstanding balance, deposit difference, and connection fees; save the receipt.
- Submit and keep the notification/reference number from SMS/email.
- Wait for new supply within 15 working hours after payment/transfer of the required deposit and fees.
- Expect old supply to deactivate within 24 working hours of your selected date/time, then a final bill by email/SMS within 24 working hours of that disconnection. Pay the final bill — DEWA’s FAQ says you must settle it; unpaid amounts can follow you.
IVR shortcut: DEWA Customer Care 04-6019999 can run Move-To by phone only when Ejari is available, there is no outstanding amount, and the move is the same premise type with no security-deposit change (flat→flat or villa→villa). Otherwise, you’ll get an SMS link to complete it through digital channels.
What If You Are Opening DEWA for the First Time (Move-In)?
For most mainland tenants, Ejari issuance triggers DEWA’s automated Move-In: you get a welcome SMS/email with a contract account number and payment link, pay the deposit and activation fees, and supply targets within 15 working hours after payment.
You do not submit a DEWA payment receipt to get Ejari — integration runs after Ejari is issued. If the welcome message never arrives (wrong email on the Ejari file is common), apply on the DEWA website or Smart App with your valid Ejari number. Owners and other non-Ejari cases apply for Move-In directly with the documents DEWA lists (for example, title deed / SPA).
How Do Free-Zone Tenants Activate or Transfer DEWA?
If the free-zone premises is exempt from Ejari, apply Move-In on the DEWA website or app with a valid tenancy contract; existing customers use Move-To with the same tenancy-contract requirement DEWA lists for free-zone customers.
Exemptions are community-specific — confirm with the free-zone landlord/admin and the DEWA form. Deposit bands remain AED 2,000 (flat) / AED 4,000 (villa).
How Long Does DEWA Activation Take?
DEWA states that electricity and water at the move-in premises activate within 15 working hours after payment or transfer of the required security deposit (and connection fees).
Key timing rules from DEWA:
- Move-in activation: within 15 working hours of deposit payment/transfer.
- Move-out deactivation: within 24 working hours of the customer-selected date and time.
- Final bill: within 24 working hours of the disconnection date/time requested.
- Working hours definition DEWA publishes: Monday to Saturday 7:00 AM – 8:00 PM.
If supply is not on within 15 working hours after payment, DEWA’s Move-In notes say to call 04-601 9999.
Common Mistakes When Transferring DEWA
Most delays come from unpaid old bills, missing Ejari, a wrong premises number, a Sunday/holiday move-out date, or choosing Move-In when Move-To fits (or the reverse).
| Mistake | Fix |
|---|---|
| Move-To with unpaid arrears | Clear the bill first |
| No Ejari on a mainland unit | Finish Ejari registration first |
| Wrong 9-digit premises number | Recheck the door sticker / landlord |
| Move-out on Sunday or a public holiday | Pick a permitted day |
| Flat → villa with no deposit top-up | Budget AED 2,000 difference |
| Ignoring the final bill | Pay it; keep clearance |
The landlord’s lease security deposit is separate from the DEWA deposit — recovery sits with tenancy rules, not Move-To (Security Deposit Disputes).
DEWA Transfer Checklist
- Lease signed → Ejari (mainland) → save Ejari number + premises number
- Choose Move-To (existing account) or Move-In (first activation / free-zone contract path)
- Clear old dues; pick a valid move-out date/time
- Apply on DEWA website / Smart App / DubaiNow (IVR only if you meet DEWA’s narrow conditions)
- Pay any deposit difference + published connection fees.
- Track the 15 working-hour activation window; call 04-6019999 if overdue
- Pay the final bill and keep clearance
Next Steps
- Renting in Dubai: Complete First-Timer’s Walkthrough
- Ejari Registration
- Official: DEWA Move-To · DEWA Move-In
Fees checked on dewa.gov.ae on 28 September 2026 (Asia/Dubai). Confirm the live checkout total before you pay.