Most moving checklists you find online were written for somewhere else and quietly omit the things that actually take time in Dubai — the building permit, the DEWA transfer, the Ejari registration, the internet connection with a lead time nobody warned you about. This one is written for a Dubai move.
Six to four weeks before
- Confirm your moving date, and check whether it falls in the month-end peak — the last three days of a month and the first two of the next are the busiest in Dubai.
- Give notice on your current property in line with your tenancy contract.
- Ask both buildings — old and new — what their move permit process and lead time is.
- Book surveys with two or three movers and get written quotes with the scope listed.
- Order internet at the new address. This has the longest lead time of anything on this list and is the most common thing to leave too late.
- Start decluttering. Everything you throw away now is something you do not pay to move.
Three to two weeks before
- Confirm your mover and your date in writing.
- Get the trade licence and insurance certificate from your mover and submit the permit applications at both buildings.
- Secure the service lift slot at both ends as soon as each permit is approved.
- Arrange your DEWA final reading and closure at the old property, and activation at the new one.
- Register the new tenancy contract with Ejari — you may need it for the permit itself.
- Book any specialist help you need: a technician for plumbed appliances, a handyman for TV mounting or curtain rails.
- If your dates do not line up, arrange storage now rather than on the morning.
One week before
- Confirm the permit approvals and lift slots are actually in place at both buildings.
- Update your address with your bank, your telecom provider, RTA, and your employer or PRO.
- If you are self-packing, get materials delivered and start on anything you do not use daily.
- Run down the contents of the fridge and freezer.
- Arrange for pets and young children to be elsewhere on the day — it is safer and considerably faster.
- Set aside anything the movers should not take: passports, Emirates IDs, jewellery, cash, medication, laptops.
The day before
- Empty, switch off and defrost the fridge and freezer so they drain overnight rather than leaking in the truck.
- Pack a first-night box: bedding, towels, chargers, basic toiletries, a change of clothes, kettle and mugs. Keep it with you, not on the truck.
- Confirm the arrival time with your mover and make sure someone will be present at both addresses.
- Photograph the condition of both properties, and of any valuable furniture, before anything is moved.
- Charge your phone. On moving day you will use it more than you expect.
Moving day
- Walk the crew through both properties and point out anything fragile, valuable or awkward.
- Confirm what stays — landlord furniture, fitted wardrobes, curtain rails — before loading starts.
- Keep the permit and your Emirates ID accessible for building security.
- Take the final DEWA meter reading at the old property.
- Check every room, cupboard, balcony and store space before the truck leaves.
- At the new place, direct boxes by room as they come in rather than sorting later.
- Walk both properties with the crew before signing off.
The first week after
- Check the DEWA account at the new address is active and in your name.
- Confirm the Ejari registration is complete.
- Test everything electrical and plumbed before the warranty window on any damage closes.
- Report any damage to your mover promptly — most policies have a short notification period.
- Get the old property’s deposit inspection booked.
For the building paperwork in more depth, see our guide to Dubai move permits. If you want the whole thing handled, get a quote.