Renewing a Lease in Saudi Arabia: Steps, Fees and When It Renews Automatically

The short answer: a lease in Saudi Arabia renews automatically unless one side tells the other, at least 60 days before it ends, that they don’t want to renew. As the tenant, you can switch automatic renewal off without giving a reason (Ejar, in Arabic), as long as you do it before the 60-day window starts. A landlord in Riyadh can refuse to renew only in three cases. And the renewal fee on Ejar is paid by the landlord, not the tenant.

This guide covers how automatic renewal works, when a landlord can refuse, what happens if the notice deadline passes, how to renew on Ejar, the fees, and what happens to the rent when you renew.

Your rights as a tenant: the rules that protect you, each with its official source, are summarised in Tenant rights in Saudi Arabia.

The rules and fees in this guide are as published by the Real Estate General Authority (REGA) and Ejar, checked on 5 October 2026.

Automatic Renewal: the 60-Day Rule

Since 25 September 2025, leases in every city in the Kingdom are deemed renewed automatically unless either party notifies the other, at least 60 days before the contract ends, that they don’t want to renew. Two exceptions:

• Fixed-term contracts that had 90 days or less left when the provisions took effect.
• Contracts that both parties agree to end by mutual consent after the notice deadline has passed.

The rule covers residential and commercial leases longer than three months (Ejar, in Arabic), and automatic renewal is switched on by default in new contracts.

What that means for you as a tenant:

• If you want to stay, you don’t need to do anything. The lease renews on its own.
• If you want to leave at the end of the term, switch automatic renewal off or notify the landlord at least 60 days before the lease ends. That’s your right, with no conditions attached.
• The other side is told when renewal is switched off. The tenant, the landlord or the real estate broker can switch it off, and Ejar sends a text message to the number registered in Absher saying who switched it off.

The 60 days are a notice period for not renewing at the end of the term. They aren’t a way to leave in the middle of a lease. For that, see our guide to breaking a lease.

When Can a Landlord Refuse to Renew?

In Riyadh, if the tenant wants to renew, a landlord may not refuse or require the tenant to leave except in three cases:

1. The tenant hasn’t paid.
2. The property has structural defects that affect its safety and the safety of the people living in it, according to a technical report approved by the competent government body.
3. The landlord wants to use the home themselves or for a first-degree relative.

REGA’s board can add other cases. Selling the property, or wanting a tenant who pays more, isn’t one of them.

Outside Riyadh, a landlord can decline to renew without conditions, as long as they respect the notice period (Ejar, in Arabic).

365 days’ notice for the landlord’s own use. For residential leases, a landlord who declines to renew so that they or a first-degree relative can live in the property must give at least 365 days’ notice before the lease ends (REGA decision of 2 Rajab 1447 AH, in Arabic). A later decision (7 Ramadan 1447 AH, in Arabic) applied that notice period to every residential lease in force when the provisions took effect. If the notice is shorter, the lease renews for as long as it takes to complete 365 days from the date the notice was sent.

What Happens If the Notice Deadline Passes?

This is usually what people mean when they search for a “penalty for not renewing”. If neither side gives notice at least 60 days before the end, the lease renews automatically. So the consequence of missing the deadline is the renewal itself: you’re committed to a new term, and leaving during it falls under the rules for ending a lease early. You can still agree with your landlord to end the lease by mutual consent after the deadline has passed.

The fine in the provisions is up to 12 months’ rent for the unit, plus putting the violation right and compensating whoever was harmed. It applies to anyone who breaks the provisions, for example a Riyadh landlord who refuses to renew outside the permitted cases, or who raises the rent during the freeze.

How to Renew a Lease on Ejar

If automatic renewal is on

You don’t need to do anything. The renewal fee is deducted from the landlord’s Ejar wallet when the 60-day window before the end of the lease begins. Even if the landlord doesn’t pay it, the lease still renews automatically (Ejar, in Arabic), and the fee is recorded as a debt owed by the landlord so the tenant isn’t affected.

If it’s off, or the lease has ended: re-contracting

Ejar’s renewal (re-contracting) service (in Arabic) is for a lease that has ended or is about to. The landlord, the tenant or the real estate broker can request it from 60 days before the lease ends, or after it has ended. The steps, as Ejar publishes them:

1. Log in to your account on Ejar.
2. Choose the contract from the list of contracts ready for renewal.
3. Review the contract details.
4. Send the contract to the other party to accept and document the renewal.
5. The other party logs in to Ejar and accepts the renewal.
6. They enter the verification code sent to the mobile number registered in Absher.

Read the contract before you accept. When re-contracting, the landlord or broker can change some of the details, such as the term and the financial terms, switch on automatic renewal and add clauses. If a renewal request reaches you, check the term, the rent and the clauses before you enter the verification code.

Renewal Fees: How Much and Who Pays

Amounts from Ejar’s service pages and Article 14 of the Real Estate Brokerage Law, checked on 5 October 2026. Fees can change, so check the service page on Ejar before you pay.

Does the tenant pay the renewal fee? No. Ejar says the landlord is responsible for paying the renewal fee, and even when a brokerage office pays Ejar’s fees, the debt is recorded against the landlord (Ejar, in Arabic).

Do you need a broker to renew? No. The tenant can request re-contracting from their own Ejar account, and automatic renewal needs no step from you at all.

The Rent When You Renew

Inside Riyadh’s urban boundary, annual increases in the total rent are suspended for five years from 25 September 2025, on existing and new leases. That’s why Ejar’s rent-adjustment service in Riyadh only lets a landlord request a decrease (Ejar, in Arabic). The details are in our guide to the Riyadh rent freeze.

Outside Riyadh, the agreed rent stays the same by default, and any change has to be requested. A landlord can ask, through Ejar, to change the rent at least 90 days before the lease ends, and you can accept or reject it:

• If you accept, the lease renews automatically at the new rent. The change applies to the renewed contract, not the current one.
• If you reject it, automatic renewal is cancelled and that counts as notice of non-renewal, so the lease ends at the end of its term unless you agree something new.
• If you don’t reply before the 60-day window begins, that counts as rejecting the request, and automatic renewal is cancelled.

So don’t ignore a rent-change request on Ejar: not replying means your lease will end at the end of its term.

Renewing When You Pay Rent Monthly with Ejari

If you rent through Ejari, Ejari is the lessor on your Ejar contract. Automatic renewal is on by default, and you can switch it off in the app. Whether you’re offered a renewal depends on your payment record, and tenants who always paid on time may get a loyalty discount that lasts 48 hours. Ejari charges a service fee, not interest; the details are in our terms and conditions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does a lease renew automatically in Saudi Arabia? Yes. Residential and commercial leases longer than 3 months are deemed renewed automatically unless either side gives notice of non-renewal at least 60 days before the end.

Who pays the lease renewal fee? The landlord, according to Ejar.

How much does it cost to renew a lease on Ejar? The renewal is charged the contract fee, which for a residential lease is SAR 125 for each year.

How do I renew a lease that has already ended? Through Ejar’s re-contracting service (in Arabic). The landlord, the tenant or the broker can request it after the lease ends, and the other party accepts it with a verification code.

Can my landlord raise the rent when I renew? In Riyadh, no, for five years from 25 September 2025. Outside Riyadh, the landlord has to request a change through Ejar, and it only applies if you accept. If you reject it, the lease ends at the end of its term unless you agree something new.

Ejari is a REGA-licensed platform that lets you pay your rent in monthly instalments. See how Ejari works.