Standard lease 3 years with annual rent escalators (typically 5%) and a renewal option.

  • Typical lease length: 3 years.
  • Typical rent-free: 3 months.
  • Vacancy: 5.8%; trend rising.
  • Standard lease 3 years with annual rent escalators (typically 5%) and a renewal option.

Dubai office lease norms

Standard lease 3 years with annual rent escalators (typically 5%) and a renewal option.

TL;DR

  • Typical lease length: 3 years.
  • Typical rent-free: 3 months.
  • Vacancy: 5.8%; trend rising.
  • Standard lease 3 years with annual rent escalators (typically 5%) and a renewal option.

Structure

Standard lease 3 years with annual rent escalators (typically 5%) and a renewal option. Service charges billed separately. Security deposit of 5-10% standard. Ejari (lease registration) is mandatory.

Negotiating levers

Free rent and TI remain the most negotiable line items; landlords prefer concessions to face-rent cuts because they preserve headline rent and implied valuation. Always model effective rent (face minus PV of concessions).

Key facts

cityDubai
countryUnited Arab Emirates
regionEMEA
classARentLocal145 AED/sqft/yr
classARentUsd$39/sqft/yr
vacancy5.8%
typicalLeaseYears3
typicalRentFreeMonths3
submarkets6
primeYieldPct7.5%

Frequently asked questions

What's a typical lease term in Dubai?
3 years for institutional Class A. Shorter terms are achievable on smaller floor plates with stronger covenants.
How is rent quoted in Dubai?
In AED/sqft/year. We also publish a USD-normalised view ($39/sqft/yr) for cross-market comparison.

Editorial provenance

Reviewed by Samuel Okafor — EMEA contributing editor. Last updated 2026-04-15. See our methodology and editorial standards.

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