dawarna
Log in List your property
Free tool · updated October 2026

Rental contract checklist for Jordan

Tick off what is in your lease, see what is missing, and scan pasted clauses for red flags before you sign.

Checks19High-stakes8Scanin your browserBasisJordan tenancy law
0covered
0missing or unclear
0high-stakes gaps
Parties and property
Written, dated and signed by both sides High stakes
A written lease with the date, both parties' full names and ID numbers, and the property address and unit.
Why it matters

Leases made after 31 August 2000 follow the agreed terms, and the fast court route to recover a property when a lease ends applies to written leases. Without a written lease you have little to rely on.

Parties and property
Landlord proved to be the owner (or a proper agent) High stakes
You have seen a recent registration deed (سند تسجيل) in the landlord's name, or a notarised power of attorney for the agent.
Why it matters

DLS can issue registration extracts electronically. An unlicensed or unauthorised 'agent' is a common route to a bad deal.

Parties and property
Property described, with an inventory
Unit number, size, furnished or not, and an inventory with photos signed at handover.
Why it matters

The sample Amman lease we reviewed had no inventory annex. An inventory protects your deposit when you leave.

Term and renewal
Start date, end date and renewal terms
Exact dates and what happens at the end: renewal, notice period, and who must give notice.
Why it matters

Under the Owners and Tenants Law a post-2000 lease that provides for automatic renewal renews once for a similar term unless the tenant gives notice of non-renewal. Notice periods in a sample lease were two months.

Rent
Rent amount, currency and payment schedule High stakes
The rent in JD, per month or year, when it is due, how you pay, and that you get a receipt every time.
Why it matters

Listings quote rent per year while contracts may list instalments. Unclear schedules lead to disputes about late payment.

Rent
Rent increases are explicit High stakes
Any increase is written down: a fixed percentage or a renegotiation at renewal.
Why it matters

For contracts after 31 August 2000, rent can rise only as the contract provides. A vague or open-ended increase clause is a red flag.

Rent
Late payment does not trigger harsh penalties High stakes
A grace period, and no clause making all remaining instalments due after a short delay.
Why it matters

A sample lease accelerated all instalments if one was ten days late. That turns a small delay into a large demand.

Deposit and fees
Deposit amount, holder and refund terms High stakes
The amount (customarily one to three months), who holds it, the refund deadline and what can be deducted, with evidence.
Why it matters

No statutory cap or refund rule was found, so the contract and the Civil Code decide disputes in the Magistrates' Court.

Deposit and fees
Agent commission is agreed, receipted and within the cap
A licensed office, a written fee of no more than 2% of the annual rent, and a receipt.
Why it matters

The regulation we reviewed sets that maximum for leases, shared by the parties or paid by either.

Costs and repairs
Utilities and building charges assigned
Who pays electricity, water, internet, guard, cleaning and heating, and opening meter readings.
Why it matters

A sample lease put utilities, guard, cleaning and property tax on the tenant. Know this before you compare rents.

Costs and repairs
Repairs are fairly split
The landlord does necessary repairs to keep the home fit for use, and you cover minor ones.
Why it matters

Under the Civil Code the landlord must deliver a home fit for use and carry out necessary repairs unless the contract shifts them; minor repairs fall on the tenant.

Use and rights
Subletting and assignment rules
Whether you may sublet or assign, and that consent is in writing.
Why it matters

Subletting or assigning without the owner's written consent is a ground for eviction.

Use and rights
Permitted use and occupants
Residential use only and any limits on occupants or pets.
Why it matters

Use for a different purpose is an eviction ground, so it should be explicit.

Use and rights
Landlord visits need notice
A clause requiring notice before the landlord enters.
Why it matters

It protects your privacy. Its absence is common but worth raising.

Ending the lease
Early exit and notice terms High stakes
What you owe if you leave early, and the notice you must give.
Why it matters

Clauses forfeiting the whole remaining rent are a red flag. Agree a notice period and penalty that is proportionate.

Ending the lease
Holdover terms are reasonable
What you pay if you stay after the term ends.
Why it matters

A sample lease added a 25% cumulative monthly increase for holdover, which compounds quickly.

Ending the lease
No self-help eviction or utility cut-off High stakes
Nothing allowing the landlord to change locks, cut utilities or remove you without a court order.
Why it matters

A landlord cannot evict without a court judgment. Eviction grounds are fixed by law, such as unpaid rent not cured within 15 days of a notarised notice.

Ending the lease
Disputes go to the local courts
No unusual arbitration, foreign jurisdiction or travel burden.
Why it matters

Eviction and rent claims are heard by the Magistrates' Court where the property is located.

Paperwork
Signed copies and receipts kept
You hold a signed original, the landlord's ID copies, the inventory and every rent receipt.
Why it matters

Receipts are your proof of payment if there is ever a notarised notice for unpaid rent.

A simple keyword scan for clauses worth a second look. It is not a legal review.

Scan results

Paste text on the left to scan it.

General information based on the Owners and Tenants Law No. 11 of 1994 (as amended), the Civil Code, the real estate offices regulation and a sample Amman lease, from our research on 11 October 2026. It is not legal advice; have a Jordanian lawyer review a contract that matters. Contracts made before 31 August 2000 follow different rules.

What should I check before I sign a rental contract in Amman?

Work through the 19 checks below: the parties and the property, the term and renewal, the rent and any increases, the deposit and fees, repairs and utilities, and how the lease ends. The 8 high-stakes checks cover the written lease, the owner's title, rent and increases, late-payment penalties, the deposit, early exit and eviction.

Source: our legal research (11 Oct 2026); see the methodology. Not legal advice.

Updated Prepared by DawarnaHow we researchReport a correction

Know your footing

What the law says in short

  • Leases after 31 August 2000
    Follow the agreed terms and end when the term expires. A lease with automatic renewal renews once for a similar term unless the tenant gives notice.
  • Rent increases
    For post-2000 contracts, rent can rise only as the contract provides. Pre-2000 leases follow a separate system.
  • Eviction
    A landlord needs a court judgment. Grounds include unpaid rent not cured within 15 days of a notarised notice, subletting without written consent and illegal use.
  • Repairs
    The landlord must deliver a home fit for use and do necessary repairs; the tenant covers minor ones, unless the contract says otherwise.
  • Deposits
    No statutory cap or refund rule found. One to three months is customary; deductions need evidence.
  • Agent fees
    Up to 2% of the annual rent for a lease, under the real estate offices regulation, shared or paid by either.
Go deeper

Rental contracts in Jordan

Clauses, terms and what to expect.Read more →

Rent deposits in Jordan

What is customary and what the law says.Read more →

Rental scams in Amman

Fake listings and deposit traps.Read more →

Agent fees for rentals

What agents may charge.Read more →
Keep going

More free tools

Amman circles map

Click the circles and compare rents, prices and yields.Read more →

Mortgage calculator

Monthly payment at Jordan's average rate.Read more →

Rent vs buy calculator

When does buying beat renting?Read more →

Moving-in cost calculator

The cash you need on day one.Read more →

Foreigner purchase fees

Taxes, fees and commission, itemised.Read more →

Commute times

Drive times from each area to key places.Read more →

Dawarna Rent Index

Monthly Amman rents and prices, free to cite.Read more →
Keep reading

Related reading

Real estate agents and agencies in Amman

Real estate agents in Amman: how licensing works, the regulated commission maximums, how to check an agent in the…Read more →

Apartments and property near King Hussein Business Park, Amman

King Hussein Business Park: what it is, where it is and the nearby neighbourhoods with rents and prices from 10…Read more →

Real estate companies in Amman

Real estate companies in Amman: the developers and owners behind major projects, how to find and check a licensed…Read more →

About Dawarna, the Amman property guide

Dawarna is an English-language guide to renting and buying in Amman, Jordan. Learn what the name means, what we…Read more →

Rental contract checklist FAQs

What should a rental contract in Jordan include?

Names and ID numbers, the property and an inventory, the term and renewal, the rent and schedule, rent increases, the deposit and refund terms, who pays utilities and repairs, subletting rules, early exit and notice terms, and dispute terms. Rental contracts →

Does the contract have to be in writing?

A written lease matters. The law's fast route to recover a property when a lease expires applies to written leases made after 31 August 2000, and a written lease is your evidence of the terms. Ask a lawyer about your case. Rental contracts →

Can my landlord raise the rent mid-lease?

For contracts after 31 August 2000, rent is set by agreement and can rise only as the contract provides. Check any clause that allows increases at the landlord's discretion. Rental contracts →

Can my landlord evict me without a court?

No. A landlord cannot evict without a court judgment, change the locks or cut utilities. Eviction grounds are fixed by law. Rental scams →

How much deposit is normal?

One to three months of rent is customary. There is no statutory cap, so agree the amount and the refund conditions in writing. Rent deposits →

Is the pasted-text scan private?

Yes. It runs in your browser and nothing you paste is sent to our servers. Privacy policy →