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Egypt old rent law 2025: what Law No. 164/2025 changes
Covered leases, 7- and 5-year transition periods, new rents by zone, eviction and alternative housing: Egypt's Law 164 of 2025 explained.
On 9 November 2024, the Supreme Constitutional Court ruled unconstitutional the provisions of Law No. 136 of 1981 that froze rents under old residential leases. Parliament passed the reform on 2 July 2025.
Law No. 164 of 2025 was published in the Official Gazette (issue 31 bis) on 4 August 2025. Under Article 10, it entered into force the day after publication, on 5 August 2025.
Which leases are covered?
Article 1 covers premises governed by Law No. 49 of 1977 and Law No. 136 of 1981:
premises leased for residential use;
premises leased to natural persons for non-residential use (shops, clinics, offices).
Leases concluded under the Civil Code, based on freedom of contract, are not covered by this law.
The scheduled end of old leases
Residential: leases end seven years after entry into force, i.e. in August 2032 (Article 2).
Non-residential, leased to a natural person: leases end after five years, i.e. in August 2030.
The parties may agree to end the lease earlier.
Laws No. 49 of 1977, No. 136 of 1981 and No. 6 of 1997 will be repealed after the seven years (Article 9).
Zone classification
Article 3 tasks survey committees, formed by each governor, with classifying residential areas into three categories: distinguished, middle and economic. Criteria include location, building quality, utilities, services and the annual rental value used for the 2008 property tax.
The committees had three months, extendable once by the Prime Minister. According to Youm7, the deadline was extended to 5 February 2026. The classification is adopted by a governor's decision published in the Official Gazette; in Cairo, the governor approved the results in late January 2026.
The new rents
Residential (Article 4)
Distinguished areas: 20 times the current legal rent, with a minimum of EGP 1,000 per month.
Middle areas: 10 times the current rent, minimum EGP 400.
Economic areas: 10 times the current rent, minimum EGP 250.
Pending classification: EGP 250 per month from the first payment after entry into force. Differences are then paid in monthly instalments over a period equal to the period for which they accrued, starting after publication of the governor's decision.
Non-residential use and annual increase
Article 5: rent for non-residential premises leased to natural persons becomes five times the current legal rent.
Article 6: rents set under Articles 4 and 5 then rise by 15% per year during the transition period.
Eviction: which cases and what procedure?
In addition to the grounds already in Article 18 of Law No. 136 of 1981, Article 7 requires the tenant to vacate:
at the end of the transition period under Article 2;
if it is proven that the unit was left closed for more than a year without justification;
if the tenant owns a usable unit for the same purpose.
If the tenant refuses, the owner applies for an eviction order to the summary matters judge of the court where the property is located. Filing a case on the merits does not suspend that order.
Alternative housing
Article 8 lets the tenant apply, before the end of the transition period, for a state-owned residential or non-residential unit, for rent or purchase. The tenant must give a written undertaking to vacate the leased unit upon allocation. Original tenants and their spouses have priority.
The Cabinet set the conditions: actual residence, no other suitable unit owned, and the undertaking to vacate. Applications go through the Digital Egypt platform or post offices. According to the Ministry of Housing, the application period was extended to 12 October 2026: check with the authorities for any reopening.
What to do now
Landlords
Identify the zone category in the governor's decision published in the Official Gazette.
Calculate the new rent and the differences due, then the 15% yearly increase.
Keep evidence of eviction grounds (unit left closed, tenant owning another unit).
Consider a written early-termination agreement or a new lease under the Civil Code.
Tenants
Pay the interim rent and then the differences, against a receipt.
Check your zone classification and its calculation.
Follow alternative housing announcements if you are eligible.
Plan for the end date: August 2032 for residential, August 2030 for non-residential use.
Many landlords and tenants will negotiate a new contract before 2030 or 2032. E-Tafakna, a LegalTech active across MENA, offers lease templates, country guides and a formal-notice generator to put a request in writing.
Frequently asked questions
Are leases to companies covered?
Law 164/2025 covers non-residential use only for premises leased to natural persons. For a legal entity, the applicable regime must be checked separately.
Can the landlord evict now?
Only in the listed cases: those in Article 18 of Law 136/1981, a unit left closed for over a year without justification, or ownership of another suitable unit. Otherwise, the lease runs until the end of the transition period.
What happens at the end of the transition period?
The lease ends. The tenant must vacate, unless a new contract is freely agreed with the landlord.
Can the rent rise more than planned?
During the transition, the legal increase is fixed: a multiplier by zone, then 15% per year. A higher amount requires both parties' agreement.
Sources
Egypt: Law No. 164 of 2025 on certain provisions of the laws on leasing premises, Official Gazette No. 31 bis of 4 August 2025, Articles 1 to 10 (text reproduced by Masrawy)
Egypt: Law No. 49 of 1977 and Law No. 136 of 1981 on leasing premises
Supreme Constitutional Court, ruling of 9 November 2024 (context: Egyptian Streets, Jurist)
Parlmany (Youm7), analysis of the law, August 2025; Youm7, committee extension, 2 January 2026
Egyptian Ministry of Housing, statement on the extended alternative housing applications, 5 August 2026 (realestate.gov.eg)
Egypt Independent, new rent calculation, August 2025; Egypt Telegraph, Cairo classification, January 2026; Zawya, alternative housing conditions
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Egypt old rent law 2025: what Law No. 164/2025 changes
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