Trade License Renewal
Annual renewal of the UAE trade license. Each Free Zone Authority and mainland DED has its own renewal process. Late renewal incurs penalties and can suspend operations. Free zone licences must be renewed every year. DMCC, DIFC, ADGM, JAFZA, IFZA, RAKEZ and other authorities each run their own portal and timeline. Late renewal commonly attracts fines of AED 250 to AED 500 a month, and the authority can suspend the licence. Renewal normally needs an up-to-date Ejari or lease, audited accounts where they are mandatory and evidence of continued substance.
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Who this applies to
- All UAE-licensed businesses (mainland and free zone)
- Branches of foreign companies
- Qualifying Free Zone Persons, who must keep the licence valid to keep the 0 percent rate
What to file
Renewal application with the relevant licensing authority: DMCC, IFZA, ADGM, DIFC, Dubai DED, etc.
How to file
Online via the licensing authority's portal. Some require renewed Ejari (lease registration). The authority will usually ask for payment before it issues the renewed licence, and for a free zone company the licence renewal triggers the update of the UBO register and the visa quota.
Payment due
Annual licensing fee: varies by authority and activity (AED 10,000 – AED 50,000+). A licence that is renewed late still has to be paid in full, plus the late fee, before the authority will reinstate it.
Penalties for missing this deadline
Authority-specific late fees, suspension of license, blocking of business banking, residence visa issues. Bank accounts may be restricted when the licence expires, which stops payroll and supplier payments.
Filing checklist
- Renew Ejari / office lease
- Settle any outstanding fines
- Update activity codes if business changed
- Update beneficial owner information (UBO)
- Renew trade license via authority portal
- Pay annual fee
Documents you'll need
- Current trade licence and Ejari or lease
- Audited accounts where the authority requires them
- Passport and Emirates ID copies of owners and managers
- Updated UBO declaration
- Evidence of VAT and Corporate Tax registration
Common mistakes to avoid
- Letting license lapse: bank accounts get frozen quickly
- Forgetting to renew Ejari first (some authorities require it before license)
- Missing UBO update at renewal
- Renewing the licence but not updating the registered address after a move, which leaves the Ejari and licence out of step
Never miss a United Arab Emirates deadline
AccountsOS tracks every Federal Tax Authority (FTA) and Department of Economic Development (DED) / Free Zone Authority deadline and reminds you weeks ahead.
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