Add or change activities
Adding new business activities, removing ones you've outgrown, or switching licence type as your model evolves.
Corporate Compliance
Trade licence amendment & renewals in the UAE
Your trade licence has to keep pace with your business — new activities, a change of shareholder, a new address — and it has to be renewed on time, every year. We handle every amendment and every renewal with your mainland or free-zone authority, keeping the linked approvals, Ejari and immigration file in sync, at a fixed fee agreed before we start.
On time
Renewed before it lapses
Mainland
& every free zone
In sync
Ejari, visas & approvals aligned
Fixed fee
Agreed before we start
What it means
Amendments and renewals, explained
Your trade licence is the document that lets your company legally operate in the UAE. It records who owns the business, who manages it, what it's allowed to do and where it's based — and it carries an expiry date. Two things keep it valid: amending it when the facts change, and renewing it before it lapses.
A licence amendment is any formal change to those recorded details — adding or removing a business activity, changing shareholders or their shareholding, appointing or replacing a manager, updating your trade name or legal form, or moving to a new address. Each change is filed with the authority that issued your licence and re-printed on the licence itself.
A renewal is the annual step that keeps the licence live. It usually depends on a valid tenancy (Ejari on the mainland), settled fees, and any activity-specific approvals still being in place — so a renewal is rarely just one payment.
The catch is that everything is linked. Your establishment card, employee visas and bank mandates all hang off the licence — so a change or a lapse ripples outward. We manage that chain end to end, so nothing falls out of step.
What we handle
Amendments we handle
Whatever's changed about your company, we file it correctly with the right authority and keep every linked record — MOA, Ejari, establishment card and visas — aligned to match.
Shareholder & ownership changes
Adding or exiting shareholders, transferring shares and updating shareholding — with the MOA amended to match.
Manager & signatory changes
Appointing or replacing the general manager and updating authorised signatories on the licence and with the bank.
Trade name & legal form
Changing your registered trade name or converting legal form — for example from establishment to LLC — with fresh approvals.
Address & office changes
Moving premises, updating your registered address and refreshing the Ejari tenancy that your licence depends on.
Annual licence renewal
Renewing mainland and free-zone licences on time — clearing fees, refreshing Ejari and re-securing any activity approvals.
What's involved
What a change or renewal needs
The exact paperwork depends on your authority, activity and the change you're making — but these are the essentials we prepare, file and keep on record for you.
Current trade licence & MOA
Your existing licence and Memorandum of Association — the baseline every amendment is filed against.
Valid tenancy (Ejari)
A current, attested tenancy contract that supports your registered address and the renewal.
Shareholder resolution
A board or shareholder resolution approving the change — required for ownership, manager and structural amendments.
Passports & KYC
Passport copies and KYC for any incoming shareholder, manager or signatory being added to the licence.
Activity approvals (if needed)
External approvals from the relevant ministry or regulator for activities that require third-party sign-off.
Notarised amended MOA
For ownership or structural changes, a re-drafted MOA notarised and lodged with the authority.
Cleared fees & fines
Outstanding government fees or penalties settled — a renewal or amendment won't process until the account is clear.
A tracked expiry calendar
A schedule of your licence, Ejari and approval expiries, with renewals actioned well before the deadline.
The signals
When you need licence support
A licence change usually follows a business decision — or an approaching deadline. If any of these apply, it's time to get the paperwork moving.
Your renewal is due
The licence is approaching expiry and you need it renewed on time — before fines and a block on your file start.
You're adding an activity
A new product line or service falls outside your current licence, and you need the activity added before you trade it.
Ownership is changing
A partner is joining or exiting, or shares are moving — and the licence and MOA need to reflect the new structure.
You're relocating
A move to new premises means a new Ejari and a registered-address change across the licence and every linked record.
You're rebranding or restructuring
A new trade name or a change of legal form needs fresh approvals and a re-issued licence to make it official.
You've missed a deadline
An expired licence or unpaid fine has triggered penalties or a block — and you need it cleared and back in good standing.
How we help
Every change or renewal, in five clear steps
One team runs the whole process — from confirming what the authority needs to re-issuing the licence and syncing every linked record — with a fixed fee agreed up front and a clear view of which step you're on.
1
Day 1
Review & scope
We check your licence, MOA and Ejari, confirm exactly what the change or renewal needs, and quote a fixed fee.
2
Day 1–2
Documents & approvals
We prepare resolutions, the amended MOA and forms, and secure any external activity approvals required.
3
Day 2–4
File with the authority
We submit to your DET/DED or free-zone authority, settle the fees, and follow the application through to approval.
4
Day 4–6
Re-issued licence
We collect the updated or renewed trade licence and confirm every recorded detail is correct.
5
Ongoing
Sync & track
We update the establishment card, visas and bank where affected, and track your next expiry so nothing lapses.
Get started
Get a fixed quote for your amendment or renewal.
Tell us what's changing — or when your licence is due — and we'll reply within one business day with exactly what's needed and an all-inclusive price.
Thank you — we've got your details.
One of our licensing advisors will be in touch within one business day.
One of our licensing advisors will be in touch within one business day.