Trade license renewal in Dubai is an annual filing with the authority that issued the license: DET for mainland companies, or your free zone. The renewal is accepted only if the Ejari, activity approvals and partner documents are still valid, and a lapsed license blocks visas and can attract late fines. Wordcraft checks each item, submits the renewal and updates the establishment card and visas.
How Long Does Renewal Take, and Is There a Grace Period?
Licenses are renewed every year, and the application can be filed shortly before the expiry date. When the Ejari and approvals are valid, the online step itself is quick. Grace periods and late-renewal fines are set by each authority, so plan to renew before the expiry date rather than rely on a grace period. We confirm the window and any fine that already applies in your written quote.
Where to Renew in Each Emirate
| Emirate or zone | Authority | Online channel | Walk in to Wordcraft |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dubai mainland | Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) | Invest in Dubai platform or the Dubai Now app, with UAE Pass | Dubai HQ, next to Al Twar Centre, Al Qusais |
| Abu Dhabi | Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED) | TAMM | Al Ghaith Tower, Hamdan Street |
| Sharjah | Sharjah Economic Development Department (SEDD) | SEDD e-services | Business Tower, Al Majaz 2 |
| Ras Al Khaimah | RAK Department of Economic Development (RAK DED) | RAK DED e-services | Any of our four offices |
| Free zones (RAKEZ, SHAMS, SPC, IFZA, Meydan and others) | The free zone authority | The zone's own client portal | Any of our four offices |
Portal names change from time to time, so we confirm the current channel for your license. Most clients never visit: they send a photo of the license on WhatsApp. If you prefer to sit with someone, our Al Twar and Al Majaz teams renew licenses across the counter every day.
What We Check Before Submitting
Most delays come from something that expired quietly during the year, not from the renewal itself:
- Tenancy and Ejari: the lease must cover the renewal period, and a mainland license cannot be renewed on an expired Ejari.
- External approvals: food, health, education, real estate, transport and other regulated activities need their approval to be current.
- Partner and manager records: a renewed passport has to be updated on the license file first.
- Insurance or membership certificates that some activities must show.
- Outstanding fines or violations, which must be cleared before the system allows renewal.
- Pending changes: adding an activity or partner at the same time is often simplest through a license amendment filed with the renewal.
What an Expired License Blocks
- Late-renewal fines build up for as long as the license stays expired.
- New visas, visa renewals and work permits for staff stop until the license is valid again.
- The establishment card with ICP or GDRFA and the company file at MOHRE can be blocked.
- Banks may restrict the company account at their next KYC review.
- Government portals and many clients will not deal with an unlicensed company.
If the license has already lapsed, contact us straight away and we will clear what can be cleared and renew as quickly as the authority allows. If you want to stop trading, formal closure is safer than letting the license lapse; see company liquidation in Dubai.
Documents for a Renewal
- The current trade license
- A valid tenancy contract and Ejari, or the free zone office or flexi-desk agreement
- Updated passport and Emirates ID copies of partners and manager, if either changed
- Current external approvals for regulated activities
- Insurance or membership certificates where required
- For a corporate partner whose details changed: the updated company documents, attested and translated into Arabic
How a Renewal Runs with Us
- Send a photo of the license on WhatsApp, call, email or walk in.
- We check what is due and what has expired, and send a written quote within 10–30 minutes.
- Once you approve, we update the Ejari or approvals if needed, submit the renewal and add any establishment card or visa renewals you ask for, with online tracking.
- The renewed license reaches you online, and the next expiry date goes into our reminder calendar.
Official sources: the Department of Economy and Tourism, the Invest in Dubai platform, TAMM for Abu Dhabi and SEDD for Sharjah. For staff visa renewals and company records, see our PRO services; for MOA changes, we arrange the notary appointment.
Frequently Asked Questions
When should I renew my trade license in Dubai?
Start a few weeks before the expiry date, so there is time to renew the Ejari or an approval if needed. The renewal itself can usually be filed shortly before expiry, and we confirm the exact window for your authority.
Can I renew my trade license online?
Yes. Mainland renewals go through DET's channels and free zone renewals through the zone's portal. What takes time is fixing an expired lease, approval or document, which we check first.
Is there a grace period after the license expires?
Each authority sets its own rules, and fines can start once the license lapses. We do not advise relying on a grace period; renew before the expiry date.
Is there a fine for late renewal?
Yes, authorities charge late-renewal fines for the period the license stays expired, and the expiry also blocks visa and labor transactions. Any fine that applies is shown in your written quote.
Do I need a new Ejari to renew?
You need a valid Ejari covering the renewal period. If the tenancy has expired, it must be renewed and re-registered first.
Can you renew a license issued in Sharjah, Abu Dhabi or Ras Al Khaimah?
Yes. Our branches file renewals with SEDD in Sharjah, through TAMM in Abu Dhabi and with RAK DED in Ras Al Khaimah, as well as with the main free zones.
Can I add an activity or partner while renewing?
Yes. Amendments can be processed with the renewal. Partner or share changes need an MOA addendum signed before a notary public, which we arrange.
Can I walk in to renew my license?
Yes. Bring the license to our Dubai office next to Al Twar Centre or our Al Majaz office in Sharjah, or to Hamdan Street or Al Nakheel, and the team files it while you wait for the quote.
Last updated: September 2026
