A share transfer in Dubai or anywhere in the UAE needs a matching set of documents: the share sale or assignment agreement, the amended MOA and the resolutions approving the change. For mainland LLCs these are notarized before the license is updated. Wordcraft drafts the set in Arabic and English, translates foreign corporate papers and books the notary for all parties.
The same set is needed whether a partner buys another out, an investor comes in, or shares move between relatives or group companies. One mismatched name, share count or date is enough for the licensing authority to return the file, which is why we draft everything in one go. The notary and the Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) make the formal changes; we prepare what they ask for.
The Documents Behind a Share Transfer
- Share sale or assignment agreement between seller and buyer, stating the number of shares, the parties and the terms
- Amended MOA or an addendum showing the new shareholding (see MOA amendments)
- Partners' or board resolution approving the transfer and any change of manager (see board resolution notarization)
- Waivers from the other partners where the MOA or the law gives them a right of first refusal
- Corporate shareholder documents, legalized and translated, where a company is buying or selling
Order of Steps: Agreement, MOA Amendment, DET License Update
- Agree the terms and read the current MOA for restrictions, including the partners' pre-emption rights.
- Draft the agreement, the MOA amendment and the resolutions in Arabic and English.
- Notarize the agreement and the MOA amendment with all parties or their attorneys, in person or by video where eligible.
- Update the license with DET in Dubai, or with the licensing authority in your emirate.
- Update everything that follows from it: establishment card, bank mandates, visas and signatories. See also mainland business setup.
A shareholder who cannot attend can sign through an attorney holding a company or special POA. When that shareholder lives abroad, the POA is notarized in their country, passed through the UAE embassy there (where MOFA attestation is now included digitally) and then translated into Arabic in the UAE.
Free Zone Differences
Free zones run their own share transfer procedures. Most use their own forms, a shareholder or board resolution and a submission through the free zone portal; some want notarized or legalized documents and others do not. Financial free zones such as ADGM use their own transfer instruments. Because each free zone writes its own rules, we check them for your company before drafting, so you prepare only what that authority will accept.
What to Gather Before We Draft
- Trade license, MOA and every previous amendment
- Passports of the seller, buyer and manager, plus Emirates IDs for residents
- The agreed terms: number of shares, parties and effective date
- For corporate shareholders: certificate of incorporation, resolution and authorized signatory documents, legalized
- Waivers or consents from the other partners, if the MOA requires them
Our Part, Start to Finish
Send the license and MOA and within 10 to 30 minutes you have a free written quote that lists every document your transfer needs. After you approve it, we draft and translate the bilingual set, send it for comments, and coordinate one notary session for all parties or their attorneys. The notarized documents come back to you ready for the licensing authority.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a share transfer in a Dubai LLC need a notary?
For mainland companies, the share transfer agreement and the MOA amendment are normally notarized before DET updates the license. Free zones follow their own rules.
Can a shareholder abroad sign the share transfer?
Yes. They can join a UAE e-notary video session where eligible, or appoint an attorney by a POA notarized in their country, legalized at the UAE embassy and translated into Arabic here.
Do the other partners need to agree?
Often, yes. The MOA or the law may give the remaining partners a right of first refusal, so their waiver or consent is usually part of the file.
Is the share transfer agreement drafted in Arabic?
Mainland notaries work in Arabic, so the agreement is drafted side by side in Arabic and English.
What happens after notarization?
The licensing authority amends the license; after that come the establishment card, bank mandates and visas. If the company is being wound up instead, see our company liquidation guide.
Last updated: September 2026
