Trade Licence Amendments in Dubai

Whenever the change touches the company’s constitution. Admitting or removing partners, changing shareholdings or capital, and converting the legal form all need an MOA, or an amendment to it, alongside the licence amendment. For an LLC, a new trade name or manager is usually reflected in the MOA as well. Whether an address or activity change also needs one depends on the authority and on what your MOA says. We confirm the route before drafting.

You reserve a new name that meets the authority’s naming rules and is not already taken, then apply to amend the licence; for an LLC, the MOA is amended too. Once the new licence is issued, the name must be updated with immigration, MOHRE, your bank, the FTA and any customs or other registrations, as well as on invoices, contracts and signage. We handle the filings and give you a checklist for the rest.

It can. On the Dubai mainland, the visa quota follows the size of the premises registered on Ejari, so moving to a smaller space can reduce the number of visas the company can sponsor. The establishment card is updated with the new address; existing visas generally continue, but new applications may be limited. We compare the new space with your current and planned visas before you sign the lease.

Yes. Your VAT and corporate tax registrations must reflect your current name, address, activities and authorised signatories, and changes should be submitted on EmaraTax within the deadline the FTA sets. Banks also expect an updated licence and, where ownership or management changes, fresh KYC and possibly new mandates. We file the FTA amendments and prepare the documents your bank asks for.

Usually not until it is renewed. Most authorities require a valid licence before they process an amendment, so an expired licence is renewed first or, where the authority allows, renewed and amended together. Renewal time is often a practical moment to make changes anyway, since documents and tenancy are being refreshed. We check the status of your licence and sequence the two.

Yes. The partners resolve to replace the manager, and the licence is then amended — for an LLC, the MOA or the manager record held by the authority is usually updated too. The new manager must then be reflected with immigration and MOHRE, and as a signatory with the bank and on EmaraTax where relevant. If the outgoing manager holds a visa linked to that role, it may need to change as well.