How to renew a trade license for business in Abu Dhabi

How to extend or renew of trade license in Abu Dhabi

You will need to do the trade license renewal Abu Dhabi if you want your business to continue operating in the UAE. In addition, this process is vital if you do not want to face more serious fines or penalties for not renewing it on time. This process is not that difficult, although it takes time, and much more if you have the right help.

1. Renewal of trade license in Abu Dhabi

The DED announced that businesses can do the trade license renewal Abu Dhabi for 3 years. In this way, the 1 year that investors and business owners could previously carry out is left behind. Thanks to this measure, processing costs and transactions will be reduced by up to 70%, for the benefit of small and medium-sized companies.

Furthermore, this announcement covers all license categories issued by the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED). The types of licenses that businesses in the United Arab Emirates can receive are as follows:

-Commercial license. This document is to be able to establish a business in any of the Emirates to carry out various activities. Among the said activities are those related to health, real estate, contracting, and commerce in general.

-Industry license. It is designed for companies involved in manufacturing products for profit. In most cases, it is for companies located in the UAE industrial park.

– Professional license. In this case, it is for individuals with a background in science, who have intellectual abilities, or who excel academically.

In addition, the process to renew trade license Abu Dhabi is simple and you only need to have the mandatory requirements by law at hand.

2. Trade license renewal Abu Dhabi Process

The trade license renewal Abu Dhabi is simple, you just have to consider the required requirements and the corresponding fees. The renewal procedure consists of the following steps:

2.1 Check your lease

The first thing to review before beginning the renewal trade license process is your lease. Said contract must be valid for three months from the date of the renewal request. In this case, you must comply with this requirement both for the process in the DED or a free zone.

Therefore, if the contract does not have this period of validity, you will have to renew your rental agreement. In addition, you will need to attest or certify the document in Ejari to apply for your license to be renewed.

2.2 Get approval from authorities

For trade license renewal Abu Dhabi, the authorities must approve each document and stage of the process. In this sense, depending on the type of license and the business, it must be approved by the appropriate entity. Some authorities include the Department of Food Safety or the UAE Road and Transport Authority.

In addition, this step should be carried out before making the formal request, to ensure that the procedure flows properly.

2.3 Submit the renewal of trade license in Abu Dhabi application

At this point, you need to prepare the necessary documents to renew trade license Abu Dhabi and start the process. Some of these are the Ejari certificate, the lease, and photographs of business partners, among other documents. Therefore, you must submit each document correctly so that you can ensure the approval of the application from the authorities.

2.4 get the transaction number

After you have submitted the trade license renewal Abu Dhabi application you will get a transaction number. This number, provided by the DED, is on the payment invoice and must be properly safeguarded. This is because you will need it when the authorities give you the renewed license.

2.5 Pay the fees

Finally, you must pay the fees corresponding to the application, for this you will need proof of payment. In addition, you will need to renew before the expiration date of the business license. This way, if any delays occur, you could face fines or other legal consequences, such as an administrative penalty.

3. Criteria for renewal trade license

There are some conditions that you must consider to renew your business license in Abu Dhabi. Next, we will show you the conditions to comply with the process, both in person, as well as online.

3.1 Renew business license offline

The necessary conditions for the renewal of trade license documents in the United Arab Emirates are as follows:

-If the license expires in more than 3 months, you must go to the Inspection Division of the Department of Economic Development.

-The owner or an authorized representative is the one who must submit the license application form.

-If the permit is for a subsidiary, you will need to present a valid copy of the company license of the parent.

-The Ministry of Economy is in charge of renew trade licenses in Abu Dhabi of the subsidiaries of a foreign companies.

3.2 Trade license renewal online

On the other hand, for the renewal of the license in Abu Dhabi online, you must consider the following conditions:

-You must submit the necessary documents in PDF format.

-Copies of each must be in the correct format and with the appropriate color.

-Each document must have the corresponding label.

-Likewise, each one of them must weigh no more than 70 Kbytes.

4. Requirements

Depending on the location of the business (mainland or free zone) you must present a series of requirements. Therefore, for the trade license renewal Abu Dhabi, you must take into account the fundamental aspects of each case.

4.1 Renewal for continental business

For the trade license renewal Abu Dhabi in case your business is on the mainland, you must record the following:

-The Ejari certificate.

-A lease.

-Original and copy of the current commercial license of the business.

-Documentation necessary for approval according to the commercial activity.

Also, you should keep in mind that this process can take between one and two weeks depending on various aspects. Among them are the procedures related to this document, apart from the approvals of the Department of Economic Development (DED). Therefore, take the necessary precautions, such as starting the process before the license expires.

4.2 Renewal for free zone businesses

The documentation for the renewal of a business license located in free zones implies the delivery of other documents. In addition to those that we will mention, you must present other papers according to the authority of the free zone. Documentation includes the following:

-Current trade license (original and copy).

-PO Box Renewal Confirmation.

-Copy of the passport of the investors of the company.

In some free zones, you must present an audit report and other documents depending on the commercial activity. In addition, the procedure may vary depending on the jurisdiction and the packages used by the company in the area. Also, as in the mainland, renewal of trade license in Abu Dhabi can take 1-2 weeks.

Also, they will need an approved commercial license from the parent company if the business is a foreign subsidiary.

5. Characteristics of the fines for the expiration of the business license

Companies that do not renew their business license in the established time, will have to face fines or other consequences. In this sense, businesses may face the various sanctions detailed below:

5.1 Monetary sanctions

Apart from the sanctions to the companies if they do not carry out the renewal on time, they will also receive it if they do not have said document. They also get a monetary penalty if the business is licensed without permission from the authorities. In each of these cases, the monetary sanction will depend on the activity carried out by the company.

5.2 Blacklisting

One of the great risks involved in not renewal trade license on time is the inclusion of the company on a blacklist. In this way, the company will be able to face the following:

-Stop all commercial and transactional activities of the company.

-Revoke company visas.

-Cancel sponsors.

On top of all this, there is a possibility that businessmen may have to leave the United Arab Emirates.

5.3 Limitations for business expansion

Another consequence of not renewing the business license in the established time is the restriction on the expansion of the business. This is because companies need to have a smooth registration to expand in the UAE. The same is true if you want to suspend your business activities or permanently liquidate the entity.

Thus you should do an Abu Dhabi trade license verification to be aware of renewal. A good idea to speed up this process is to have the legal assistance of experts in this type of procedure.

6. FAQ’s about business licenses in Abu Dhabi

6.1 What is a business license in Abu Dhabi?

This document is the legal document that allows a company to carry out its business activities in the UAE. This license can be obtained both if your business is on the mainland, as well as in a free zone. The local government allows a company to carry out any type of activity within those allowed in each territory.

6.2 Who issues a business license?

The authority in charge of issuing and renewing trade licenses in the UAE is the Department of Economic Development (DED). Therefore, to carry out either of these two processes, you must contact the DED. In addition, you must have each of the documents necessary to be able to carry out the trade license renewal Abu Dhabi or for issuance.

6.3 What is the cost of a business license in Abu Dhabi?

The cost of this legal document in Abu Dhabi varies in each case since it depends on the commercial activities and the type of license. The processing fee for renewal can range from AED 10,000 to AED 12,000. These fees include Ejari fees and government fees, among other things that may add to the cost.

6.4 What are the types of business licenses in the UAE?

In the United Arab Emirates, there are 3 types of business licenses that a company or individual can apply for. These include the following:

-Professional license.

-Industrial license.

-Commercial license.

7. How can we help you at Connect Legal?

The trade license renewal Abu Dhabi is a process that, while it can take a long time, is simple. You must carry out this process in advance so that you do not have to face any type of fine or legal penalty. Also, for both renewal as well as first-time issuance, you will need to have each required document.

To make the process even easier for you, you can count on our expertise in UAE legal matters.

In this case, not only about the renewal of your license but for other personal or business legal issues. Connect Legal’s services include:

–Commercial laws

–Labor law in the UAE

–Family laws

–Criminal laws

–Divorce

–Corporate law

–Financial laws

–Construction laws

Therefore, if you want to do the trade license renew online or in person, you can count on our assistance. In this case, to contact us you can make a call to the number +971 433 16 688, where you will be attended by our professionals. In addition, we provide you with an email to make your inquiries or express your concerns, [email protected].

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