How to renew a trade licence in Dubai
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A Dubai mainland trade licence renewal is mostly online now. What still trips companies up is everything the licence depends on — above all the Ejari tenancy contract.
Before you start: the Ejari
A valid, registered Ejari tenancy contract is required for a mainland trade licence renewal; without one the application is rejected.
Renew the tenancy contract with your landlord and register it with Ejari first. Published guides advise that it should run for at least a month beyond the renewal date.
The renewal steps
- Check the Ejari and any activity-specific approvals are valid.
- Apply through the Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) online services or the Invest in Dubai / Dubai Now channels, signing in with UAE Pass.
- Pay the renewal fees DET calculates.
- Receive the renewed licence by email, usually within a few working days, and file a copy.
Renewing late
Published guides report that late renewal fines start to accrue after expiry — commonly cited at around AED 250 per month — and that operating with an expired licence can bring a separate, much larger fine. Confirm the current figures with DET before relying on them.
An expired licence also blocks other work: establishment card renewals and new employment visas depend on it.
Free zones
Free-zone companies renew with their own free-zone authority, not DET, and each authority sets its own steps, documents and fees. The same principle applies: the lease and the establishment card have to be in order first.
- Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET)
- Dubai Land Department — Ejari
- HenryClub — Dubai trade licence renewal 2026
UAE fees and fines change. This guide is general information checked on the date above, not legal advice — confirm current figures with the authority before acting on them.