Trade licence renewal in Dubai
A Dubai trade licence is renewed by the authority that issued it: DET for a mainland licence, and the free zone authority for a free zone licence. THAJ’s PRO work includes that renewal, and amendments when the activity, the name or the partners change. The fees in DET’s 2022 Al Wajeez Guide are registration fees, not a renewal price, so they are not repeated here as the cost of staying open. You get a written quote. Government charges are at cost.
Who renews which licence
| Company | Who issues the renewal | What else is usually in the same season |
|---|---|---|
| Mainland, DET | DET | Establishment card, and owner or staff residence files if they fall due. Each has its own authority. |
| Free zone | That free zone authority | The zone’s establishment card and visas, under the zone’s rules. |
| Offshore registration | The registry that incorporated it, such as Jafza for a Jafza offshore company | Not a trade licence to trade in the UAE. See offshore. |
“Usually in the same season” means companies review these files together. It is not a claim that the law expires them on one day.
Renewal is not an amendment
If the activity, the trade name, the manager or the shareholders have changed, the licence needs an amendment, not a silent renewal of last year’s activity list. DET and the free zone will ask for the documents that match the change. Adding an activity that needs another ministry’s approval takes that approval first. The licence types page lists examples, including Ministry of Interior approvals for some activities. We do not renew a licence into an activity it was never allowed to carry.
The setup cost page explains DET’s published registration fees and says they are not the total cost of a licence. They are also not this renewal. Free zones price renewals themselves. VAT & Corporate Tax Support is not part of the renewal: Get connected with our licensed accounting and tax partners for VAT registration, Corporate Tax registration, return filing and bookkeeping.
Frequently asked questions
Who renews a Dubai trade licence?
DET renews a mainland licence. The free zone authority renews a free zone licence. THAJ prepares the file and files it with that authority.
Is the AED 600 DET registration fee the renewal fee?
No. That figure is in DET’s September 2022 Al Wajeez Guide for licence registration, and DET says it is not the total cost. It is not quoted here as a renewal price.
What if I want to add an activity at renewal?
That is an amendment. The new activity has to be allowed on that licence type, and any external approval has to be in place.
Do you renew licences outside Dubai?
The renewal service on this page is for Dubai mainland and Dubai free zone companies. RAKEZ, Sharjah Media City and Sharjah Publishing City renew their own licences. See those zone guides and other emirates before you treat a Dubai PRO file as nationwide.
Official sources
Facts on this page were checked against these sources on 5 November 2026. Rules and fees can change; the authority’s current page always prevails.
- Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism — business licensing — Dubai DET
- Business licensing — licence types and set-up process — Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET)
- Al Wajeez Guide to business registration and licensing (v4, September 2022), section 3: list of fees — Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET)
- Business set-up options: mainland or free zone — Government of Dubai (dubai.ae)
- Starting a business in a free zone — The UAE Government portal (u.ae)
Send the licence before the expiry month
We will say whether it is a renewal, an amendment, or both, and quote only that.