Every DMCC company must have at least one director, a manager and a secretary. Changing any of them is a Change of Officer request on the DMCC Member Portal. DMCC charges AED 1,515 for it, and the change must be notified to the Registrar within 14 business days.
The officers a DMCC company must have
Officer
Role
Appointed by
Director
Manages the business affairs of the company. Minimum one; no maximum.
Shareholders. Removed by ordinary resolution, or a higher threshold if your Articles say so.
Manager
The licence manager named on the trade licence; runs day-to-day operations.
The directors (for a branch, the parent company’s directors).
Secretary
Files the company’s documents with DMCC. Mandatory for companies, optional for branches.
The directors, by resolution.
Officers must be individuals, not companies. A branch cannot have its own board, so a branch only changes its manager and, if it has one, its secretary.
Deadlines you must meet
14 business days to notify DMCC of any change of director, manager or secretary.
5 business days to notify DMCC if a manager resigns, is removed, dies or is incapacitated. The directors take on the manager’s duties until a replacement is appointed.
10 business days to appoint the new manager, and to remove a manager or secretary who no longer meets DMCC’s criteria.
Missing these deadlines can lead to sanctions, from restricted portal services to a fine. See DMCC fines and penalties.
DMCC fees for officer changes
Service
Official AED
Change of director, secretary or legal representative
1,515
Change of manager
1,515
Change of an officer’s name, nationality or address
1,515
Change of a shareholder’s name, nationality or address
2,015
Share transfer (if the change comes with new owners)
4,515
Cancelling an amendment request
515
Official DMCC Schedule of Charges, checked October 2026. Attestation, translation and visa costs for a new officer are extra.
Step by step on the DMCC portal
Resolution: a shareholders’ resolution for a director change, or a board resolution for a manager or secretary change. DMCC offers standard templates; a non-standard resolution is also accepted.
Check KYC: make sure passport details and e-signatures are active for every shareholder and officer before you start.
Apply: Company Services › Change of Officer. Enter the new officer’s details, upload documents and pay.
DMCC review: DMCC verifies the file and may return it for more information.
E-sign: once approved, all authorised signatories e-sign. DMCC may ask you to book an appointment to show originals.
Output: DMCC issues an updated Registry Extract, and a new e-licence if the manager changed.
Documents
Passport copies of all existing shareholders and officers.
New officer: passport valid for 6+ months, UAE visa page if any, proof of address dated within 6 months, and a specimen signature (e-signed after approval).
NOC from the new officer’s current UAE sponsor, if their visa is not as managing director, partner or investor.
Corporate shareholders: a board resolution and a certificate of incumbency under one year old, notarised and legalised by the UAE Embassy (or verifiable on an official online registry).
A power of attorney, if someone signs for a shareholder: legalised if issued abroad, and specific to appointing or removing officers.
The outgoing officer’s visa cancellation, or a visa retention undertaking if they stay with the company in another role.
A regulator’s NOC, if your licence has regulated activities.
Why officer changes get stuck
Licence expiring mid-process: the request is put on hold. Renew first; see DMCC licence renewal.
Dormant licence: a voluntarily suspended company cannot appoint a new manager until it is reinstated.
Prices are DMCC’s official packages and Schedule of Charges (checked October 2026). Your final quote confirms the live fee. Pro24 is based in Platinum Tower, JLT.
Change your DMCC director or manager without delays
We prepare the resolutions, check every officer’s KYC and handle the visa side, so the request is approved first time.
How much does it cost to change a director in DMCC?
DMCC charges AED 1,515 for a change of director, secretary or legal representative, and AED 1,515 for a change of manager, per its official Schedule of Charges. Attestation of overseas documents and any visa work are extra.
How long do I have to notify DMCC of a new director?
Fourteen business days from the change. If a manager resigns, is removed, dies or is incapacitated, notify DMCC within 5 business days and appoint a new manager within 10.
Can a company be appointed as a DMCC director?
No. DMCC only accepts natural persons as directors, managers and secretaries. A corporate shareholder appoints an individual to act for it.
Does the manager need to be on the company’s visa?
Not necessarily. If the new manager holds a UAE visa from another company in a role other than managing director, partner or investor, DMCC asks for an NOC from that sponsor. If the outgoing manager was on your visa, you cancel it or sign a visa retention undertaking.
Will I get a new trade licence after changing the manager?
Yes. The manager is named on the licence, so DMCC issues a new e-licence. Director and secretary changes produce an updated Registry Extract instead.
Source & review. DMCC Guidance Notes, Change of DMCC Entity Officers (version 5, 1 October 2025), and DMCC’s official Schedule of Charges, checked October 2026. Reviewed by the Pro24 Advisory Team.
