DMCC License Renewal

A DMCC trade licence must be renewed every year to keep your company active and your visas valid. DMCC licence renewal is straightforward when it is managed on time — miss it and you risk fines and a block on visa and bank transactions. Our JLT team keeps every client\'s renewal on schedule.

What renewal involves

Each year you renew the trade licence and your registered office (flexi desk or office lease) together. DMCC also expects your compliance to be current — including audited financial statements and up-to-date UBO details — before the renewal is approved.

Renewal checklist

• Valid lease / flexi-desk renewal
• Audited financial statements filed
• UBO and company details up to date
• Any regulated-activity approvals current
• Outstanding fines cleared

Renewal cost 2026

Avoid late penalties

Renewal is part of the ongoing lifecycle of any DMCC business setup. If your details are changing at renewal, see company amendment; if you are winding down, see liquidation.

DMCC licence renewal: the official rules

What we tell clients: multi-year terms cost the same per year as annual renewal, so they don't save money on the licence fee itself. They do lock in today's fee and remove a yearly renewal you could miss.

What DMCC checks before it renews

• A valid lease, flexi desk or Ejari with at least 30 days remaining
• Workmen's compensation insurance for active employees
• Third-party liability insurance for physical units
• Third-party NOCs for regulated activities
• An operational fitness certificate where your unit type requires one
• A certificate of good standing for the parent company (branches, subsidiaries and joint ventures)

Late renewal

Renew on or before the expiry date. After expiry DMCC places a sanction on the company account, which blocks visas and other services. Late fees of AED 2,500 (31–60 days) and AED 5,000 (61–90 days) apply, and a licence left unrenewed can ultimately be terminated. Once everything is in order, DMCC processes the renewal in about 2 business days.

When to start your renewal

Your licence shows a clear expiry date, and DMCC sends reminders through the member portal in the weeks before. Start 30 to 45 days ahead: renewal needs a lease that is valid for the new term, current insurance where it applies, and any shareholder or activity changes processed as a company amendment first. Leaving it to the final week is how avoidable late fees happen.

Tip: put your expiry date in your calendar three times: 45 days before (confirm the lease and audit are on track), 14 days before, and on the day itself.

Frequently Asked Questions