Guide · updated 16.10.2026 · 8 min read · Lucent Legal team

How to add or change a business activity on a UAE trade licence

Key points

  • You change activities through a licence amendment: in mainland Dubai through DET on the Invest in Dubai portal, in a free zone through the zone portal.
  • Some activities need prior approval from a sector authority: healthcare, education, food, finance, real estate, transport. That authority then sets the timeline.
  • An LLC lists its activities in the memorandum of association (MOA). A licence amendment also needs an MOA amendment.
  • After the amendment, notify the FTA through EmaraTax and tell your bank. The bank checks your activities at every KYC review.
  • The authority decides how many activities fit on one licence and from which groups. If the new activity sits in another category (trading added to a professional licence, for example), a second licence or a branch is sometimes simpler.

A UAE company may legally do only what its licence lists. If you start selling goods on a consulting licence, you are trading outside the licence, and the bank usually notices before DET does. You can add an activity inside the same company, without a new registration, if the new activity fits the company's form and zone.

When you need an amendment

You must amend the licence if the company:

  • starts selling a new type of goods or service not covered by its activity code;
  • moves from services to trading, or from trading to manufacturing;
  • starts a regulated activity, even as a side line;
  • wants to sell to mainland clients from a free zone (in Dubai this needs a separate DET document, see free zone vs mainland).

Working outside the licence breaches the registrar's rules and raises a red flag at the bank. The bank sees what payments are for and compares them with your activity codes. A mismatch often triggers compliance requests and account closure: UAE bank closing your account.

Procedure in mainland Dubai

  1. Check the activity code. The DET activity catalogue shows the code, the licence type (commercial, professional, industrial), premises requirements and any external approvals.
  2. File the amendment request on Invest in Dubai: add or remove an activity.
  3. Get external approvals if the activity needs them. DET will not approve the amendment without them.
  4. Amend the MOA for an LLC and notarise it if the business objects change.
  5. Pay the fees. The amount depends on the activity and on whether the licence type changes. Invest in Dubai shows the current tariff when you file. For reference, the archived DED service card from 2021 lists AED 500 for a licence amendment and AED 300 per party's signature to notarise an MOA annex when capital is under AED 100,000. We could not confirm current amounts as of 16.10.2026: the service page does not open without a login.
  6. Collect the updated licence and update related systems: Ejari, immigration, and MOHRE if the company category changes.

If the new activity needs different premises (a warehouse, a showroom, a kitchen), sort the lease first. DET will not approve the amendment without suitable premises.

Procedure in a free zone

The mechanics are simpler, but each zone sets its own rules:

  • an amendment request in the zone portal;
  • a check that the zone allows the activity and that it fits your current package;
  • an amendment fee from the zone's price list and, if you exceed the package's activity count, a charge for each extra activity;
  • an updated licence.

Two large zones publish their tariffs (checked 16.10.2026):

Zone Amendment: add or change an activity Activity beyond the package
DMCC AED 1,515 (+ AED 20 Knowledge and Innovation Dirham fees) AED 1,500 per activity outside the group; AED 10,000 or 20,265 a year for some codes
RAKEZ AED 1,999, 30% off the second amendment; 5–7 working days AED 1,000 (standard) or AED 5,000 (special) a year

IFZA and most other zones do not publish amendment tariffs; you get the figure on request.

Zone packages include a limited number of activities, usually from one group. Not every zone lets you mix trading and services on one licence. If the zone bans the activity you need, your options are a branch or a new company in another jurisdiction.

After the amendment

  • FTA. A change of activity changes your tax record. Notify the FTA through EmaraTax. Missing the notice costs from AED 1,000.
  • QFZP. A free zone company with QFZP status checks whether the new activity qualifies. Non-qualifying income above the lower of 5% of revenue or AED 5 million costs you the 0% rate for five years: 9% corporate tax.
  • Bank. Send the updated licence and, if asked, a description of the new model: suppliers, clients, countries.
  • Contracts. Check that your client contracts stay within the licence.

Change the whole activity or open a new company

You can switch the company's profile completely if the new activity is allowed in the same form and jurisdiction. A new company makes more sense when:

  • the new business needs the mainland and your company sits in a free zone;
  • the new activity is regulated and the regulator requires a separate entity with its own capital;
  • the old company carries tax or debt risks you do not want on the new line of business.

In that case you either close the old company through the full procedure, see company liquidation in the UAE, or keep it for its original activity.

FAQ

Can I add an activity to a Dubai trade licence online?

Yes. You file the licence amendment through the Invest in Dubai portal. If the activity needs a sector authority's approval, you get it during the process, and that authority sets the timeline.

How much does it cost to add an activity to a trade licence?

It depends on the jurisdiction and the activity. DMCC charges AED 1,515 for an amendment and RAKEZ AED 1,999 (tariffs as of 16.10.2026), plus a charge for activities beyond the package. In mainland Dubai, Invest in Dubai shows the amount when you file; the archived 2021 DED service card lists AED 500 for an amendment. There is no single UAE rate.

Do I need to amend the MOA?

For an LLC, yes, if the business objects written in the MOA change. For free zone companies, it depends on the articles and the zone's rules.

What happens if I work in an activity not on my licence?

The registrar can fine you and demand an amendment. The bank can ask for explanations or close the account because payments do not match the company's profile. A regulated activity without a permit carries separate liability.

Do I need to tell the tax authority about a change of activity?

Yes. You report changes to the company's tax record to the FTA through EmaraTax. Late notice costs from AED 1,000.

Sources

This guide is for information only and is not legal advice. DET and each free zone set their own rules on allowed activity combinations and amendment fees.

Related: running a UAE company, open a company in Dubai, business and companies in the UAE.

Topic: Doing Business in the UAE

Get a lawyer's help: Company formation in the UAE

This material is for information only and is not legal advice. UAE law changes — a lawyer will assess how it applies to your situation.