How to Add or Change Activities on a UAE Trade Licence (2026)
You can add or change activities on a UAE trade licence through an amendment request to the licensing authority. On the Dubai mainland that authority is Dubai Economy and Tourism (DET), and in a free zone it is the zone itself. The steps, fees and approvals depend on what you change and where the company is licensed.
Key takeaways
- An amendment covers changes to activities, partners, managers, the address, the legal form and sometimes the name.
- Some activities need approval from another authority before the change is accepted.
- A change of address needs a registered lease first, so the new premises must be ready before you apply.
- Every amendment affects your bank, visas and tax records, so update them in the same week.
What Counts as a Licence Amendment
An amendment is any change to the details printed on the licence or recorded in the company’s constitutional documents. Authorities treat each type of change differently, so identify yours before you start.
| Change | Mainland (DET) | Free zone |
|---|---|---|
| Add or remove an activity | Amendment request, sometimes with an external approval | Request to the zone, within its activity and group limits |
| Add or remove a partner | Amendment with updated partner documents and a no-objection letter | Share transfer through the zone’s registry |
| Change the manager | Amendment with new manager documents | Board resolution and zone filing |
| Change the address | Amendment with a new registered lease | New lease or workspace agreement with the zone |
| Change the legal form | Amendment with revised constitutional documents | Zone-specific procedure |
| Change the trade name | Check the current DET procedure first | Request to the zone |
The rest of this guide covers the changes that founders ask about most: activities, partners, the address and the name.
Adding an Activity on the Dubai Mainland
On the mainland, activities are added through a licence amendment request. DET’s e-services describe adding activities through a business activities tab, where you search by activity group, select the matching categories and save the change.
The licence owner can add more than one activity to the same licence. Pick activities from the same business model, because a licence that mixes unrelated activities can raise questions with banks and with the approving bodies.
- Define the new service. Write what you will sell, to whom and how you will deliver it.
- Find the activity code. Match the service to the closest approved activity. Our guide to the Dubai professional licence explains how activities are grouped.
- Check external approvals. DET’s service requirements list external approval for modifying an activity, so some changes wait for another regulator.
- Prepare the documents. Gather the current licence, the owner’s identification and any approval letters.
- Submit the amendment. Pay the fees and track the request.
- Collect the amended licence. Update every record that shows the old activity list.
What the Amendment Costs
DET’s service page lists a fee of AED 500 for requesting a trade licence amendment. Other charges apply for some changes, such as share capital changes and annexes to the articles of association.
These figures come from DET’s published service description and can change. Confirm the current fees with DET or your adviser before you budget.
The total also includes costs outside DET:
- Any fee charged by the authority that approves the activity.
- Typing or service centre charges, if you use one.
- Legal or translation fees for new documents.
- The difference in annual licence fees if the new activity is priced differently.
Our guide to the cost of a Dubai trade licence shows how these lines fit together.
Adding an Activity in a Free Zone
Free zones control their own activity lists and procedures. You apply to the zone, not to DET, and each zone sets its own limits.
- Meydan. A licence can combine three activity groups, and Meydan’s Fawri licence includes one free amendment, according to its FAQ.
- RAKEZ. A commercial licence allows five activities from the same group or two from different groups. A service licence allows two activities from any group.
- Other zones. Limits vary, so ask the zone how many activities your licence type allows and whether a new group needs a different licence.
If the new activity falls outside your licence type, you may need a different licence rather than an amendment. Ask the zone to confirm in writing before you pay.
Changing Partners or Shareholders
Adding or removing a partner is one of the most common amendments. It changes who owns and controls the company, so authorities look at it closely.
- DET handles partner changes as part of the same amendment process, and the requirements include a no-objection letter and updated documents.
- New owners are checked against the authority’s database using identity details.
- Documents can include an appendix to the incorporation contract that records the new ownership split.
- Free zones process share transfers through their registries, with their own forms.
A change of ownership also affects your bank account, your visas and your Corporate Tax records. Read our sister site’s guide to a mainland shareholder change for the practical steps.
Changing the Address
A new address needs a new registered lease before the amendment can proceed. DET’s requirements list a rent contract for a site modification, so the lease must be ready first.
On the Dubai mainland the lease is registered through Ejari. In a free zone you sign a new lease or workspace agreement with the zone.
The new premises also affect your visa quota, because quotas consider the area of the premises. Ask your adviser what the new space means for the visas you already hold.
Changing the Trade Name
DET’s published material covers reserving a new name, and it does not set out a procedure for renaming an existing licence. Ask DET or your adviser how it works for your company, because name rules are strict and a rejected name restarts the process.
Our guides to registering a business name and the trade licence and brand name explain what authorities accept. Check the name against trademarks and existing companies before you apply.
How Long an Amendment Takes
A simple activity addition can be quick when no outside approval is needed. Changes that involve partners, new premises or regulated activities take longer.
- Approvals. A regulated activity waits for the approving body.
- Documents. Missing signatures or attestations stop the file.
- Premises. A lease that is not registered blocks an address change.
- Corrections. An unclear activity description sends the application back.
Our guide to why Dubai company setups get delayed or rejected lists the causes that apply to amendments as well.
What to Update After the Amendment
The licence is only one record. Several other records show the old details, and out-of-date records cause problems at renewal or when a bank reviews your account.
- Your bank. Give the bank the amended licence and updated ownership documents.
- Residence visas and the establishment card. Update them if the address, activity or owners changed.
- Tax registrations. Update your Corporate Tax and VAT records with the Federal Tax Authority.
- Contracts. Update client and supplier contracts that name the old activity or address.
- Insurance and permits. Update any policy or permit tied to the activity.
- Your website and invoices. Show the correct licensed activity and address.
Our guide to trade licence renewal shows why a licence that matches your actual business makes renewal easier.
Plan Activities Before You Apply the First Time
Every amendment costs time and fees, so it pays to choose the activity list well at the start. Think about the services you may add in the next two years.
- List the services you sell today and the ones you plan to add.
- Check which of them sit under the same licence type.
- Ask whether the zone or DET charges more for a licence with several activities.
- Avoid listing activities you will not use, because they can complicate approvals and banking.
Our company formation services help you choose the activity list that fits your plan.
Three Example Amendments
These illustrations show what each change involves. They are not quotes.
- A consultancy adds training. The company asks DET to add a training activity. It checks whether an education approval is needed and updates its client contracts after the new licence arrives.
- A trading company moves to a larger office. It signs a new lease, registers it through Ejari and files the address amendment. It then updates its bank, its visas and its customs registration.
- A start-up adds an investor. It prepares an amended partner appendix and a no-objection letter, files the partner change and updates its bank and tax records.
Mistakes to Avoid
- Starting the new activity before the licence is amended. Working outside your licensed activities can lead to fines and problems with banks.
- Signing a lease before checking the activity rules. Some activities can operate only in certain types of premises.
- Forgetting external approvals. The amendment waits until the approving body replies.
- Skipping the update of other records. Mismatched records cause delays at renewal.
- Changing owners without a plan for the bank. Banks review accounts when ownership changes.
Documents You Usually Need
The exact list depends on the change and the authority. Prepare these items before you file, because missing papers are the most common cause of delay.
- The current trade licence and the constitutional documents.
- Passport copies and identification for owners and managers.
- Any approval letter required for the new activity.
- A registered lease, if the address changes.
- Signed forms or a board resolution that authorises the change.
Keep digital copies of everything you file, because you will need them again for the bank and for renewal.
Summary: What to Remember
- Adding activities is an amendment request to DET on the mainland and to the zone in a free zone.
- External approvals, premises and partner changes are the steps that take longest.
- DET lists AED 500 for requesting an amendment, with other fees for some changes, so confirm the current figures.
- Update the bank, visas, tax records and contracts after every amendment.
- Plan your activity list before the first application to avoid repeat amendments.
If you need to change your licence, book a free consultation and an EZONE advisor will confirm what your change needs. Our sister site covers companyformationinuae.com, with more guidance on company formation and compliance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. On the mainland you submit an amendment request to DET, and in a free zone you apply to the zone. Some activities need approval from another authority first.
DET's service page lists AED 500 for requesting an amendment, with other fees for some changes such as share capital. Approving bodies and service centres may charge extra, so confirm current fees before you apply.
For some activities, yes. DET's requirements list external approval for modifying an activity, and the amendment waits until the approving body replies.
Yes, but you need a new registered lease first. On the Dubai mainland that means an Ejari-registered contract, and in a free zone a new lease with the zone.
A simple activity addition can be quick when no outside approval is needed. Partner changes, new premises and regulated activities take longer, mostly because of documents and approvals.
Update your bank, visas and establishment card, tax registrations, contracts, insurance and invoices so that every record matches the amended licence.
