Establishment Card renewal — don't miss this one.
The MOHRE-side renewal that companies forget while focusing on the trade licence. AED 600 government + AED 350 YABS service. 2–4 working days. Late penalty AED 100/month.
- Authority
- MOHRE
- Cadence
- Annual
- Late penalty
- AED 100/mo
- From
- AED 950
What the Establishment Card is.
The MOHRE Establishment Card is the labour-side company identifier — issued at company formation alongside the Dubai DED trade licence and renewed annually. Every work-permit filing, employment contract, MOHRE quota application, and labour complaint requires a current Establishment Card. Even though it shares the renewal anniversary with the trade licence, MOHRE tracks renewal independently — renewing the trade licence alone does not renew the Establishment Card. This is the most commonly-missed renewal among first-year mainland businesses; the consequences (suspended hiring quota, blocked work permits) are immediate.
Itemised pricing.
| Line item | Amount | Note |
|---|---|---|
| MOHRE Establishment Card renewal fee | AED 600 | Government fee |
| Worker Protection insurance reconfirmation | Per-employee tier | If active employees on payroll |
| YABS service fee | AED 350 | Single line — bundled in PRO retainer |
| 5% VAT (on YABS service) | AED 18 | Government tax |
| Late renewal penalty | AED 100/mo | If past expiry |
Frequently asked questions
What is the MOHRE Establishment Card?
The Establishment Card is the MOHRE-issued company identifier used for every labour-side filing — work permits via Tasheel, employment contracts, MOHRE quota applications, complaint filings. Without an active Establishment Card the company cannot legally hire, transfer, or cancel UAE employees. Annual renewal is mandatory and tied to the trade-licence renewal cycle.
Why does Establishment Card need separate renewal?
Establishment Card is on its own MOHRE renewal cycle — typically aligned with trade-licence anniversary but tracked independently. Renewing the trade licence does NOT automatically renew the Establishment Card. Many businesses miss this and discover their MOHRE quota is suspended when trying to file a new work permit. YABS bundles both renewals in the same week to avoid the gap.
What if Establishment Card lapses?
MOHRE imposes AED 100/month late penalty per month overdue. New work permits are blocked until renewed. Employment contracts cannot be amended. Visa transfers from / to other companies are blocked. Lapsed Establishment Cards above 3 months trigger MOHRE inquiry into business operational status. The fix: renew within the grace period and pay the back penalty.
Don't miss this renewal
YABS portal flags Establishment Card expiry 60/30/7 days out. Bundled into the PRO retainer for active hiring businesses.
This page was last reviewed by the YABS compliance team in Q2 2026 and reflects current Dubai DED, Dubai Municipality, DHA, MOHRE, FTA, and DLD requirements.