Dubai trade licence renewal —
30 days before expiry, every year.
Annual Dubai DED trade licence renewal. AED 11,500+ government fees. YABS proactive renewal — alerts 60/30/7 days out, then we coordinate the whole renewal.
- Authority
- Dubai DED
- Cadence
- Annual
- Late fee
- AED 250/mo
- From
- AED 11,500
Definition — Trade Licence Renewal
Dubai DED trade licences are issued for 1-year terms by default and expire on the same date each year. Renewal involves paying the licence fee (varies by activity, AED 9,500–17,000), Establishment Card renewal, Immigration File renewal, Chamber of Commerce membership renewal (if applicable), and any Ejari renewal if tenancy is annual. Late renewal triggers AED 250/month penalty capped at AED 5,000. After 3 months unrenewed, licence is suspended; after 1 year unrenewed, licence may be cancelled.
4 steps to trade licence renewal.
60 days before expiry: alert + document refresh
YABS portal flags expiry 60 days out. Confirm any business changes (activities, shareholders, address) — these may need amendment before renewal.
30 days before expiry: renewal submission
YABS submits renewal to Dubai DED. Government fees paid at cost. Establishment Card + Immigration File renewed in parallel.
Renewal certificate issued (1–3 days)
Dubai DED issues new licence valid for next year. Establishment Card and Immigration File updated.
Document delivery + portal update
New licence + Establishment Card stored in YABS portal vault. Old documents archived for record. Renewal calendar updated for next year.
Frequently asked questions
When should I renew my Dubai trade licence?
30 days before expiry. Dubai DED accepts renewal up to 60 days early (overlap period adds to next term). After expiry, late penalty AED 250/month applies. YABS portal sends alerts 60/30/7 days out; we typically file renewal 30 days early to lock in the new period without overlap.
What if my business has changed since last licence?
If you've added activities, changed shareholders, moved offices, or changed manager — these need to be filed as amendments BEFORE renewal. Amendments and renewal can be done in the same submission. YABS confirms changes during the 60-day pre-renewal review and bundles amendments + renewal into one filing.
Can I renew if I have unpaid fines or pending issues?
Dubai DED checks for outstanding government fines, pending complaints, and overdue MOHRE/GDRFA filings during renewal review. If issues exist, renewal is held until resolved. YABS pre-checks for blockers 60 days before renewal to identify and resolve issues proactively.
Also useful.
Get started with trade licence renewal
Apply online in 4 steps. Itemised AED quote, no sales-call gate.
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.