Key takeaways
- Changing a company name on a UAE trade licence is an amendment filed with the authority that issued the licence: Dubai Economy and Tourism (DET) for Dubai mainland companies, or the free zone itself, such as DMCC, JAFZA or Sharjah Media City (SHAMS).
- DMCC lists a company name change fee of AED 4,515 and a separate operating name change fee of AED 1,515, both plus an AED 20 Knowledge and Innovation Dirham fee (as of 13 October 2026).
- Dubai DET lists AED 500 to request an amendment to a trade licence, but its service page does not mention a name change by name and states no processing time (as of 13 October 2026).
- A company registered with the FTA must notify it of a change of name or trading name within 20 working days of the change; the amendment service on EmaraTax is free.
- In SHAMS, a company name change takes effect on the date the Authority issues a certificate of change of name, and the company must notify the Authority within 10 business days of the event.
- The FTA penalty for failing to update a tax record is AED 1,000 for a first violation and AED 5,000 for a repeat within 24 months, from 14 April 2026 (Cabinet Decision No. 129 of 2025).
Who approves a company name change on a UAE licence?
The authority that issued your licence approves it. For a Dubai mainland company that is DET; for a free zone company it is the free zone; for an offshore company it is the offshore registrar, which can be a different office from the free zone's licensing team.
SHAMS shows how the approval works in practice. Its Companies and Licensing Regulations 2017 say a company name must be "at all times acceptable to the Authority" (Article 14.1) and that no company or branch is registered with an identical or similar name to another in the City unless the Authority expressly authorises it (Article 14.2). Other authorities write their own naming rules, so check your authority's name checker before you commit to a rebrand.
What are the steps to change the name?
The sequence is the same almost everywhere: decide the name, get it approved, pass the resolutions, amend the constitutional documents, file with the authority and collect the new licence. The portal and the paperwork differ by authority.
- Choose the new name and check it with your issuing authority's name approval process.
- Pass a shareholder resolution approving the change. In SHAMS, a company changes its name by resolution and reflects it by amending its Memorandum (Article 14.3); a company without a Memorandum amends by resolution and notifies the Authority on the prescribed form.
- Prepare the amended Memorandum and, where the authority asks for it, an annex to the incorporation contract. DET's amendment page lists an annex to the incorporation contract among its fee items.
- File the amendment on the authority's channel: DET says to visit a service centre or use its website; JAFZA offshore companies use the Dubai Trade portal; DMCC lists the service in its schedule of charges.
- Pay the fee and any publication or courier charges the authority lists.
- Collect the amended licence and certificate. Do not use the new name on invoices or contracts before the amended licence is issued.
- Notify the FTA through EmaraTax, then your bank and anyone who holds a copy of the old licence.
How much does it cost and how long does it take?
Fees vary by an order of magnitude between authorities, from AED 500 at DET to AED 10,000 at Hamriyah Free Zone, and most authorities do not publish a processing time. The table shows only what each authority itself publishes, as of 13 October 2026.
| Authority | Published fee | Processing time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dubai mainland (DET) | AED 500 to request a trade licence amendment; AED 200 per party signature for other amendments | Not stated | The service page does not mention a trade name change; confirm it is covered |
| DMCC | AED 4,515 company name change; AED 1,515 apply or change a company operating name | Not stated | Plus AED 20 Knowledge and Innovation Dirham fee; DMCC may change fees without notice |
| JAFZA (offshore companies only) | AED 200 transaction fee, AED 1,500 advertisement fee plus 5% VAT, AED 500 Memorandum amendment, courier AED 10 to 20 | 21 working days | Applies to offshore companies, not JAFZA free zone licences |
| Hamriyah Free Zone (FZC/FZE) | AED 10,000 (AED 2,500 for branches) | About 2 weeks for publication, after a Customs NOC | From an HFZA procedures document; confirm current fees |
| SHAMS | Not published as a fixed name change fee | Not stated | Article 19 allows fees "if required by the Authority" |
| Abu Dhabi and other emirates | Not verified | Not verified | Check the local economic department's service page |
20 working days: the maximum period from the date a change of name or trading name occurs to notify the FTA, through a free amendment on EmaraTax. Source: FTA Tax Records Amendment service (tax.gov.ae), checked 13 October 2026.
The rows are not like for like: DMCC's AED 4,515 is a company name change, while DET's AED 500 is a general amendment request that may not be the whole bill. Ask your authority for a written total, including any name reservation or publication fee, before you start.
What do SHAMS's rules say about a name change?
SHAMS lets a company change its name after incorporation (Article 14.3), subject to the same acceptability and similarity tests as at registration. The change is effective from the date the Authority issues a certificate of change of name (Article 14.5(a)), and existing rights, obligations and legal proceedings continue under the new name (Article 14.5(b)).
On timing, Article 16.1 requires a company to notify the Authority of a change of company name within 10 business days of the event; a branch has 30 business days under Article 16.2. A company may also use a trade name different from its registered name, but must notify the Authority of that use (Article 14.6). Other free zones and DET may differ, so treat these as SHAMS's rules only.
What do I have to update after the licence changes?
The FTA comes first, because its clock starts on the day the change occurs, not on the day you finish the paperwork. The FTA lists the name or trading name of the business among the changes you must notify within 20 working days, and the service is free.
On EmaraTax you open your Taxable Person Account, choose the amendment type, enter the details and upload supporting documents. The FTA lists a valid trade licence, the certificate of incorporation or commercial registration, and any document proving the change and its date. It states it can take up to 20 business days to process a complete application.
If you'd rather not track these dates by hand, the free UAE compliance calendar is a calendar of your company's UAE tax and compliance deadlines, personalised from a few questions, as a PDF and calendar file.
On penalties, the FTA's own page says late notification can lead to an administrative penalty under the regulations in force. PwC reports that Cabinet Decision No. 129 of 2025 sets AED 1,000 for a first violation of failing to update a tax record and AED 5,000 for a repeat within 24 months, from 14 April 2026. That is a secondary summary, so confirm the amounts on tax.gov.ae.
Beyond the FTA, every document that carries the old name needs a decision: bank accounts, tenancy and Ejari records, employee visas, supplier contracts and insurance. Which of these your authority updates automatically is not stated on the pages Qawi read, so ask.
What most guides don't tell you
The old name stays your legal name until the amended licence is issued. In SHAMS the change takes effect from the date of the certificate (Article 14.5(a)). If other authorities work the same way, an invoice or contract signed in the new name earlier is on the wrong name. Hold the new letterhead back until the licence is in your hands.
A free zone's fee schedule can bill the name in more than one way. DMCC prices a company name change at AED 4,515 and an operating name change at AED 1,515. Say a DMCC company wants only a new brand on its signage while keeping its legal name; that may be an operating name change, which would cost less. Which one fits depends on what you want to appear on the licence, so ask before you file.
An offshore company is not a free zone company. JAFZA's published name change guide covers offshore companies only, with 21 working days stated and a courier step for original documents. A company holding a JAFZA free zone licence follows a different route that Qawi could not verify.
Which deadlines apply to your company?
A name change starts a short FTA clock, a licence renewal clock and a list of document updates that are easy to lose in the move. The free UAE compliance calendar lists the deadlines that apply to your company.
Frequently asked questions
How do I add a new activity to my existing license?
You apply to the authority that issued your licence through its amendment service. Dubai DET lists an AED 500 request fee for amending a trade licence as of 13 October 2026, and a regulated activity may need an external approval.
How do I remove an activity from my trade license?
Removal is also a licence amendment filed with the issuing authority. Dubai DET's amendment service covers removing an activity at an AED 500 request fee as of 13 October 2026, and the company should notify the FTA within 20 working days.
How do I add or remove a shareholder in a UAE company?
It is an amendment filed with the issuing authority. Dubai DET's amendment service lists a no-objection letter among the documents for partner changes, and fees vary by authority, so ask yours for its current schedule.
How do I change the manager or director of my company?
It is an amendment filed with the issuing authority, and its documents and fees differ by authority. If the person is also your FTA authorised signatory, the FTA lists a change in authorised signatory details among the changes to notify within 20 working days.
About Qawi
About Qawi · Qawi is a corporate services firm licensed in the Sharjah Media City (SHAMS) free zone, handling company formation, visas and PRO, bookkeeping, VAT and corporate tax for UAE businesses. Guides are researched from FTA, Ministry of Finance and free zone sources. Qawi on LinkedIn
Sources
- Dubai Economy and Tourism: Request to Amend a Trade License
- DMCC: Schedule of charges
- JAFZA: Change of offshore company name
- Hamriyah Free Zone: Change of Company Name Procedures and Forms
- SHAMS: Companies and Licensing Regulations 2017
- FTA: Tax Records Amendment service
- PwC: Revised administrative penalty framework for violation of tax laws (secondary summary, used only to interpret Cabinet Decision No. 129 of 2025)
Last checked: 13 October 2026
This is general information, not tax or legal advice for your specific situation.