Canceling a trade license in Dubai depends on the legal structure of your company. Each license type has specific document requirements and fees. Select your license type below to jump directly to the relevant section.
E-Trader & Intelaq License Cancellation
E-Trader and Intelaq licenses have the simplest cancellation process. There is no license cancellation fee — only the standard DET transaction fee applies.
Required Documents
- Request letter on company letterhead with signature and stamp
If the owner is a UAE national and has employees: Labor Card Cancellation and Immigration Card Cancellation are also required before proceeding.
Fees
Sole Establishment Cancellation
Sole Establishment cancellation requires clearing all employee visas and obtaining agent clearance if applicable.
Required Documents
- Request letter on company letterhead with signature and stamp
- Labor Card Cancellation
- Immigration Cancellation
- NOC from Agent (if there is an agent in the license)
Fees
* Non-renewal fines are not added for cancellation. Other pending fines must be cleared.
Civil Company Cancellation
Civil Company cancellation requires first cancelling the Memorandum of Association (MOA) between partners through Dubai Court or Notary.
Required Documents
- MOA cancellation between partners from Dubai Court / Notary
- Request letter on company letterhead with signature and stamp
- Labor Card Cancellation
- Immigration Cancellation
- NOC from Agent (if there is an agent in the license)
Fees
* Non-renewal fines are not added for cancellation. Other pending fines must be cleared.
Branch License (UAE Company) Cancellation
For branch licenses where the main company is registered in the UAE.
Required Documents
- Request letter on main company letterhead with signature and stamp
- Labor Card Cancellation
- Immigration Cancellation
Fees
* Non-renewal fines are not added for cancellation.
Foreign Branch License Cancellation
Foreign branch licenses require an attested and translated board resolution from the parent company abroad.
Required Documents
- Attested and translated Board Resolution from the main foreign company
- Labor Card Cancellation
- Immigration Cancellation
- NOC from Agent (if there is an agent in the license)
Fees
* Non-renewal fines are not added for cancellation.
Limited Liability Company (LLC) Cancellation
LLC cancellation is the most complex process, involving two stages with a mandatory 45-day creditor notice period between them.
First Stage — Dissolution & Liquidator Appointment
Required Documents
- Notarized minutes of General Assembly Meeting confirming company liquidation and appointment of liquidator (must mention liquidator's name)
- Letter from liquidator confirming acceptance of the role
- Copy of the trade license
- Auditor registration certificate
- Notarized signature specimen of the liquidator
Fees
Subject to legal advisor approval.
Newspaper Publication Required
After receiving the dissolution certificate, publish a liquidation notice in two local Arabic newspapers (for one day). Creditors then have 45 days to submit any claims against the company.
Final Stage — License Cancellation
After the 45-day creditor notice period has elapsed with no objections:
Required Documents
- Original newspaper publication page
- Company's Final Report
- Declaration from Liquidator & Partners confirming no objections from any party within 45 days
- Labor Card Cancellation Letter (Ministry of Labor)
- Residence Visa / Entry Permit Cancellation (for all partners)
- General Assembly Meeting Minutes copy
- Certificate of Company Dissolution (from Stage 1)
Fees
Important Notes
- All employees must be cancelled (labor cards + immigration) before proceeding with license cancellation
- Immigration and labor clearances are mandatory in most cases
- Any pending fines must be cleared — except non-renewal fines, which are waived during cancellation
- LLC cancellations require strict compliance with the two-stage liquidation procedure
- Keep copies of all cancellation certificates for your records
- Corporate bank accounts must be closed separately with your bank after cancellation
AED Fee Comparison by License Type
| License Type | Cancellation Fee | DET Transaction | Total (excl. fines) |
|---|---|---|---|
| E-Trader / Intelaq | Free | AED 115.50 | AED 115.50 |
| Sole Establishment | AED 1,070 | AED 115.50 | AED 1,185.50 |
| Civil Company | AED 1,070 | AED 115.50 | AED 1,185.50 |
| Branch (UAE) | AED 1,070 | AED 115.50 | AED 1,185.50 |
| Foreign Branch | AED 1,070 | AED 115.50 | AED 1,185.50 |
| LLC (Stage 1) | AED 570 | AED 115.50 | AED 685.50 |
| LLC (Stage 2) | AED 1,570 | AED 115.50 | AED 1,685.50 |
| LLC (Total) | AED 2,140 | AED 231.00 | AED 2,371.00 |
Frequently Asked Questions
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