Keeping your company records accurate is not just good housekeeping — in the UAE it is a legal requirement. When your business changes its address, phone number, partners, manager, or trade name, the licensing authority that issued your trade licence needs to know. Here is a plain-English guide on How to Update Company Records in the UAE, whether your licence comes from a mainland economic department, a free zone authority, or an offshore registrar.
Most updates follow the same broad pattern: prepare the supporting documents, submit an amendment application to your licensing authority, pay the amendment fee, and receive an updated licence or amendment certificate. Some changes — like a new address — also need to be reflected in your Ejari or Tawtheeq registration, your corporate tax profile, and your bank records. This guide walks through each type of update step by step so nothing falls through the cracks.
Quick Answer
To update company records in the UAE, log in to your licensing authority’s portal (for example Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism or your free zone authority), choose the licence amendment or update option, select the records you want to change, upload supporting documents, pay the applicable fee, and collect the amended licence. Processing usually takes one to five working days for standard updates.
What “Company Records” Means in the UAE
Your company records are the official details your licensing authority holds about your business. They appear on your trade licence and in the authority’s register, and government departments, banks, landlords, and clients all rely on them. The records you may need to update from time to time include:
- Company or trade name (see our guide on changing a company name)
- Registered business address (see how to update a business address)
- Contact details such as phone number, email, and website
- Partners, shareholders, and managers
- Business activities listed on the licence
- Share capital or legal form of the company
- Authorised signatories and power-of-attorney holders
Not every change is equal. Updating a phone number is a simple data correction; adding a shareholder or changing the legal form is a structural amendment that may need board resolutions, attestations, and approvals from other departments.
Before You Start: What You Will Need
Gather these basics before you begin any amendment — having them ready avoids the most common delays:
- Current trade licence copy — the licence you are amending.
- Emirates IDs and passports — of the owner(s) or authorised signatory making the request.
- Board or shareholder resolution — required for ownership, capital, or legal-form changes; often needs to be notarised or attested.
- Supporting proof for the change — for example, a new Ejari contract for an address change, or an attested sale agreement for a share transfer.
- UAE Pass account — most mainland and federal portals now require UAE Pass login for submissions.
How to Update Company Records Step by Step
1. Identify your licensing authority
Mainland companies in Dubai deal with the Department of Economy and Tourism (DET); in Abu Dhabi it is the Department of Economic Development (ADDED); each emirate has its own department. Free zone companies go through their free zone authority (for example DMCC, DIFC, or JAFZA). The portal, fees, and forms differ by authority, so always start on the correct one. The UAE government’s official portal walks through the standard licensing steps for mainland businesses at u.ae, which is also a useful reference for understanding how amendments fit into the overall licensing process.
2. Log in and choose the amendment service
On the authority’s portal, look for “Licence amendment,” “Update licence details,” or “Company update.” Many portals bundle several record changes into one amendment application, so you can update multiple records in a single transaction — worth knowing, because each amendment carries its own fee.
3. Select the records to update and upload documents
Tick the fields you are changing and attach the supporting documents. The portal usually validates your uploads immediately; if a document is rejected, the system tells you why. Common rejections include expired Emirates IDs, unattested resolutions, and tenancy contracts that do not match the licence address.
4. Pay the amendment fee
Fees vary by authority and by the type of change. A simple contact-details update may cost a few hundred dirhams, while ownership or legal-form amendments can run into the thousands, plus third-party attestation charges. Fee schedules are published on each authority’s portal — treat any figure you see online as a guide and confirm the current charge before you pay. For an idea of overall licence costs, see our overview of Dubai business licence costs for 2026.
5. Receive the updated licence
Once approved, you will receive an amended trade licence or an amendment certificate by email or in your portal dashboard. Download it and store it with your other corporate documents. You can check your business amendment status online if approval takes longer than expected.
After the Amendment: Records Other Departments Hold
Updating your licence is only half the job. Several other records reference your company details and may need separate updates:
| Record | When to update it |
|---|---|
| Ejari / Tawtheeq tenancy registration | After an address change — update it through the Dubai Ejari registration process or your emirate’s equivalent. |
| Corporate tax registration | Name, address, or activity changes must be reflected in your Federal Tax Authority profile — see our UAE corporate tax registration guide. |
| Company bank account | Banks must hold current KYC records; share the amended licence with your relationship manager. |
| Chamber of commerce membership | Update your membership certificate if name or activity changed. |
| Immigration / visa files | If the change affects the establishment card or signatories, update the file so visa processing is not blocked — MOHRE offers an official service for updating the establishment file. |
How Often Should You Review Company Records?
A good habit is to review your company records once a year, ideally when you renew your trade licence. Licence renewal is a natural checkpoint: the authority often asks you to confirm that all details are still correct before issuing the new licence. Doing a yearly review catches stale phone numbers, old addresses, and departed partners before they cause problems with banks, landlords, or visa applications.
Who Can File the Update on Your Behalf
You do not have to file the amendment yourself. Any of the following can submit the update, provided they are authorised:
- The licence owner or a partner — the simplest option for small businesses, logging in with their own UAE Pass.
- The appointed manager — if the manager is registered on the licence, most authorities accept filings from them directly.
- A PRO or service agent — registered typing centres and PRO agencies handle amendments daily and know each portal’s quirks; they charge a service fee on top of the official amendment fee.
- A legal representative — for complex changes such as share transfers, a lawyer with a valid power of attorney is the safer route.
Whoever files, the supporting documents must still come from the company — the agent cannot invent a board resolution or tenancy contract on your behalf. Always review the application before it is submitted and keep copies of everything filed, since you may need to show the amendment trail to your bank or auditor later.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How long does it take to update company records in the UAE?
Simple updates such as contact details or an address change are often approved within one to three working days. Structural changes — ownership transfers, capital increases, legal-form conversions — can take one to two weeks because they require attestations and sometimes external approvals.
Can I update several records in one application?
In most cases, yes. Licensing portals generally let you combine multiple record changes into a single amendment transaction, which saves you from paying a separate fee for each change. Ask the service agent or check the portal if you are unsure.
Do I need a lawyer or PRO to update company records?
Not always. Straightforward updates can be done online by the licence holder or an authorised signatory. For share transfers, legal-form changes, or anything involving court-attested documents, a PRO or legal adviser is worth the fee — mistakes in these filings are expensive to unwind.
What happens if I don’t update my company records?
Outdated records can block licence renewal, freeze visa applications under your establishment file, cause your bank to flag your account for KYC review, and invalidate contracts that rely on your registered details. Authorities can also impose fines for operating with incorrect licence information.
Is updating records different for free zone companies?
The concept is the same but the process runs through your free zone authority’s portal instead of an economic department. Some free zones require their own forms and charge different fees, so follow your authority’s amendment guide rather than a mainland one.
The Bottom Line
Updating company records in the UAE is straightforward as long as you approach it systematically: identify the records that changed, prepare the documents, file one amendment with your licensing authority, and then update the connected records — Ejari, tax, bank, and chamber. Do it promptly rather than letting changes pile up, and use your annual licence renewal as a built-in reminder to review everything once a year.
Last Updated: 8 October 2026
About the author: Zaviyar Sultan is a UAE-focused writer at Paxi, covering driving, visas, banking, insurance and everyday UAE life. His guides are researched from official UAE government and regulator sources and updated regularly.
Paxi is an independent informational website, not affiliated with the UAE government or any agency mentioned; content is general information only, not legal, immigration or financial advice; verify critical details with official sources before acting.