Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism services for individuals and companies

Trade License Cancellation in Dubai

Instant PRO prepares the documents for cancelling your trade license with the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) and follows the transaction through, according to your company’s legal form. This page covers DET mainland licenses.

A request to cancel a trade license in Dubai is submitted to the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), preceded by the other cancellations, chiefly labour cards with the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE). The documents depend on the company’s legal form: a sole proprietorship needs few, while commercial companies go through two phases. The first covers dissolution, the appointment of a liquidator and a newspaper announcement with a 45-day creditor period; the second is the final cancellation once that period has ended.

What we handle in a cancellation file

We begin by identifying the legal form and status of your license, then set out the route that applies and the full list of required documents. We then prepare the documents and the file details to the authority’s requirements and coordinate the notarisation of whatever needs it through our notary public services. We submit the application under authorisation from the person concerned or the liquidator, and follow it until the authority issues the outcome of the transaction. The decision to dissolve, the appointment of the liquidator and the content of the minutes rest with the partners, and we do not give legal advice on them.

Our service is for DET mainland licenses. Free zone licenses are cancelled with the licensing free zone authority. A trade license is also called a commercial license or a business license, and the same procedure applies whichever term your documents use.

Steps to cancel a trade license in Dubai

Step 1 - Identify the legal form

The route differs between a sole proprietorship, a civil company, a commercial company and company branches, and a license that expired more than two years ago has its own route.

Step 2 - Other authorities' cancellations

The Dubai government portal states that other cancellations must be completed before the license is permanently cancelled, chiefly labour cards with MOHRE.

Step 3 - Prepare the documents

We prepare the documents for your company's form, as set out in the next section.

Step 4 - Commercial companies, phase one

Notarised minutes and the liquidator's acceptance letter, then the certificate of dissolution and liquidator appointment, then an announcement in two local Arabic newspapers for one day, followed by a 45-day creditor period.

Step 5 - Commercial companies, phase two

Once the period ends, the original newspaper, the final report and the no-objection declaration are submitted with the remaining documents.

Step 6 - Submit and follow up

The application is submitted at the nearest service centre, and we follow the outcome the Department issues.

Alongside labour cards, the Dubai government portal also lists cancelling the establishment card with the General Directorate of Identity and Foreign Affairs – Dubai (GDRFA). You can see what we do on our work permit and employment contract cancellation page and our establishment card services page.

Can you cancel a trade license online in Dubai?

Yes, in part. The Dubai government portal lists trade license cancellation among its online services through the Invest in Dubai platform. An online application does not remove the preparation behind it: the other cancellations, notarised documents and, for commercial companies, the newspaper announcement and creditor period still apply, as set out above. According to the federal portal, the party concerned submits the application for establishments and branches, and the liquidator submits it through the liquidator’s account for companies. The Federal Tax Authority refers to the document evidencing cancellation as the trade license cancellation certificate.

Documents required to cancel a trade license, by legal form

Source: Dubai government portal, “Closing your business”, page last modified 3 April 2026.

Sole proprietorship

The English edition of the Dubai government portal and the federal portal call this form a “sole proprietorship”; the Arabic edition of the Dubai portal calls it a “one-person company”. What both portals require is cancelling labour cards through MOHRE. The Department may ask for additional documents depending on the license’s circumstances.

Civil company

Cancelling labour cards through MOHRE.
A duly notarised and attested partnership termination contract.

Commercial companies

Under the official portal, the two phases below apply to commercial companies, and their dissolution and liquidation are governed by the Commercial Companies Law, Federal Decree-Law No. (32) of 2021, as amended.

Phase one

Notarised minutes of the general assembly resolving to liquidate the company and naming the liquidator.
A letter from the liquidator accepting the liquidation, with a copy of the license, the auditor’s registration certificate and a notarised signature specimen.
The certificate of dissolution and liquidator appointment, subject to legal advisor approval.
Announcement of the liquidation in two local Arabic newspapers for one day, with a 45-day period for creditors to submit their claims.

Phase two

The original newspaper in which the announcement was published, and the company’s final report.
A declaration from the liquidator and partners that no objection was received within 45 days of the announcement.
Cancelling labour cards through MOHRE.
A copy of the general assembly minutes and a copy of the dissolution certificate.

Company branches

Branch of a foreign company: the liquidation decision from the Ministry of Economy’s register, an attested board decision to cancel the company, and cancelling labour cards.
Branch of a local company: the board of directors’ decision to cancel the company, and cancelling labour cards.
Branch of a free zone company: a decision to close the branch if the company is registered with the Ministry of Economy, or an attested parent company decision cancelling the branch if it is not, and cancelling labour cards in both cases.

License expired for more than two years

An undertaking from the local partner to bear the company’s debts.
Documents supporting the reason for cancellation, such as proof that a partner has been outside the country for more than six months or that his whereabouts are unknown.
An announcement in widely circulated Arabic newspapers for one day, with a 15-day period for creditors, and submission of the original newspaper.
A full undertaking that there are no obligations owed to third parties; the form is available at authorised service centres.
Cancelling labour cards through MOHRE.

The Department may ask for additional documents depending on each license’s circumstances, so we go through the documents you hold with you before we begin.

Trade License Cancellation Fees in Dubai: How Much Does It Cost?

No single cancellation fee applies to every business. The government fees depend on the company’s legal form and the license’s circumstances, and the Department sets those payable at the time of application. The only government fee we have verified against an official source is the one below, and we show government fees separately from every other cost so that you can see what each item is.

Item	Amount	When payable	Source
Fee for the certificate of dissolution of the company	AED 520	Commercial companies, phase one, subject to legal advisor approval	Official UAE government portal, updated April 2026

Before we begin, we set out the government fees and our own fees separately, so the cost of cancelling your trade license is clear in advance.

Note: The fees quoted are government fees only. They exclude the fees of the private notary public for notarising minutes and contracts, Instant PRO’s fees, the cost of newspaper announcements and the fees of other authorities.

How long does trade license cancellation take?

There is no single timeframe that applies to every business: it depends on the legal form and on completing the other authorities’ cancellations, so we do not state a completion time. Only two periods are fixed officially: 45 days for creditors in commercial companies, running from the date of the announcement, and 15 days for a license that expired more than two years ago. Once we have seen your file, we set out the stages of the transaction and which of them depend on the authorities.

Frequently asked questions about trade license cancellation in Dubai

How much does it cost to cancel a trade license in Dubai?

It depends on the legal form and the license’s circumstances. The government fee we have verified is AED 520 for the certificate of dissolution of a commercial company, subject to legal advisor approval; the Department sets the others at the time of application. Notary fees, newspaper announcements, other authorities’ fees and our own fees are separate, and we set them out before we begin.

What happens if a trade license is not renewed in Dubai?

The federal portal explains that fines and penalties may accumulate on a license once it expires without renewal or without formal cancellation, so stopping trading is not enough: what is required on deciding to close is formal cancellation.

How do I cancel my commercial license in Dubai?

Start with the company’s legal form, because the route and documents differ between a sole proprietorship, a civil company, a commercial company and a branch. Complete the other cancellations, chiefly labour cards with MOHRE, then follow the steps for your form as set out on this page.

Can I cancel my trade license online in Dubai?

The Dubai government portal lists trade license cancellation among its online services through the Invest in Dubai platform. The preparation behind the application, such as labour cards, notarised documents and, for commercial companies, the newspaper announcement and creditor period, still has to be completed.

Do I cancel labour cards before cancelling the license?

Yes. The Dubai government portal states that the other cancellations with local and federal authorities must be completed before the license is permanently cancelled, and cancelling labour cards with MOHRE appears among the documents for every legal form.

Who submits the cancellation application?

According to the federal portal, the party concerned submits it for establishments and branches, and the liquidator submits it for companies, through the liquidator’s account. We submit the application under authorisation from the person concerned or the liquidator.

Does the procedure change if my license has expired?

Yes. If the license expired more than two years ago, a separate route applies, with additional undertakings and documents and a 15-day creditor period, as set out above.

Do you cancel free zone licenses?

No. This page covers Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism mainland licenses; free zone licenses are cancelled with the licensing free zone authority.

How do I cancel a business license in the UAE?

A business license is cancelled with the authority that issued it. This page covers licenses issued by the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism; for a free zone license, contact the free zone authority.

Does cancelling the license also cancel the tax registration?

No. Registration with the Federal Tax Authority is cancelled by a separate application through the EmaraTax portal. The Authority treats cancellation of the license or liquidation as grounds for applying, and lists the trade license cancellation certificate (VAT) or license cancellation document (Corporate Tax) among the required documents. For VAT, the Authority sets 30 business days to apply from the date the obligation to deregister arises, where deregistration is mandatory. Keep the evidence of your license’s cancellation and review your tax position with the Authority or a licensed tax professional; our service does not cover this procedure.

Instant PRO is an independent private company. It is not the Department of Economy and Tourism and is not affiliated with it, and it does not guarantee any government decision; we prepare the transaction and follow it up only.

Next step

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