Trade License Amendment Request

What is Trade License Amendment Request?

Generate a trade license amendment request letter for UAE DED. Modify business activities, partners, trade name, or address on company license.

When do you need it?

Issued by a company to DED (Department of Economic Development) or relevant Free Zone authority to request amendment to the trade license - adding/removing activities, changing partners, modifying trade name, or updating address.

What should this document include?

• • Issuing Authority
• • Authority Address
• • Company Name
• • Current Trade License No.
• • License Expiry Date
• • Legal Form
• • Type of Amendment
• • Amendment Details
• • Reason for Amendment
• • Current Partners (if applicable)
• • Manager / Authorized Signatory
• • Manager Passport No.
• • Manager Emirates ID
• • Manager Position
• • Contact Phone
• • Contact Email
• • Company Address
• • Request Date

How to prepare and submit this document

1. 1 Check if your desired activity is allowed. Use the DED website or the relevant free-zone portal to verify that your new business activity is permitted and whether it requires special approvals (e.g., healthcare, education, food trading need additional permits).
2. 2 Get initial approval before drafting. For mainland companies, apply for initial approval through the DED portal first. For free zones, submit a pre-approval request to the free-zone authority. Do not draft the amendment letter until you have this approval reference number.
3. 3 Draft the amendment with exact current and proposed details. State your current license number, current activities/details, and the exact proposed changes. For partner changes, include passport copies and signatures of both outgoing and incoming partners.
4. 4 Submit with supporting documents and pay fees. Attach the amendment letter, initial approval, MOA amendment (if applicable), and passport copies. Fees vary: DED activity additions start from AED 1,000; free-zone amendments range from AED 2,000–5,000 depending on the zone.

Common mistakes that get this document rejected

• ✕ Drafting the letter before getting initial approval — DED and free zones reject amendments without the pre-approval reference
• ✕ Requesting an activity that requires external permits without attaching them — healthcare, education, and food activities need Ministry of Health, KHDA, or municipality approval first
• ✕ Forgetting to update the MOA when changing partners or capital — the license amendment and MOA amendment must match exactly
• ✕ Not checking if the new activity requires a physical office — some activities mandate a minimum office size that your current space may not meet

Frequently asked questions