Memorandum of association

How it works

Passport copies of all partners and the manager
copyValid passports
Emirates ID of partners and manager who live in the UAE
in some casescopyOnly if: Residents of the UAE
Trade name reservation certificate
copy
Power of attorney for a partner who cannot sign in person
in some casesoriginalattestedOnly if: A partner signs through an attorney
Board resolution of a corporate partner, attested
in some casesoriginalOnly if: A partner is a company

Needed for companies with partners (e.g. LLC, civil company); a sole establishment uses a different set of documents.
Shares, capital, manager and profit split must match what the partners agreed; any later change needs an annex.

Processing time: Signed and attested at DET the same day once drafts and signatories are ready (the licence issue takes about 10 minutes after requirements are complete).
Validity of the result: Stays in force until amended by an annex or the company is dissolved.
Where it is applied for: Invest in Dubai portal (electronic MoA) or DET service centres (manual MoA).

Agree the shares, capital, manager and profit split and prepare the MoA draft (DET template or a custom text).
Submit with the licence application (or amendment) on the portal or at a service centre.
All partners sign in person or by e-signature; DET attests the signatures.
Pay the attestation fees with the licence fees.

Tips that save you a trip

Check every spelling against the passports before signing; correcting later needs an annex and new fees.
Partners abroad can sign through a notarised and attested power of attorney: allow time for attestation.

Common reasons for rejection or delay

Names or passport data in the draft do not match the documents.
A partner is missing on signing day or the power of attorney is not accepted.
Activity in the MoA is restricted for foreign ownership (see DET's foreign ownership restrictions list).

Do I need a lawyer to write the MoA?

Not necessarily: DET offers a standard electronic MoA. A custom text is useful for special profit-sharing or management rules.

Checked by the MARIO E.G.S.H team on 2026-10-08. Rules can change at any time; our consultant confirms the details for your case.

Official sources

Legal basis

Federal Decree-Law No. 32 of 2021 on Commercial Companies; DET (Dubai) licensing procedures

Renew a Dubai mainland licence through Invest in Dubai, including Ejari and approvals check.

Moves your licensed business to a new location and updates the licence with Dubai Economy and Tourism (DET).

Reserves a new trade name or renews an existing reservation with Dubai Economy and Tourism (DET).

Obtains or renews the initial approval for your business activity from Dubai Economy and Tourism (DET).