A UAE company needs to keep its trade licence, office tenancy, establishment card, employee work permits and residence visas, Emirates IDs and tax registrations current. Each has its own expiry date and renewal steps, and late renewals can lead to fines or blocked transactions, so track them in one calendar and start each renewal well before it falls due.
Company documents
- Trade licence: renewed every year with the licensing authority (DET for Dubai mainland, or your free zone authority).
- Office tenancy: the lease, registered through Ejari for mainland offices, usually needs to be valid before the licence can be renewed.
- Establishment card: the immigration file that lets the company sponsor visas; it has its own expiry date.
- Other approvals: some activities need permits from other authorities, which may renew on a different cycle.
Employee and family documents
- Work permits and labour contracts: for mainland companies, managed through the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE).
- Residence visas: renewal usually involves a medical fitness test and updated biometrics.
- Emirates ID: linked to the residence visa and renewed with it.
- Dependants: family visas sponsored by employees or owners follow the sponsor's visa, so check them together.
Tax and finance
- Corporate tax: companies must be registered with the Federal Tax Authority and file returns for each financial year.
- VAT: registered businesses file returns on their assigned schedule and keep records that support them.
- Bank KYC: banks ask for updated licence and visa copies after renewals; sending them promptly avoids account restrictions.
A simple routine
- List every document above with its expiry date in one shared calendar.
- Set reminders 60 and 30 days before each date.
- Renew the tenancy before the licence, and the licence before visas that depend on it.
- Keep scanned copies of every renewed document in one folder.
Let us track it for you
Clients on ongoing PRO and document clearing support get reminders before every expiry date and we prepare the paperwork in advance. Talk to us about your company.
This checklist is general information. Requirements differ by jurisdiction and activity; we confirm the details for your company.
