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Can I add a new business activity to my existing Dubai trade licence?

Asked by Anonymous·Jun 10, 2026·1 answers
I run a licensed cleaning services company in Dubai and clients keep asking us for small maintenance jobs too. I'm unsure whether my current licence covers that or whether I'd be operating outside my permitted activities. How does adding or changing an activity work, and what are the risks of doing the work before updating it?

This answer is AI-generated by LEXAI. It is general legal information, not legal advice — verify anything you act on with a licensed UAE lawyer. How LEXAI uses AI

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AI-generated answer

Jun 11, 2026
Hold off on the maintenance jobs until your licence covers them. The activities on a trade licence define what the company may lawfully do, and general maintenance is a different activity from cleaning — taking the work first risks fines for operating outside your licensed scope and can undermine your insurance. Adding an activity is routine: apply to Dubai's licensing authority to amend the licence, select the activity code matching the work you intend, obtain any external approvals that activity requires, and amend the memorandum if you operate as an LLC; fees apply. Then start quoting for the jobs. A licensing agent or lawyer can confirm any extra approval requirements. Full step-by-step guide: Adding a business activity to your UAE trade licence.
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