How much trouble am I in if my Dubai trade licence expired months ago?

You can almost certainly still recover the licence. First, request a statement of everything owed from the Department of Economy and Tourism — late-renewal fines on the licence itself, plus any immigration or labour penalties if you sponsored staff. Renewal means paying the accumulated fines plus the renewal fee, and the company keeps its history, name and bank account. Cancellation is not a free exit: outstanding fines generally must be cleared first, and an abandoned licence can block future company setups or visa applications. Ask whether a fine-reduction or waiver initiative is currently running — timing can change the maths. Full step-by-step guide: Trade licence renewal in the UAE.