License Renewal and Amendment

License Renewal

All licenses must be renewed annually. You have a 30-day penalty-free grace period following your license expiry date to complete the renewal without incurring penalties.

Important: Complete your renewal within 30 days of the expiry date to avoid penalties and ensure uninterrupted business operations.

Required Documents for Renewal

To process your renewal, please ensure the following documents are up-to-date in our records. You only need to resubmit a document if it has expired, if the information has changed, or if it was not previously provided.

Valid ID Documents (if expired or changed)

  • Passport copies for all Shareholders, Directors, the Manager, and Company Secretary (if any).
  • Emirates ID copies (front and back) for any of the above who are UAE nationals or residents.

Corporate Shareholder Documents (if applicable, expired, or changed)

  • For FZ-LLC: A valid Certificate of Good Standing or recent company registry extract for each corporate (legal person) shareholder.
  • For a Branch: A valid Certificate of Good Standing or recent company registry extract for the parent company.
Note: For UAE or GCC-based companies, a valid copy of the Trade License is sufficient.

Updated Registers (submit only if there have been changes in the past year)

Corporate Amendments

Companies may need to amend their license or registration during their tenure. Most amendments follow a standard process:

  1. Application: Submit the relevant application/request form to SHCC.
  2. Initial Approval: SHCC reviews the request and provides initial approval.
  3. Document Submission: Submit the final, attested legal documents as required.
  4. Final Issuance: Pay any applicable fees and receive your updated license or certificate.

Common Document Requirements

To avoid repetition, refer to these common requirements for many amendments. Specific amendments may require additional or tailored items.

A. Standard KYC Documents

(Required for any new individuals: Managers, Directors, Shareholders, UBOs, or Legal Representatives of non-individual shareholders)

  • Valid Passport Copy
  • Valid Emirates ID Copy (for UAE residents/nationals)
  • Recent Proof of Address (e.g., utility bill or bank statement, not older than 3 months)
  • PEP (Politically Exposed Person) Declaration Form (and Source of Wealth form (Download PDF), if the person is a PEP or if requested by SHCC)

B. Standard Corporate Documents

(Required for any new corporate (legal person) shareholders)

  • Valid Certificate of Good Standing or Trade License (or equivalent recent company extract)
  • Memorandum & Articles of Association (or equivalent formation documents)
  • Hierarchical Shareholding Chart identifying all Ultimate Beneficial Owners (UBOs). For guidance on identifying UBOs, please refer to our UBO Guidelines page.

C. Legal Attestation Requirements

(Applies to all Shareholder Resolutions, Board Resolutions, and other legal documents)

If executed within the UAE:

Documents must be notarized by a UAE Notary Public or attested as required.

If executed outside the UAE:

Documents must be:

  1. Notarized in the country of origin.
  2. Legalized by the UAE Consulate or Embassy in that country.
  3. Attested by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) within the UAE.
Note: For FZ-LLCs with a sole legal person shareholder, or for Branches, a Board Resolution from the sole shareholder or parent company (attested as per this requirement) may suffice in place of a Shareholder Resolution.

UBO Forms and Resources

For amendments involving new Ultimate Beneficial Owners (UBOs) or changes to UBO information, you may need to submit UBO-related forms. All UBO declaration forms and related documents are available on our UBO Guidelines page.

Available Forms

Click the links below to view or download the required forms:

UBO Declaration Form (Main)

Complete this form to declare your Ultimate Beneficial Owners.

📥 Download PDF Open in New Tab to View
UBO Declaration Form (Extra Page)

Use this form if you need additional space for multiple UBOs.

📥 Download PDF Open in New Tab to View
Source of Wealth Declaration

Required for PEPs (Politically Exposed Persons) or if requested by SHCC.

📥 Download PDF Open in New Tab to View
Shareholder Register

Template for maintaining your company's shareholder register.

📥 Download PDF Open in New Tab to View
Need More Information?
For comprehensive guidance on identifying UBOs, understanding UBO requirements, and accessing all related forms and resources, please visit our UBO Guidelines and AML/CFT Information page.

Types of Amendments

Amend License Activity

Details: This involves adding or removing activities. Adding an activity may result in a new license. A company must always maintain at least one active license.

Requirements:
  • Application Form detailing the activities to be added or removed.
  • Provide any supporting documents required for the new activity (if adding).

Note: Changes may affect fees; the amended license is issued upon final approval.

Registration Amendments

Change Company or Trade Name

Details: For Branches, this can only occur if the parent company has changed its name. If you use a separate Trade Name (e.g., for franchises like KFC or Pizza Hut), it will update to match the new company name unless separate documentation is provided.

Requirements:
  • For FZ-LLC: Name Change Application and a Shareholder Resolution (attested per Requirement C).
  • For Branch: Name Change Application and an attested Certificate of Name Change from the parent company (attested per Requirement C).
  • For Trade Name: Attested Franchise Agreement (attested per Requirement C).

Final Step: Newspaper publication notifying of the name change.

Add/Remove Officer (Manager, Director, Company Secretary)

Details: An FZ-LLC must maintain at least one Manager and one Director. A Branch must maintain at least one Manager.

Requirements:
  • Application Form.
  • For new appointments: Provide Standard KYC Documents (Requirement A).
  • Shareholder/Board Resolution approving the change (attested per Requirement C).
Share Transfer (FZ-LLC Only)
Requirements:
  • Application Form.
  • For new individual shareholders/UBOs: Provide Standard KYC Documents (Requirement A).
  • For new corporate shareholders: Provide Standard Corporate Documents (Requirement B).
  • Shareholder Resolution of the SHCC FZ-LLC approving the transfer (attested per Requirement C).
  • Board Resolution from any corporate shareholder (buyer or seller) approving the transaction (attested per Requirement C).
  • Instrument of Transfer (to be signed at SHCC offices).
Capital Increase (FZ-LLC Only)
Requirements:
  • Application Form.
  • Shareholder Resolution approving the capital increase (attested per Requirement C).
  • Confirmation of capital injection (e.g., certificate from a local bank or a Sharjah-licensed company auditor).
  • If introducing new shareholders:
    • Provide Standard KYC Documents (A) for new individuals.
    • Provide Standard Corporate Documents (B) for new corporates.
    • Submit an updated Hierarchical Shareholding Chart.
Capital Decrease (FZ-LLC Only)
Requirements:
  • Application Form.
  • Shareholder Resolution approving the capital decrease (attested per Requirement C).
  • Newspaper publication notifying of the capital decrease (for creditor protection).
Change Financial Year (FZ-LLC Only)
Requirements:
  • Application Form.
  • Shareholder Resolution approving the new financial year (attested per Requirement C).
Amend Company Address (Affects License)

Details: This is handled automatically as part of the official lease process for adding or removing a unit.

Requirements:
  • Submit relevant lease amendment documents to the leasing department.
  • Upon approval and payment, the updated lease and license will be issued.

Need Help?

If you need assistance with license renewal or amendments:

SHCC Support:
• Email: lease-licensing@shcc.gov.ae
• Phone: +971 6 5091666
• Office Hours: Monday to Thursday, 8:00 AM - 14:30 PM
Note: Though our office hours are till 16:00, from 14:30 PM the office time is reserved for internal processing.