UAE Company Search Guide 2026: How to Verify a Business in the United Arab Emirates

TL;DR. The UAE has no single national business registry. Mainland companies register with their emirate’s Department of Economic Development (DED). Free zone companies register with that free zone’s authority. DIFC and ADGM operate independent common-law registers with public search portals. The UAE was removed from the FATF grey list in February 2024. Most registry portals are in English. Costs range from free to AED 250 for certified extracts.

What is the official UAE business registry?

The UAE does not have one central company registry. The country operates a multi-layered licensing and registration system that reflects its federal structure and the legal autonomy granted to free zones.

Federal level. The Ministry of Economy (economy.gov.ae) oversees trade licensing policy and foreign investment regulations for the mainland. It does not maintain a publicly searchable national company database, but it publishes policy guidance and coordinates the foreign investment framework under the Commercial Companies Law (Federal Decree-Law No. 32 of 2021).

Emirate level (mainland). Each emirate’s Department of Economic Development (DED) is the licensing authority for companies on the mainland. Key DEDs include the Dubai Economy and Tourism (DET) department, Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED), and equivalents in Sharjah, Ras Al Khaimah, Ajman, Fujairah, and Umm Al Quwain. A mainland trade license is issued by the emirate where the company is incorporated.

Free zones. The UAE hosts over 45 free zone authorities, each operating under its own regulatory framework. The most relevant for international compliance work include:

• DIFC (Dubai International Financial Centre) at difc.com, regulated by the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA). Operates a separate common-law jurisdiction with its own company register, court system, and Companies Law. Public register searchable at https://www.difc.ae/public-register/.
• ADGM (Abu Dhabi Global Market) at adgm.com, regulated by the Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA). Also operates as a common-law jurisdiction with a public commercial register at https://www.adgm.com/public-registers.
• DMCC (Dubai Multi Commodities Centre) at dmcc.ae. The UAE’s largest free zone by company count, covering trading and commodities.
• JAFZA (Jebel Ali Free Zone Authority), RAKEZ (Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone), and Sharjah International Airport Free Zone among many others.

For compliance buyers, the registry to query depends entirely on where the target company holds its license.

What can you search?

DIFC Public Register (free, no account required):

• Company name, registration number, company type, incorporation date, and current status
• Registered office address within DIFC
• Names of directors and authorized signatories (limited disclosure for private companies)
• Branch of a foreign company status if applicable

ADGM Commercial Register (free, no account required):

• Company name and registration number
• Current status (active, dissolved, suspended)
• Company type (private company limited by shares, protected cell company, branch, etc.)
• Registered agent details

Dubai DED / Tasheel portal (paid, account required for full documents):

• Trade license number verification and status
• Licensed activities listed on the trade license
• Trade name registration confirmation
• Certified Trade License Certificate (AED 50-200 depending on service channel)

Abu Dhabi ADDED portal:

• Commercial license verification
• Licensed activities and establishment card details
• Certified license extract

Ministry of Economy national trademark and commercial name register:

• Trade name availability search across UAE mainland (free public search)

For AML and compliance purposes, DIFC and ADGM are the most transparent registers because they are common-law jurisdictions modeled on English company law with standardized disclosure requirements.

How much does it cost?

Prices are based on published fee schedules from the respective authorities as of May 2026. The AED/USD conversion used is approximately 0.272 (AED is pegged to USD). Fees vary by emirate and service channel (online vs. counter vs. typing center).

Do you need a local account or ID?

For the DIFC Public Register and ADGM Commercial Register, no account and no UAE identity document are required. Both are publicly accessible online.

For mainland DED portals, basic trade license status checks are available without an account. Ordering a certified Trade License Certificate or other formal documents requires registration on the relevant DED portal (e.g., Dubai’s Tasheel/DED Trader portal or ADDED’s portal). Account creation requires an email address. UAE Pass (the national digital identity) is used by UAE residents but is not required for foreign applicants accessing basic services.

For paid extracts and certified documents through DED channels, a non-resident foreign buyer can typically register with a passport and email address. Some DED services require in-person collection via an authorized typing center in the UAE, which makes remote access for foreigners to certain documents impractical without a local representative.

Is the website in English?

Yes. The UAE business environment is fully bilingual in Arabic and English, and this is reflected in the digital portals.

The DIFC Public Register and ADGM Commercial Register are primarily in English, reflecting their common-law heritage. Document output is in English.

The Dubai DED portals (Dubai Economy and Tourism) offer English language interfaces. Trade license certificates are issued bilingually (Arabic/English).

The Ministry of Economy portal at economy.gov.ae is available in both Arabic and English.

Abu Dhabi ADDED portals are bilingual. Some secondary service pages default to Arabic.

What’s the turnaround time?

DIFC and ADGM public register searches are instant, available online at any time.

Mainland DED trade license status checks are instant via the online portals.

Certified Trade License Certificates from Dubai DED are typically issued within 1-3 business days when ordered online via Tasheel. Counter applications at authorized typing centers may be completed the same day or within 24 hours.

Abu Dhabi ADDED certified extracts typically take 1-3 business days.

DMCC company certificates can be ordered through the DMCC portal with a processing time of 1-2 business days.

Is there an API?

No public API is available from the UAE’s mainland DED registries. The Dubai Economy portal and Abu Dhabi ADDED portal do not publish open APIs for company data queries.

DIFC offers structured data access for licensed entities through the DFSA regulatory data program, but this is not a public API.

ADGM has partnered with commercial data providers to distribute company status data, accessible via commercial agreements rather than a free public API.

Commercial data suppliers such as CRIF Gulf and Dun & Bradstreet UAE offer API access to UAE company data built on registry and supplementary commercial sources.

What you legally cannot do

UAE data protection law (Federal Decree-Law No. 45 of 2021 on Personal Data Protection, “PDPL”) applies to the processing of personal data of natural persons. Director names and shareholder information extracted from UAE company records are personal data subject to the PDPL when processed by a private entity.

DIFC and ADGM have their own data protection regimes (DIFC Law No. 5 of 2020 and ADGM Data Protection Regulations 2021), both modeled closely on GDPR. Processing UBO and director data from DIFC or ADGM records requires a lawful basis under these frameworks.

Automated bulk downloading of registry records from DED portals, the DIFC Public Register, or the ADGM Commercial Register is not permitted under their respective terms of use.

UAE AML/CFT obligations are set by Federal Decree-Law No. 20 of 2018. DNFBPs and financial institutions must conduct customer due diligence and verify beneficial ownership. The UAE Financial Intelligence Unit (uaefiu.gov.ae) is the central AML authority.

The UAE was placed on the FATF grey list in March 2022 and removed in February 2024 following AML/CFT reforms, as confirmed at fatf-gafi.org. Enhanced due diligence requirements applied by correspondent banks during the grey-list period have been progressively unwound since removal.

Practical tips for foreign users

• Determine the licensing emirate first. There is no single national company record. A company’s authoritative record sits with the DED (mainland) or free zone authority where it holds its license. Identify the licensing authority before searching, as querying the wrong portal will return no results.
• Distinguish mainland from free zone. A free zone company (e.g., DIFC, ADGM, DMCC) and a mainland company are legally distinct and governed by different laws. A DIFC-incorporated entity is NOT on the Dubai DED register. Verify whether the entity’s license is mainland, free zone, or offshore (e.g., RAK ICC or JAFZA offshore company).
• Use the license/registration number as the primary identifier. Trade license numbers (format varies by emirate) and DIFC/ADGM registration numbers are the stable identifiers. Company names can change, transliteration from Arabic varies, and common names (e.g., “Al Noor Trading”) are not unique.
• Ownership structure changed in 2021. Federal Decree-Law No. 26 of 2020 (effective June 2021) amended the Commercial Companies Law to allow 100% foreign ownership of mainland companies in most sectors. Prior to this, mainland companies typically required a UAE national shareholder holding at least 51%. Legacy companies may still have the old structure if they have not converted. Verify current shareholding, not just the year of incorporation.
• DIFC and ADGM are common-law jurisdictions. They operate under English common law with their own courts and appeals processes. A contract governed by “DIFC law” or an entity incorporated in DIFC is legally distinct from UAE federal law. Compliance analysis for these entities follows English-law corporate disclosure norms, including registered charges, director duties, and company filings.
• Free zone offshore companies. RAK International Corporate Centre (RAK ICC) and JAFZA Offshore register offshore companies that have no physical UAE presence. These appear in their respective registers but have limited public disclosure. They are commonly used for holding structures and may appear in UBO chains for mainland or free zone operating companies.

Alternatives if you cannot access the registry directly

The UAE’s fragmented registry structure makes it genuinely difficult to conduct a thorough company search without knowing the licensing emirate and authority.

• DIFC and ADGM public registers are accessible internationally without any account. For entities licensed in these jurisdictions, the registers provide reliable English-language status information at no cost.
• Local data suppliers (see section below): CRIF Gulf, Dun & Bradstreet UAE, and Creditinfo UAE all offer packaged company intelligence reports that aggregate data across emirates and free zones, eliminating the need to navigate individual portals.
• Commercial typing centers and PRO services in the UAE: Local document clearing agents (PRO services) can retrieve mainland DED documents on behalf of foreign clients. This is a standard commercial service widely available in the UAE.

Local data suppliers

If you need a packaged report rather than a raw registry extract, the following providers cover the UAE market:

• Dun & Bradstreet UAE (dnb.com/ae). Global data and analytics provider with established UAE coverage. Offers D-U-N-S registered company reports, credit risk scoring, beneficial ownership data aggregation, and compliance screening for UAE entities across mainland and major free zones. Widely used by multinationals for counterparty KYC and supplier due diligence.
• Creditinfo UAE (creditinfo.ae). Creditinfo Group’s UAE operation. Provides commercial credit reports covering UAE-registered businesses, payment behavior analytics, director and connected-company profiling, and risk scoring. Focused on financial institutions and credit-granting businesses operating in the UAE and Gulf region.
• CRIF Gulf (crif.com). Regional office of CRIF S.p.A., a global credit and business information group. Covers UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, and Kuwait. Provides business information reports, credit scoring, decision analytics, and fraud prevention tools. Strong coverage of SME and corporate entities across the GCC.
• DIFC Authority data feed (difc.com). For institutions requiring programmatic access to DIFC company data, the DIFC Authority offers commercial data partnership arrangements for licensed entities operating within DIFC. Not available to the general public; requires engagement with DIFC’s Registry Services team.

FAQ

Does the UAE have a single national company registry?

No. Mainland companies are licensed by the DED of each emirate (Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ras Al Khaimah, etc.). Free zone companies are registered with their respective free zone authority. DIFC and ADGM maintain separate common-law registers. There is no single national portal that covers all UAE-licensed entities.

Is the UAE on the FATF grey list?

No. The UAE was placed on the FATF grey list (Jurisdictions Under Increased Monitoring) in March 2022 following concerns about AML/CFT framework gaps. After implementing over 60 action plan items, the UAE was formally removed from the FATF grey list in February 2024. The current status can be verified at fatf-gafi.org.

What is the difference between a mainland company and a free zone company in the UAE?

A mainland company is licensed by an emirate DED and governed by UAE federal commercial law (Federal Decree-Law No. 32 of 2021). It can conduct business anywhere in the UAE including with the government. A free zone company is licensed by the relevant free zone authority and may only conduct business within the free zone or internationally (it requires a mainland agent or additional license to trade directly with mainland UAE). DIFC and ADGM also operate under English common law and have separate courts.

Can a foreign company search UAE registries without a UAE identity document?

Yes for DIFC and ADGM public registers. No Emirates ID or UAE National ID is required. For mainland DED certified documents, account registration with an email address suffices for online ordering in most cases, though some services require in-person collection within the UAE.

Where can I find UBO information for a UAE company?

There is no publicly searchable national UBO register. UAE AML regulations require reporting institutions to verify beneficial ownership under Federal Decree-Law No. 20 of 2018. Beneficial ownership data for mainland companies is held by the Ministry of Economy and emirate authorities. DIFC and ADGM maintain UBO registers accessible to regulators and obligated entities. Commercial suppliers such as CRIF Gulf aggregate UBO data from filings and commercial sources.

What company types exist in the UAE?

Mainland forms include the Limited Liability Company (LLC), Private Joint Stock Company, Public Joint Stock Company (PJSC), Sole Establishment, and Civil Company. Free zone forms vary by authority; DIFC uses Private Company Limited by Shares, Protected Cell Company, and Branch. ADGM uses equivalent English-law forms. Offshore vehicles include RAK ICC Offshore and JAFZA Offshore.

How do I verify a trade license number?

Each DED provides an online license verification tool. Dubai: search at https://eservices.det.gov.ae (Dubai Economy and Tourism). Abu Dhabi: search at https://www.tamm.abudhabi (TAMM digital portal). Most accept the trade license number and return current validity status without requiring an account.

Last verified: May 2026. Sources: UAE Ministry of Economy (economy.gov.ae), DIFC Authority (difc.ae), ADGM Registration Authority (adgm.com), FATF (fatf-gafi.org), UAE Federal Decree-Law No. 32 of 2021 (Commercial Companies Law), UAE Federal Decree-Law No. 20 of 2018 (AML Law).