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KEY FACT: Dubai businesses can be searched online through Invest in Dubai using a license number, Dubai Unified Licence (DUL) number, or business name. For businesses elsewhere in the UAE, use the relevant licensing authority or the National Economic Register (NER).
For a Dubai business, use the official Invest in Dubai license search. You can search using the license number, Dubai Unified Licence (DUL) number, English business name, or Arabic business name.
If the company is registered in another emirate, use its relevant economic department or the UAE's National Economic Register.
The official Invest in Dubai platform provides a “Search License Information” service. It currently allows searches by license number, DUL number, English business name or Arabic business name.
| Business location | Recommended search route |
|---|---|
| Dubai Mainland | Invest in Dubai |
| Dubai Free Zone | Invest in Dubai/DUL or relevant free zone authority |
| Abu Dhabi | Abu Dhabi economic licensing services/TAMM |
| Sharjah | Sharjah economic development services |
| Ajman | Ajman DED eServices |
| Ras Al Khaimah | Relevant RAK licensing authority |
| Fujairah | Fujairah Municipality/economic licensing services |
| Umm Al Quwain | Relevant UAQ licensing authority |
| UAE-wide search | National Economic Register |
The UAE Government identifies NER and individual emirate licensing authorities as official channels for verifying business licenses.
For a Dubai Mainland company, the primary online search route is Invest in Dubai, which is operated through Dubai's business licensing ecosystem. The platform lets users search business information using a business name or DUL number, alongside other available identifiers.
For a broader UAE search, use the National Economic Register (NER). It provides information on economic licenses recorded by government authorities and supports searches relating to businesses and economic activities.
For Abu Dhabi companies, use the emirate's official economic licensing services through TAMM/Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development. Abu Dhabi confirms that economic licensing services are available through TAMM.
For Sharjah businesses, use the relevant Sharjah economic development services. The UAE Government's official business-license verification page lists Sharjah's licensing authority among the available channels.
For Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain, use the respective emirate's licensing authority or NER. Ajman, for example, provides an online trade license inquiry service that allows searches by license number or trade name.
Free zone businesses can have licensing records maintained by their respective free zone authority. Dubai's newer Dubai Unified Licence (DUL) framework provides a single source of business information covering both mainland and free zone businesses in Dubai.
For a specific free zone, however, it is still sensible to cross-check the record with the issuing authority where required.
Depending on the portal, you may be able to search using:
Invest in Dubai specifically lists license number, DUL number and English or Arabic business name as search options.
Depending on the available record, a search can help establish the business's registered identity and licensing information.
For certain Dubai licensing records, official search results can include:
Dubai Land Department's separate trade-license search, for example, displays company, license, issue and expiry information for licenses within its records.
Company: ABC Trading LLC
License Number: 123456
Issue Date: 15 January 2026
Expiry Date: 14 January 2027
Activities: General Trading
Status: Verify through the relevant official authority
*Example for illustration only; actual fields vary by authority.*
DMCC trade license: Use the relevant DMCC business or public-register services to verify a DMCC entity and its available registration information.
DIFC company license: DIFC maintains a public register of current and past company registrations, allowing public access to relevant company information.
JAFZA trade license: JAFZA businesses in Dubai fall within the DUL framework, which is designed to provide accessible business information across Dubai's mainland and free zones.
IFZA trade license: For IFZA businesses, use the relevant IFZA records and Dubai's applicable DUL information where available. For detailed licensing confirmation, cross-check with the issuing free zone.
Other Dubai free zones: Use the free zone's official portal or the applicable Dubai business-search channel. Avoid assuming that a license issued by one free zone can be fully verified through another authority's portal.
NER is the UAE's federal business-license information platform. It integrates information from licensing authorities and allows users to enquire about economic licenses, activities and trade names.
Search options can include:
First, check whether:
If the record still cannot be located, contact the issuing authority rather than assuming the business is unregistered.
A basic online search is a useful first check, but authenticity should be assessed against the official government record.
Compare:
A mismatch should be clarified with the issuing authority before entering into a significant commercial relationship.
A trade license check usually means looking up a business record and viewing available information.
Trade license verification goes further by comparing the information against the official record and confirming that the document and business details correspond.
For supplier onboarding, contracts, investments or major transactions, verification is more useful than simply finding a company name online.
Before signing a contract or transferring significant funds, check:
A trade license confirms registration information, but it should not be treated as proof that every commercial claim made by a business is legitimate.
Yes, official online inquiry services can provide license information without requiring a paid third-party verification service. For example, Invest in Dubai provides a public license-information search.
Additional services or official documents may have separate fees.
A public search does not necessarily mean you can download the company's official license certificate. A company owner or authorised user may need to access the relevant government or free zone account to obtain the official document.
| Point | Mainland | Free Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Issuing authority | Dubai licensing authority | Relevant free zone |
| Dubai search | Invest in Dubai | DUL/Invest in Dubai or free zone |
| License number | Authority-specific | Authority-specific |
| DUL | Applicable in Dubai | Applicable in Dubai |
| Detailed records | Official authority | The issuing free zone may provide additional records |
Dubai's DUL framework is designed to provide a common digital business identity across mainland and free zone companies.
| Problem | Likely reason | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| No company found | Wrong name/number | Recheck details |
| Dubai search shows nothing | Free zone or authority issue | Check issuing authority |
| Name differs | Legal/trade name difference | Search using license/DUL number |
| Old information | Recent amendment | Recheck later or contact authority |
| License appears expired | Renewal may be pending | Confirm current status |
| Certificate differs from result | Document mismatch | Request clarification |
Before relying on a search result, verify:
Use Invest in Dubai and search using the business name, license number, DUL number, or available registered information.
Search the official Invest in Dubai license service using the company's English or Arabic business name.
Enter the license number into Invest in Dubai's official Search License Information service.
Use the relevant licensing authority's official inquiry service and review the current license information.
Search the license and compare its displayed expiry information with the current license certificate.
Search the license through the relevant official portal and review the displayed expiry date.
Search its official business record and review the available license status and validity information.
Verify the company's details through Invest in Dubai or the relevant Dubai licensing authority.
Use the National Economic Register or the relevant emirate's official licensing authority.
Use official government inquiry services such as NER or the relevant emirate's licensing platform.
The license number appears on the official trade license certificate issued by the licensing authority.
Search the company's registered name through Invest in Dubai and review the available license information.
It is displayed on the official license certificate alongside the company's registration and licensing details.
It is an identifier assigned by the relevant licensing authority to a registered business license.
A DUL identifies a Dubai business across mainland and free zones, while license numbers are authority-specific.
Check your official certificate, company records, licensing portal, or contact the issuing authority for assistance.
Yes, Invest in Dubai supports searches using English or Arabic business names.
Checking a UAE trade license online is straightforward when you use the right authority. For Dubai businesses, Invest in Dubai and the DUL framework provide important search options, while companies elsewhere can be checked through their emirate's licensing authority or the National Economic Register.
For important commercial decisions, don't stop at finding a company name. Compare the official license information, validity, activities and identifiers with the documents provided by the business before moving forward. Learn more about the trade license in Dubai. Reach out to us at Arnifi today!
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