No minimum
Share capital is set by the shareholders themselves. The law requires 'sufficient capital,' not a fixed floor.
Updated for the 2025 CCL changes
The Memorandum of Association (MOA) in Dubai
What the MOA covers, what it costs, and how the October 2025 company-law amendment changes multi-partner LLCs, drag-along rights, and re-domiciliation.
Reviewed against the current CCL text.
Federal Decree-Law No. 32/2021, amended 2025
Legal fileMOA Dubai
What is a Memorandum of Association?
The contract that sets out ownership, capital and management, drafted in Arabic under Federal Decree-Law No. 32 of 2021.
CCL 2021Governing law, amended 2025
ArabicMandatory drafting language
25%UBO ownership/voting trigger
Start here
What the law actually requires
At a glance
Indefinite
Duration is whatever the shareholders write in. Most MOAs run indefinitely rather than for a fixed term.
Arabic
The MOA must be drafted in Arabic for DET submission. Some free zones accept a bilingual version.
15 Oct 2025
The date Federal Decree-Law No. 20 of 2025 took effect, adding multi-class shares and a re-domiciliation route.
The fit check
Do you actually need an MOA?
Two structures on this page don't need one at all. Confirm which side you're on before you draft anything.
Recommended
MOA required4 signs
You need one if
- You're forming an LLC with two or more ownersThe MOA sets capital, management, and dispute resolution.
- You're forming a Civil Company partnershipTwo or more licensed professionals need one to partner.
- You're a single shareholder LLC, an OPCA One Person Company is still a CCL entity, and it needs one.
- Your shareholders include a foreign companyCorporate shareholders need an attested parent MOA on file.
No MOA needed4 signs
You may not need one if
- You're a true Sole EstablishmentAn individual license, not a company under the CCL.
- You hold a solo professional licenseA Local Service Agent agreement covers this instead.
- You haven't decided your structure yetCheck the comparison table below first.
- You're registering a branchA branch works from the parent's own constitutional documents.
Which document
MOA or Articles of Association: it depends on jurisdiction
Both documents do the same job: set out who owns the company and how it's run. Which one governs depends on where you incorporate.
| Factor | Mainland LLC | Standard Free Zone | DIFC / ADGM |
|---|---|---|---|
| Governing document | MOA | MOA (often w/ AoA terms) | Articles of Association |
| Legal tradition | Civil law | Civil law | Common law |
| Language | Arabic mandatory | Arabic mandatory | English |
| Notarization | Required, Dubai Courts | Required, DED/zone | No public notary |
| Typical cost | AED 100-15,000 | Per zone template | Per zone template |
| Amendment process | Re-notarize, DET filing | Re-notarize, filing | Registrar filing |
What you'll need
Documents required
Notarizing your MOA needs the same core paperwork whether you're a solo founder or a multi-country group of corporate shareholders.
Per shareholder
Identity documents
Passport copy
Valid 6+ months, clear color scan, every shareholder.
Emirates ID or entry stamp
Current residence visa or visit-entry stamp page.
NOC from current sponsor
Needed if you're on a UAE employment visa.
About the company
Company details
Trade name reservation
Three name options, DET naming rules apply.
Shareholder structure
Names, nationalities, and share split.
Business activity list
The activities you'll actually license.
Corporate shareholders
Parent-company file
Attested parent trade license
Home country, UAE embassy, then MOFA.
Attested parent MOA or AoA
Translated, attested the same three-step way.
Board resolution
Approves the new Dubai entity and names a signatory.
Foreign documents need three signatures
Anything issued outside the UAE (a parent company's trade license, its MOA, a board resolution) needs three stamps before DET or your free zone authority accepts it: the home country's foreign ministry, the UAE embassy there, and the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs once the document lands here. Skip one stamp and the file gets rejected outright, not flagged for a quick fix.
Check passport validity early. Anything under six months left won't clear DET before you even start.
Match the activity list to reality. Wrong activity codes are the single biggest cause of later amendment fees.
Keep a certified copy for the bank. Your bank will ask for the notarized MOA before opening an account.
Transparent pricing
What MOA notarisation costs
Notary fees follow Cabinet Resolution No. 19 of 2024, not a guess. Here's every line, government and service fee shown separately.
AED 4,770
Standard LLC MOA · 2 shareholders
Annual renewal
AED 0
Liability
Limited
You get every line item before you pay a single dirham toward notarization.
Itemized breakdownAmount
Trade name reservation
DET naming approval
MOA notarization
Scales with capital (Res. 19/2024)
Attestation (if foreign)
Home country, embassy, MOFA
Drafting & legal review
Future amendment (if needed)
Ownership or capital change later
AED 4,770
Government fee · at costDMCS service · fixed
Fees cited, not guessed
Every government figure traces to Cabinet Resolution No. 19 of 2024, not a rough estimate.
Government vs. service, separated
You see exactly what's a state fee and what's our fee. Nothing is bundled to hide the split.
No surprise amendment costs
We flag if your structure is likely to need a re-notarization within the first year.
The process
Drafting to notarized MOA
Eight stages, from choosing the structure through drafting and notarising the MOA to the trade licence that follows.
8 stagesSame-day notarizationAED 2,620 typical
- 1
Choose your structure
Day 1Decide LLC, Civil Company, or Sole Establishment first. This single choice decides whether you need an MOA at all, and which jurisdiction's rules apply.
Structure confirmed - 2
Draft the MOA
Day 1-3Capital, objects, management, and the mandatory dispute-resolution clause go in. Get the object clause wrong and your bank account application stalls later.
Draft MOAClause checklist - 3
Gather shareholder documents
Day 2-4Passports and Emirates IDs for individuals; attested trade license and MOA for corporate shareholders, each cleared through three stamps if issued abroad.
Shareholder file complete - 4
Book the notary
Day 4Dubai Courts, a licensed private notary, or the Ministry of Justice e-Notary platform for eligible documents. All carry the same legal weight.
Appointment booked - 5
Sign and notarize
Day 4-5All shareholders sign in person, or through a properly attested power of attorney. The notary verifies identity and applies the official seal.
Notarized MOA - 6
Submit to DET or the free zone authority
Day 5-6The notarized MOA goes into your license application alongside the trade name reservation and initial approval.
Application submitted - 7
Commercial registry update
Day 6-8The authority records the MOA against your company file. This is what a bank checks before opening an account.
Registry updated - 8
Trade license issued
Day 7-10You're licensed. Keep the notarized MOA on hand; you'll need a certified copy for banking and visa steps that follow.
Trade licenseCertified MOA copy - Typically 7-10 business days
MOA notarized and filed
Company registered, MOA on file, ready for licensing and banking.
Who approves your MOA
Four bodies touch your MOA before your company is fully licensed and bankable. Here's who does what, and when you'll meet them.
| Authority | What they do | When you meet them | Key output |
|---|---|---|---|
| DET / DED | Reviews the MOA against your licensed activities. | Before license issuance | Trade license |
| Free zone authority | Reviews your MOA or Articles against its own template. | During registration | Zone registration |
| Dubai Courts / MOJ | Verifies signatory identity and legal validity. | At notarization | Notarized MOA |
| MOFA | Confirms a foreign parent company's documents are genuine. | Before submission, if applicable | Attested documents |
| Bank | Runs its own KYC review against the notarized MOA. | After licensing | Corporate account |
- DET / DEDApproves your activity and issues the trade license.You meet them:Before license issuance
- Free zone authorityDIFC, DMCC, ADGM, or your chosen zone's registrar.You meet them:During registration
- Dubai Courts / MOJNotarizes the MOA and applies the official seal.You meet them:At notarization
- MOFAAttests foreign-issued corporate documents.You meet them:Before submission, if applicable
- BankOpens your account once the MOA is on file.You meet them:After licensing
Stay compliant
What your MOA has to get right under the 2025 amendment
Two obligations sit directly inside your MOA's text.
Two-partner LLC? This is your whole list.
Multi-class shares and re-domiciliation only apply if you've negotiated them.
Ultimate Beneficial Owner (UBO) declaration
TriggerAny individual owning or controlling 25% or more of shares or voting rights
Governed byCabinet Resolution No. 109 of 2023
Risk: Fines up to AED 100,000 and possible license suspension, per Cabinet Decision No. 132/2023
ActionConfirm your MOA's ownership percentages match your UBO register exactly
Mandatory dispute-resolution clause
RequirementThe MOA must state how disputes between the company and its managers or shareholders are settled
Governed byFederal Decree-Law No. 32/2021, as amended
Risk: A missing or vague clause is a common cause of notarization delay
ActionName UAE courts or DIAC arbitration explicitly, don't leave it silent
Avoid these
The errors that get an MOA rejected or rewritten, and the fix for each one.
Governance
Side agreement contradicts the MOA
UAE courts read the notarized MOA as the final word. A side letter promising something different has no standing.
Do this instead: put any real arrangement into the MOA itself, or a shareholders' agreement that doesn't conflict with it.
Clauses
Missing the dispute-resolution clause
The CCL requires the MOA to state how disputes between the company and its managers or shareholders get settled.
Do this instead: name UAE courts or DIAC arbitration explicitly before you file.
Activities
Wrong or outdated DED activity codes
Banks and DET both check your MOA's object clause against what you actually do, not what you filed years ago.
Do this instead: match the object clause to your real revenue before notarization.
Timing
Letting the initial approval lapse
Validity windows are short and vary by authority, so a delayed notarization can force a full re-application.
Do this instead: confirm the exact expiry with DET or your free zone authority at filing, and notarize before it lapses.
Drafting
Self-drafting without checking the 2025 amendment
If your shareholders want multi-class shares or drag-along rights, the MOA has to reflect the 2025 provisions, not the 2021 template.
Do this instead: confirm which version of the CCL your clauses are written against.
Choose your structure
Which entity are you actually forming?
MOA requirements diverge by structure. Find yours below.
If you areTwo or more partners running a trading or services businessRecommendedLLC, the most common structureIf you areA single owner incorporating with limited liabilityRecommendedOne Person Company (LLC)If you areTwo or more licensed professionals partneringRecommendedCivil CompanyIf you areRunning solo without a separate legal entityRecommendedSole Establishment, no MOA neededIf you areExpanding a foreign company into DubaiRecommendedBranch Office
Why choose us
Your MOA, read line by line
We cite the actual law
Every clause and fee in your MOA is checked against the current CCL text and the October 2025 amendment, not a template from 2021 that's since changed.
We separate government and service fees
You see the Cabinet Resolution 19/2024 notary fee and our drafting fee as two separate lines, never bundled to hide which is which.
We catch the clause that gets you rejected
The mandatory dispute-resolution clause is the single most common cause of a stalled notarization. We check it before you file, not after a rejection.
One desk from draft to bank account
The same team drafts your MOA, notarizes it, and carries it through to your corporate bank account introduction.
No obligation, no sales pressureGovernment fees quoted at cost, alwaysEvery clause checked against current law
Get your MOA drafted and notarized, correctly.
Send us your shareholder structure and we return an itemized quote: government notary fees at cost, our drafting fee shown separately, and confirmation of which clauses your 2025-amendment provisions actually need.
No obligationTransparent pricing, zero hidden fees100% privacy guaranteed
Related reading
Explore the structures and costs behind your MOA
Real results from our clients
What our clients say about working with us
Real Google reviews from founders we have set up and kept compliant on the Dubai mainland.
A
Abdul Sami3 months ago
Thank you to the team for supporting us with our company setup. Our case was not straightforward, especially the bank account opening, but they stayed committed and got it done.
P
Paolo Chua8 months ago
I had a great experience opening a corporate bank account. The process was smooth and efficient. The staff were friendly, professional, and explained everything clearly.
A
Amy Elliott Dunne4 months ago
The accounting and bookkeeping service has been exceptional. Attention to detail is impressive, and communication is always clear. Tasks are handled promptly.
R
Rashed Al Falasi5 months ago
They confirmed our activity grouping before filing and flagged an issue the bank would have raised. Licensed in under two weeks with no surprises on the invoice.
M
Marwa Khalil2 months ago
We came for a mainland LLC and stayed for renewals and PRO work. The same team answers the phone after the license is issued, which is rare here.
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