Representative Office in the UAE
What it may and may not do
Free zone activity lists describe a representative office as an office set up by an international company to promote its products and services, boost business or facilitate agreements between the parent and its customers. It is not allowed to trade or to enter into commercial transactions and deals by itself.3
Ministerial Decision No. 138 of 2024 covers representative offices, regional liaison offices, management offices and banking representative offices. The office must carry the foreign company's name, and each extra office must be licensed and registered.1
Since the 2025 amendments to the Commercial Companies Law, companies in free zones and financial free zones can also work on the mainland through branches or representative offices.4
Registering on the mainland
| Step | What happens |
|---|---|
| Initial approval | Apply to the Ministry with a trade name reservation, the local authority's initial approval, the parent's attested certificate and its board decision. Valid for eight months. |
| Licence | Get the licence from the local licensing authority within those eight months. |
| Registration | Register with the Ministry within one month of the licence. The certificate is valid for one year. |
| Renewal | Renew within the month before expiry. Registration not renewed for two years in a row is deleted. |
Source: Ministerial Decision No. 138 of 2024 on branches and offices of foreign companies1
The Ministry charges AED 3,500 for initial approval and AED 7,500 for registration, and processes the registration in one working day. Representative offices do not need the auditor appointment letter that branches must submit. Missing the one-month deadline brings an AED 100,000 fine.2
Foreign documents must be attested abroad and translated into Arabic by a certified translator in the UAE; the Ministry allows up to three months to complete attestation on a temporary registration.1
Representative office or branch?
| Question | Representative office | Branch |
|---|---|---|
| Can it trade and invoice customers? | No | Yes, within its licensed activity |
| Auditor appointment letter at registration | Not needed | Needed |
| Ministry fees | AED 3,500 + AED 7,500 | AED 3,500 + AED 7,500 |
Source: DMCC activity list (published on u.ae); Ministry of Economy and Tourism: Foreign entity branch registration3,2
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a representative office in the UAE sell or invoice?
No. It may promote the parent company and support deals, but it may not trade or sign deals itself. Use a branch or a company to trade.
Sources
- Ministerial Decision No. 138 of 2024 on branches and offices of foreign companies
- Ministry of Economy and Tourism: Foreign entity branch registration
- DMCC activity list (published on u.ae)
- Ministry of Economy and Tourism: Amendments to the Commercial Companies Law
- UAE Government Portal: Steps to start a business on the mainland
Figures checked 21 October 2026. Prepared by Invest-Emirates.ae for general information. It is not investment, tax or legal advice; please confirm details with a qualified adviser before acting.