"Is this company legit?" is a fair question to ask about any Dubai business before you sign or pay: a supplier asking for a deposit, a setup agent, a property broker, or a law firm. Most of what you need is public. The trick is knowing which register to look in, because the UAE does not have one company registry for everything. This guide walks through the check in the order we would do it ourselves, then covers the extra layer that applies to lawyers.
Start with the licence, not the website
Every business operating legally in Dubai holds a trade licence (called a commercial licence in some free zones). Ask for a copy before anything else. It shows:
- the exact legal name, including the suffix (LLC, FZ-LLC, FZCO, Branch)
- the licence number
- the issuing authority
- the expiry date
- the licensed activities
The issuing authority is the key detail, because it tells you where to verify. A mainland Dubai company is licensed by the Department of Economy and Tourism (DET). A free zone company is licensed by its zone: DMCC, DIFC, the Dubai Development Authority (which licenses Dubai Media City, Dubai Internet City and neighbouring zones), and many others. If you are unsure what these differences mean for you as a customer, our mainland vs free zone guide explains it.
A company that will not share its licence has answered your question.
Dubai trade licence check: where to look
A PDF can be edited, and an expired licence looks the same as a valid one. Verify against the source.
Mainland Dubai (DET)
DET runs a Search License Information service on the Invest in Dubai platform. You can search by licence number or by company name. The UAE government portal u.ae lists the Dubai licence information search alongside the federal tools on one page: Verify business licences.
Federal: National Economic Register
The Ministry of Economy and Tourism operates the National Economic Register (NER), a federal platform where you can enquire about economic licences, business activities and trade names. The Ministry also offers an "Enquire About Commercial Companies Licence" service for a company's details or file, with no fee listed, accessed through its online account.
Free zones
Several zones publish their own registers:
- DIFC: a public register of companies on difc.com
- DMCC: a register of DMCC entities on dmcc.ae
- ADGM (Abu Dhabi): public registers on adgm.com
Where a zone has no convenient public search, ask for the licence and confirm it directly with that zone's registrar.
Financial services: registered is not the same as authorised
If someone offers you investment, brokerage or asset management from the DIFC, being on the company register is not enough. A company can be incorporated in the DIFC without holding a licence from the financial regulator. Check the DFSA public register for what the firm is actually authorised to do.
What to compare
| Check | What you are looking for |
|---|---|
| Name | Identical to the contract and invoice, suffix included. Near-identical names are a classic trick |
| Status | Active and not expired |
| Activities | The service they are selling you is on the licence. A consultancy licence does not cover trading goods; regulated services need regulator approval (see UAE licence types) |
| Payee | The bank account belongs to the licensed entity, not to an individual or a "partner company" |
| Address | Matches where they say they work |
Is there a real office?
Every licence carries an address. Behind it can be a full office or a desk in a business centre. A flexi-desk is a perfectly normal set-up for a small company (see office and flexi-desk options), so it is not a red flag by itself. What matters is whether the place you are invited to matches the documents, and whether you can actually go there.
For a firm taking a significant deposit or handling a legal matter, it is reasonable to expect a permanent office with people in it. If you are outside the UAE, ask for a video call from the office or a virtual walk-through.
Red flags
One on its own proves nothing. Two or three together are a reason to stop.
- No licence number on the website, contract or invoice, and excuses when asked for a copy
- The contracting name differs from the licence or the website
- Payment requested to a personal account, a different company, or in crypto "to save time"
- Pressure: "this price is valid today only"
- Guaranteed outcomes, whether in court, with a visa or with a bank
- Contact only through a messaging app, with no landline, address or surnames
- A very recent licence behind claims of "fifteen years in the market", with no explanation
For property purchases, add checks on the developer, the escrow account and the broker: see how to check a Dubai developer and broker fraud in Dubai.
How to check a law firm in Dubai
Lawyers in Dubai sit under an extra layer of regulation, and it gives you better tools than for most businesses.
Legal services require a Legal Affairs Department licence. Under the bylaws approved by Dubai Administrative Resolution No. 52 of 2022, legal services may be provided to the public only through a firm licensed by the Government of Dubai Legal Affairs Department (LAD). The bylaws also apply to firms in free zones such as the DIFC. A trade licence alone is not the whole picture.
Use the LAD directory. LAD publishes an Advocates and Legal Consultants Directory, searchable by the name of the lawyer or the firm. It excludes legal assistants, paralegals and PROs, as well as inactive, suspended or disbarred practitioners. LAD states that a listing is not an endorsement.
Know who can go to court. A legal consultancy firm may provide legal services except pleading and representing others before the Dubai Courts. If your matter may end up in court, ask directly who will appear for you and in what capacity.
Every consultant should be registered. A licensed legal consultancy firm must ensure its consultants are on the LAD roll as practising legal consultants.
Look at the wall. Firms must display their licence prominently, where anyone dealing with the firm can see it.
A reputable firm will answer these questions without hesitation. Evasion here tells you more than any website.
Check us the same way
We would rather you verify us than take our word for it:
- Legal entity: Lawera Legal Services LLC
- Licence number: 1640332
- Office: Office 1408, Concord Tower, Dubai Media City, Dubai
- Office phone: +971 4 585 7471, 10:00 to 19:00 Dubai time
We will send a copy of the licence on request. You can see the office without travelling in our 3D office tour, a model rebuilt from video footage of the real premises. More about the tour and booking a meeting is in visit our Dubai office online.
When a self-check is not enough
A quick licence check is enough before a small purchase or a first call. Before buying a stake in a company, paying a large advance or signing a long-term supply or joint venture agreement, you need proper due diligence: constitutional documents, the signatory's authority, litigation history and security interests. That is part of our legal support work.
This is a general framework, not advice on your transaction. Government services change their addresses and the data they show; confirm on the official sites on the date you rely on them.
Frequently asked questions
How do I check a company licence in Dubai by name?
For mainland companies, use DET's Search License Information service on Invest in Dubai, which accepts a company name or licence number. For free zone companies, search that zone's own register.
How do I check if a company is registered in the UAE, not just Dubai?
Start with the National Economic Register run by the Ministry of Economy and Tourism, then confirm with the issuing authority shown on the licence.
The company appears in the register. Does that make it legit?
It means it exists and is licensed, which is the minimum. Also check the licensed activities, who receives payment, the office and the people.
How do I know a Dubai lawyer is licensed?
Search the lawyer and the firm in the Legal Affairs Department directory, and ask who will represent you if the matter goes to court.
Sources
- u.ae, Verify business licences: https://u.ae/en/information-and-services/business/important-digital-services/inquire-about-licences-names-and-activities (checked 28.09.2026)
- u.ae, National Economic Register: https://u.ae/en/information-and-services/business/important-digital-services/national-economic-register (checked 28.09.2026)
- Ministry of Economy and Tourism, Enquire About Commercial Companies Licence: https://www.moet.gov.ae/en/w/enquire-about-commercial-companies%C2%A0-licence (checked 28.09.2026)
- Dubai Administrative Resolution No. 52 of 2022, bylaws on licensing advocacy and legal consultancy firms, arts. 5, 7, 15, 16: https://dlp.dubai.gov.ae/Legislation%20Reference/2022/Administrative%20Resolution%20No.%20(52)%20of%202022%20Approving%20the%20Bylaws%20Concerning%20the%20Licensing.html (checked 28.09.2026)
- Legal Affairs Department, Advocates and Legal Consultants Directory: https://legal.dubai.gov.ae/en/Services/Pages/Legal-Directory.aspx?ServiceID=19 (checked 28.09.2026)
- DIFC public register: https://www.difc.com/business/public-register; DMCC public register: https://dmcc.ae/public-register; ADGM public registers: https://www.adgm.com/public-registers (checked 28.09.2026)