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How to check a contractor's licence in Dubai

The short answer

Look the licence up yourself. Dubai mainland licences are on the Department of Economy and Tourism's licence information e-service, and free-zone licences are on the zone's own register. Check the status, expiry and activities match your job. Then ask for the contractor's Contractor Register registration and classification, any Trakhees, DDA, Civil Defence or DEWA approval the work needs, and a current insurance certificate.

By SoukLocal editorial teamUpdated
Mainland licencesDET licence information
Free-zone licencesThe zone's own register
Public register searchNone found (28 Oct 2026)

Step by step

  1. Get the licence details. Ask for a copy of the trade licence. Note the legal name, the licence number and who issued it: DET for the Dubai mainland, or a free zone.
  2. Look it up with the issuer. For a mainland licence, go to the DET website, open e-services and choose licence information. Search by the company's English or Arabic name or its licence number. The profile shows the licence status, expiry date, legal type, contact details, business activities and, where available, the address. One verification guide also points to the Invest in Dubai platform and the Dubai REST app for the same check.
    For a free-zone licence, use the zone's register instead: the DMCC member directory, the DIFC public register, or the directory of the zone that issued it. A free-zone licence will not appear on DET.
  3. Check the activities match the work. Read the activities on the licence line by line against your job. If the licence lists only design, trading or maintenance, ask which licence covers the work on site. Activities that differ from what the company tells you are a warning sign.
  4. Check Contractor Register status. Dubai Law No. 7 of 2025 has been in force since 8 January 2026. Clients may not engage contractors that are not registered and classified under it, and contractors already operating have until 8 January 2027 to regularise, which can be extended. See the Contractor Register guide.
    On 28 October 2026 we could not find a public search for this register. The law firm summaries we read say Dubai Municipality runs it and links it to the Invest in Dubai platform, but not that it is public. Dubai Municipality's "Consultants, Contractors and Suppliers Data" page says DM-approved contractors can be checked through its corporate practice permit lookup or the Dubai BPS app (iPhone, Android). It does not say whether that is the new register, or which search fields the tools offer. So ask the contractor for their registration record and classification, and check the classification fits your job.
  5. Check the approvals your area and trade need.
    • Trakhees areas, such as Palm Jumeirah, JVC and JLT: a contractor needs a current Trakhees registration certificate, and Dubai Municipality registration does not replace it. Trakhees' Civil Engineering Department also requires consultants and contractors to accredit the engineers in charge of design and site work.
    • Dubai Development Authority areas, such as Internet City and Media City: consultants and contractors register with DDA before they can apply for its planning and development services. Registration lasts one year, so check the date.
    • Fire and life-safety work: a trade licence is not enough. The company must be registered and approved by Dubai Civil Defence, and approval is given by activity, such as installation, maintenance, or inspection and testing. Ask which categories it holds.
    • Electrical and solar work: electrical contractors enrol with DEWA, and solar is a separate DEWA category on top. For grid-connected solar under Shams Dubai, only a DEWA-enrolled solar PV contractor may install and connect the system. DEWA publishes a list of enrolled consultants and contractors.
    Which authority approves your permit depends on your area: see villa renovation approvals.
  6. In Emaar communities, ask for the contractor's ECM digital permit. Since 1 July 2021, Emaar Community Management lets only contractors with a digital permit into its communities, and checks the permit's QR code at entry. The contractor registers its trade licence, staff (on the company visa) and vehicles, and for home modification work applies with the reference number it receives after your NOC is approved. No digital permit means the contractor cannot get on site. See the Emaar NOC guide.
  7. Ask for the insurance certificate. Check the insured name matches the licence and the cover is in force for the dates of your job. In Dubai, contractors must submit an insurance policy to get a permit for new buildings, demolition, shoring, and alterations or additions of 300 m² or more. See what insurance to ask for.
  8. Keep copies. File the licence, register record, approvals and insurance certificate with your contract, with the date you checked them.

Red flags

  • The licence number returns no result on the issuer's search.
  • The name on the licence differs from the name on the quote, or the address does not match.
  • The licence is expired or cancelled and the company calls it temporary.
  • The activities on the licence differ from the work you are paying for.
  • A free-zone licence, with a claim that it allows work anywhere on the mainland.
  • No Contractor Register details, no approval for fire or electrical work, or no insurance certificate.

On SoukLocal, every Verified business has its licence and activities checked with the issuer, and contracting businesses also have their register status and liability insurance checked. Each listing shows the date of the last check. How we verify.

Sources

This guide is general information, not legal advice. Rules change and vary by community and authority: confirm with the authority or your consultant before you start work.