Law No. (6) of 2023
Establishing the Dubai Business
Registration and Licensing
Corporation[1]
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We, Mohammed bin Rashid Al
Maktoum, Ruler of Dubai,
After perusal of:
Federal Law by Decree No. (20) of 2018 Concerning Countering Money Laundering Crimes and Combating Terrorism and Illegal Organisations' Financing, its Implementing Bylaw, and their amendments;
Federal Law by Decree No. (32) of 2021 Concerning Commercial Companies;
Federal Law by Decree No. (36) of 2021 Concerning Trademarks;
Federal Law by Decree No. (37) of 2021 Concerning the Commercial Register;
Federal Law by Decree No. (46) of 2021 Concerning Electronic Transactions and Thiqa Services;
Federal Law by Decree No. (50) of 2022 Issuing the Commercial Transactions Law;
Law No. (3) of 2003 Establishing the Executive Council of the Emirate of Dubai;
Law No. (13) of 2011 Regulating the Conduct of Economic Activities in the Emirate of Dubai and its amendments;
Law No. (4) of 2013 Concerning Notaries Public in the Emirate of Dubai and its amendments;
Law No. (1) of 2016 Concerning the Financial Regulations of the Government of Dubai, and its Implementing Bylaw and its amendments;
Law No. (8) of 2018 Concerning Management of the Government of Dubai Human Resources;
Law No. (14) of 2020 Concerning Timeshare Schemes in the Emirate of Dubai;
Law No. (5) of 2021 Concerning the Dubai International Financial Centre;
Law No. (20) of 2021 Establishing the Department of Economy and Tourism in the Emirate of Dubai;
Decree No. (22) of 2009 Concerning Special Development Zones in the Emirate of Dubai;
Decree No. (17) of 2013 Concerning Licensing and Classification of Hotel Establishments in the Emirate of Dubai;
Decree No. (25) of 2013 Concerning the Event eLicensing and eTicketing System in the Emirate of Dubai and its amendments;
Decree No. (41) of 2013 Regulating the Activity of Leasing out Holiday Homes in the Emirate of Dubai;
Executive Council Resolution No. (10) of 2016 Approving the Organisational Structure of the Department of Economic Development; and
The Legislation establishing and regulating free zones in the Emirate of Dubai,
Do hereby issue this Law.
This Law will be cited as “Law No. (6) of 2023 Establishing the Dubai Business Registration and Licensing Corporation”.
The following words and expressions, wherever mentioned in this Law, will have the meaning indicated opposite each of them unless the context implies otherwise:
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UAE: |
The United Arab Emirates. |
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Emirate: |
The Emirate of Dubai. |
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Executive Council: |
The Executive Council of the Emirate of Dubai. |
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DET: |
The Department of Economy and Tourism in the Emirate of Dubai. |
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Director General: |
The director general of the DET. |
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DBLC: |
The Dubai Business Registration and Licensing Corporation established pursuant to this Law. |
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Executive Director: |
The executive director of the DBLC. |
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Free Zones: |
These include Special Development Zones and free zones, such as the Dubai International Financial Centre. |
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Economic Establishment: |
A company or corporation licensed to conduct an Economic Activity in the Emirate, including Hotel Establishments. |
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Hotel Establishments: |
These include hotels, resorts, hotel apartments, guest houses, university dormitories, youth hostels, budget hotels, floating hotels, and other establishments specified by the DET. |
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Economic Activity: |
Any commercial, industrial, artisan, occupational, agricultural, service, or other for-profit activity authorised in the Emirate in accordance with the legislation in force. |
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Investor: |
A natural or legal person who establishes an Economic Establishment and conducts an Economic Activity in the Emirate, including in a free zone. |
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Unified Business Number (UBN) System: |
A system through which a unique number is generated for each Economic Establishment operating in the Emirate or in a free zone upon application for, or issuance of, a commercial licence. This system is aimed at providing Government Entities with access to all the information of the Economic Establishments, including all the services provided and transactions processed by Government Entities, within a unified and centralised database. |
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Investor’s Journey: |
A process comprising a set of procedures, requirements, and steps that an Investor goes through, from the point of submission of an application to obtain a commercial licence until commencement of the Economic Activity. An Investor's Journey can also include the procedures, requirements, and steps for amending or cancelling a licence. |
Pursuant to this Law, a public corporation named the “Dubai Business Registration and Licensing Corporation” is established. The DBLC will have legal personality and the legal capacity required to undertake all acts and dispositions that ensure the achievement of its objectives. The DBLC is hereby affiliated to the DET.
The head office of the DBLC will be located in the Emirate. The DBLC may, pursuant to a resolution of the Executive Council, establish branches and offices within and outside of the Emirate.
The DBLC will have the following objectives:
1. to promote the Emirate as a global hub for establishing Economic Establishments;
2. to create an environment that is conducive to investment in various Economic Activities in the Emirate and in free zones, and that supports economic growth therein, in accordance with the best international practices;
3. to ensure the integration of the efforts of the entities concerned with licensing Economic Establishments with a view to making the Investor’s Journey towards establishing his business and conducting his Economic Activities convenient, smooth, and flexible;
4. to enhance the system of procedures pertaining to licensing Economic Establishments and registering trade names, commercial mortgages, and commercial interests in a manner that reflects positively on the investment environment and the ease of doing business indicators, while maintaining the highest levels of transparency, governance, and integrity of these procedures; and
5. to collaborate with concerned entities in overcoming all obstacles encountered by Investors in establishing their business and registering their Economic Establishments or in conducting their Economic Activities in the Emirate.
For the purpose of achieving its objectives, the DBLC will have the duties and powers to:
1. develop, in coordination with free zone authorities, the comprehensive plans, policies, and strategies pertaining to conducting Economic Activities in the Emirate and in free zones, the procedures for registering and licensing Economic Establishments therein, and the processes for facilitating the Investor’s Journey; and submit the same to the Director General for approval, in preparation for their final approval by the Executive Council;
2. propose, in consultation and coordination with free zone authorities and concerned entities, the policies, systems, and procedures for issuing licences for the establishment of Economic Establishments in the Emirate and in free zones, with a view to facilitating the Investor’s Journey; and follow up the implementation of these policies, systems, and procedures;
3. develop the policies pertaining to licensing professional business in the Emirate in accordance with the legislation in force;
5. maintain a register of the trade names of the Economic Establishments operating in the Emirate;
6. record in the Commercial Register any commercial mortgages or rights encumbering the Economic Establishments operating in the Emirate;
7. prepare the Investor’s Journey service guide which contains all the procedures, requirements, conditions, and documents required for licensing Economic Establishments and for obtaining the permits and approvals required for conducting Economic Activities in the Emirate and in free zones; and make that guide accessible on the DBLC’s website;
8. determine and classify the Economic Activities authorised in the Emirate in line with the latest internationally recognised standards, and regularly develop and update the same in accordance with the Economic Activity needs and the economic development requirements of the Emirate;
9. determine the standards required for the classification of Economic Establishments;
10. determine the standards and requirements for licensing the Hotel Establishments, the Establishments engaged in operating Timeshare Schemes, and the Establishments conducting the activity of leasing out Holiday Homes in the Emirate;
11. identify the key areas that support the establishment and growth of Economic Establishments in the Emirate; and develop and implement the relevant initiatives and programmes;
12. register and attest the memoranda of association of Economic Establishments, and any amendments thereto, using Electronic Signature, in accordance with the legislation in force in the Emirate;
13. implement the procedures related to the policies for compliance with the regulations for countering Money Laundering Crimes and combating terrorism and Illegal Organisations' financing, in accordance with the legislation in force in the Emirate;
14. review the Investor's Journey-related conditions of the Economic Establishments conducting their business in the Emirate; identify the main obstacles facing these Establishments; and develop, in coordination with the concerned entities, the appropriate solutions for these obstacles;
15. develop and implement awareness programmes to encourage Investors to set up their business and Economic Establishments in the Emirate;
16. establish the requirements and standards for licensing Business Incubators in the Emirate in accordance with the needs of entrepreneurs and as required for supporting the creative and innovative efforts in the Emirate;
17. provide UAE national and other entrepreneurs with Business Incubator, development, and training services in accordance with the relevant conditions and criteria adopted by the DBLC;
18. issue permits to conduct marketing and promotional activities and to undertake sponsorships; license Events; and market the Tickets of Events organised by the corporations affiliated to the DET, in accordance with the relevant legislation applicable to the DBLC; and supervise the Event eLicensing System and eTicketing System in accordance with the above-mentioned Decree No. (25) of 2013;
19. hold and organise, or participate in holding and organising, symposia, conferences, and exhibitions aimed at raising awareness on matters and procedures pertaining to setting up Economic Establishments;
20. consider, and seek to resolve, the complaints filed by the business sector in relation to the procedures for licensing Economic Establishments and for issuing the permits and approvals required for conducting Economic Activities; and raise awareness on the rights and obligations of the business sector; and
21. exercise any other duties or powers required for the achievement of the DBLC objectives, as assigned to it by the Ruler or the Chairman of the Executive Council.
a. The DBLC may, in accordance with the legislation in force and subject to the approval of the DET, outsource any of its functions under this Law to any public or private entity pursuant to an agreement concluded with that entity in this respect. This agreement will determine the rights and obligations of the DBLC and the contracted entity as well as the conditions, requirements, and specifications that the entity must observe when performing the functions outsourced to it by the DBLC.
b. An entity supervising the licensing of the conduct of Economic Activities, including any free zone authority, may outsource to the DBLC, based on a request made by that entity, any of its functions under the legislation applicable to it, including the issuance of permits for conducting Economic Activities. This must be carried out pursuant to an agreement concluded with the DBLC, whereby the rights and obligations of the parties are specified.
a. The executive body of the DBLC will be comprised of the Executive Director and a number of administrative, finance, and technical Employees.
b. The above-mentioned Law No. (8) of 2018 and the resolutions issued in pursuance thereof will apply to the Employees of the DBLC.
a. An Executive Director will be appointed to the DBLC pursuant to a resolution of the Chairman of the Executive Council.
b. The Executive Director will be directly responsible to the Director General for exercising the duties and powers assigned to him under this Law, the resolutions issued in pursuance hereof, and other legislation in force in the Emirate.
c. The Executive Director will supervise the work and activities of the DBLC in a manner that ensures the achievement of its objectives. In particular, the Executive Director will have the duties and powers to:
1. propose the policies and strategic and operational plans relating to the work of the DBLC, submit the same to the Director General for approval, and take the necessary actions to implement these policies and plans;
2. propose the regulations and bylaws governing the administrative, financial, and technical affairs of the DBLC; and submit the same to the Director General for approval;
3. prepare reports on regulating the licensing procedures of Economic Establishments and the measures to facilitate the Investor’s Journey; and submit the same to the Director General to issue the relevant directives as he deems appropriate;
4. propose the organisational structure of the DBLC and submit it to the Director General for approval and subsequent presentation to the Executive Council for final approval;
5. prepare the draft annual budget and Financial Statements of the DBLC; and submit the same to the Director General for approval, in preparation for final approval by the competent authority in the Emirate;
6. supervise the executive body of the DBLC; recommend to the Director General the appointment of competent and specialised Employees; and follow up the performance of the duties of these Employees;
7. prepare annual reports on performance of the work of the DBLC, and submit the same to the Director General to take the necessary action in respect thereof;
8. represent the DBLC before third parties, and conclude the contracts and agreements required for the achievement of the objectives of the DBLC, within the limits of the powers vested in him pursuant to this Law or delegated to him by the Director General;
9. form permanent and temporary committees and work teams; and determine their duties, powers, and terms of reference; and
10. exercise any other duties or powers required for the achievement of the objectives of the DBLC, as assigned or delegated to him by the Director General.
d. The Executive Director may delegate to any of the DBLC Employees any of his powers under paragraph (c) of this Article, provided that such delegation is specific, in writing, and in accordance with the relevant chart of approval powers adopted by the Director General.
a. The DBLC is the competent entity in the Emirate, including in free zones, which is in charge of supervising and following up the implementation of the smooth Investor's Journey principles in the Emirate. The DBLC is also in charge of ensuring that these principles are in line with all the procedures and measures pertaining to the Investor’s Journey that are adopted by free zone authorities and other entities supervising the conduct of Economic Activities in the Emirate; for preparing, in coordination with these entities, the necessary reports containing their proposals with respect to these procedures, measures, and rules; and for submitting these proposals to the Executive Council for approval.
b. For the purpose of implementing paragraph (a) of this Article, all Government Entities in the Emirate, including free zone authorities and other entities supervising the conduct of Economic Activities in the Emirate, must:
1. provide the DBLC with the data, statistics, documents, and information it requests in relation to the Economic Activities they supervise;
2. coordinate with the DBLC when developing or amending the Investor's Journey-related requirements, procedures, and rules for issuing the licences, permits, and approvals required for conducting Economic Activities;
3. record all the transactions of Economic Establishments in the Unified Business Number (UBN) System with a view to facilitating access to all the data and transactions of establishments with Government Entities; and
4. cooperate with the DBLC to enable it to perform the duties assigned to it under this Law, the resolutions issued in pursuance hereof, and other legislation in force in the Emirate.
A Unified Business Number (UBN) System is hereby established in the Emirate. The DBLC will operate, manage, supervise, and develop the Unified Business Number (UBN) System. In particular, the DBLC will have the authority to:
1. create a unified centralised database of all the information of the Economic Establishments operating in the Emirate and in free zones, including the services performed and transactions processed by Government Entities, in accordance with the legislation in force in the Emirate;
2. cooperate and coordinate with free zone authorities and other entities supervising Economic Activities in the Emirate to electronically connect them to the Unified Business Number (UBN) System, by entering into agreements and memoranda of understanding with these entities pursuant to the legislation applicable to them; and
3. exercise any other duties conducive to the achievement of the objectives of the DBLC, as assigned to it by the Chairman of the Executive Council.
The financial resources of the DBLC will consist of:
1. the financial appropriations allocated to the DBLC in the budget of the DET;
2. fees and charges for the services provided by the DBLC;
3. the proceeds generated from outsourcing the DBLC’s functions; and
4. any other resources approved by the Executive Council.
a. In managing its accounts and records, the DBLC will apply the rules and principles of government accounting.
b. The Financial Year of the DBLC will commence on 1 January and will end on 31 December of each Year, except that the first Financial Year will commence on the date on which this Law comes into force and will end on 31 December of the following Year.
All concerned local entities in the Emirate, including the authorities supervising free zones, must fully cooperate with the DBLC and provide it with the data, information, documents, statistics, and studies it requests and deems necessary for the achievement of its objectives and exercise of its functions under this Law, the resolutions issued in pursuance hereof, and other legislation in force in the Emirate.
a. Where an Economic Establishment operating in the Emirate or in a free zone wishes to be electronically connected to any Government Entity or private entity for the purpose of sharing its business-related information, this establishment must first obtain the approval of the DBLC in accordance with the conditions determined pursuant to the relevant resolution of the Director General.
b. Paragraph (a) of this Article will not apply to the service provision systems to which electronic connection between certain Government Entities and private entities is required under the legislation in force in the Emirate.
As of the date on which this Law comes into force, the following will be transferred to the DBLC:
1. the duties, powers, and operations assigned under the above-mentioned Law No. (20) of 2021, and other legislation in force in the Emirate, to the Business Registration Sector of the DET and the organisational units affiliated to it under the Organisational Structure approved pursuant to the above-mentioned Executive Council Resolution no. (10) of 2016;
2. the ownership of the real property, movables, assets, intellectual property rights, devices, and equipment of the Business Registration Sector of the DET;
3. the DET Employees required to be transferred to the DBLC pursuant to the relevant resolution of the Director General. These Employees will retain their existing rights; and
4. the financial appropriations allocated in the annual budget of the DET to its Business Registration Sector.
The Director General will issue the resolutions required for the implementation of this Law. These resolutions will be published in the Official Gazette of the Government of Dubai.
Any provision in any other legislation is hereby repealed to the extent that it contradicts the provisions of this Law.
This Law will be published in the Official Gazette and will come into force on the day on which it is published.
Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum
Ruler of Dubai
Issued
in Dubai on 6 February 2023
Corresponding
to 15 Rajab 1444 A.H.
©2023 The Supreme Legislation Committee in the
Emirate of Dubai
[1]Every effort has been made to produce an
accurate and complete English version of this legislation. However, for the
purpose of its interpretation and application, reference must be made to the
original Arabic text. In case of conflict, the Arabic text will prevail.