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Company liquidation and closure
Closing a company means cancelling its licence, visas, tax registrations and bank account in the right order. We run the sequence so nothing is left open in your name.
- Mainland and Freezone companies
- Visas, tax and bank account closed in order
- You can close from outside the UAE
Find your closure route
What are you closing?
For a solvent Mainland company. A liquidator, who must be a registered auditor, is appointed and a 45-day creditor notice is published.
- Liquidator
- Required
- Typical time
- 2–4 months with employees
- Minimum
- 45-day creditor notice
Timelines are typical. Each Freezone has its own requirements, which we confirm with the zone.
What closing a company involves.
Closing a UAE company means formally liquidating or deregistering it and cancelling its licence, visas, tax registrations and bank account in the correct order. A cancellation certificate is issued at the end.
Not renewing is not closing. An abandoned licence keeps collecting fines, its tax returns still fall due and its visas remain the company's responsibility. My Eloah Business Hub coordinates the liquidator, the authorities and the clearances.
- Mainland
- Voluntary liquidation with a registered-auditor liquidator
- Freezone
- Deregistration through the zone
- Minimum
- 45-day creditor notice
- Ends with
- A cancellation certificate
Eleven steps, in the right order.
The Mainland sequence. Tick each step as it is done; the order protects you from the common mistakes.
The dates that carry penalties.
Miss these and penalties apply even while you are closing.
| What | Deadline | Penalty if late |
|---|---|---|
| VAT deregistration | Within 20 business days of ceasing taxable supplies | AED 1,000, then monthly, capped at AED 10,000 |
| Corporate tax deregistration | Within 3 months of ceasing business or liquidation | AED 1,000 each month, capped at AED 10,000 |
| Final VAT return and payment | Within 28 days of the deregistration date | Late-payment penalties apply |
| Owner registers to the liquidator | Within 30 days of the liquidator's appointment | AED 5,000, then AED 10,000 |
The Federal Tax Authority rejects deregistration while returns or payments are outstanding, and the monthly penalty keeps running.
What an abandoned company leaves behind.
Each of these follows the owners personally.
Licence fines without end
Late-renewal fines keep accumulating on a licence that is never cancelled.
Returns and penalties
Corporate tax returns still fall due and deregistration penalties accrue.
Open visas and wages
Employees remain the company's responsibility and unpaid wages become labour claims.
Blocks and bans
Owners can be blocked from forming new companies, and creditors can seek travel bans.
Six stages, one coordinator.
The checklist above, grouped into the stages we manage for you.
Start on WhatsApp →Decide and appoint
Resolution to dissolve, liquidator appointed, minutes notarised.
Notify
Cancellation application and the 45-day newspaper notice.
People
Employees paid and their permits and visas cancelled, then the establishment card.
Tax and accounts
Final returns filed and VAT and corporate tax deregistered.
Clearances
Utilities, customs, tenancy and the bank account closed.
Certificate
Final liquidator's report filed and the cancellation certificate issued.
Company closure, answered.
Ask anything else on WhatsApp and we will answer for your company.
Can I just let my UAE licence expire instead of closing the company?
No. Late-renewal fines keep accumulating, tax returns still fall due, visas stay the company's responsibility and the owners can be blocked from forming new companies. Letting it lapse is the most expensive way to close.
How long does it take to close a company in the UAE?
A Mainland company with employees typically takes 2 to 4 months. The 45-day creditor notice period is the minimum.
How much does liquidation cost?
There is no published tariff. The authority assesses its cancellation fee case by case, and the liquidator's fee is commercial. We get the authority's assessment before giving you a figure.
Do I need a liquidator?
A Mainland company does, and the liquidator must be a registered auditor. Sole establishments and branches usually do not, and Freezones vary.
Does cancelling the licence end my tax registration?
No. VAT and corporate tax must be deregistered separately with the Federal Tax Authority.
When should I close the bank account?
Only after every payment has cleared, including final tax and creditor payments. Ask the bank for a closure letter.
I am outside the UAE. Can I still close the company?
Yes, with an attested resolution from abroad or a remote power of attorney through the Dubai Courts e-notary at AED 100 per signature.
My licence lapsed years ago. What now?
The accumulated fines must be settled first. Some authorities cap or waive them on a settlement request, which we can prepare.
Tell us about the company. We map the closure.
We reply with your route, the steps in order and what we need to get the authority's assessment.