NOC letter in the UAE: meaning, format, uses and sample

What is an NOC letter? Meaning and full form

NOC means no objection certificate: a short letter in which your employer, visa sponsor, landlord or a property developer confirms it doesn't object to a specific step. Meydan Free Zone's guide describes it as a letter from your sponsor, who might be your employer or a family member.

Each authority that asks for one decides what it must show, and many processes don't ask for one at all. Get an NOC if the authority asks for one.

Where authorities in Dubai and the UAE ask for an NOC

These cases, including the visa and sponsor ones, come from official UAE pages. Requirements change, so check before you apply.

RTA Dubai's driver licensing page doesn't list an NOC. In Dubai, subletting without the landlord's written approval is also a ground for eviction under Article 25 (as replaced by Law No. 33 of 2008), and the eviction applies to both the tenant and the sub-tenant, who can claim compensation from the tenant. See ejari registration for tenancy rules.

NOC letter for employees: jobs and work permits

For an employee, a work-related NOC comes from the employer. Whether you need one depends on the step.

Second jobs. Article 6 of the labour law's Executive Regulation (Cabinet Resolution No. 1 of 2022) lets a worker work for more than one employer with MOHRE's permission, without mentioning the first employer's consent. MOHRE's part-time work permit service, however, lists a no objection letter from the current employer. The government portal, describing the part-time contract system introduced in 2018, says part-time contract employees can take several part-time jobs without approval from their original or other employers, but still need a MOHRE permit. Follow the document list MOHRE shows when the new employer applies.

Changing jobs. MOHRE's transfer work permit service doesn't list an NOC from your previous employer. You can't hold an active work permit, and the new employer applies within 90 days of the old permit's cancellation. Leaving during probation? Article 9 of the labour law sets your notice; see our probation guide.

Other permits. MOHRE's work permits for Golden visa holders and for dependants on a family member's residence don't list an NOC, though the government portal says family-visa holders need their sponsor's NOC for a part-time permit. Students need one from their school or university for training, plus a guardian's written consent if aged 15 to 18.

NOC letter format: what to include

Use the authority's template if it publishes one. Otherwise, include these parts; Meydan Free Zone's guide lists the same core items.

• 1. Letterhead. The issuer's name, address and contact details.
• 2. Date and reference. The issue date, plus a reference number if the company uses them.
• 3. Addressee. The authority by name, or "To whom it may concern" if it accepts that.
• 4. Person's details. Full name exactly as on the passport, nationality, passport and Emirates ID numbers, and for an employee, job title and joining date.
• 5. Purpose. The exact step, such as a part-time role with a named company.
• 6. No-objection statement. One clear sentence, with any conditions such as hours or dates.
• 7. Validity. Only if the authority asks for one or the issuer wants a limit.
• 8. Signature and stamp. An authorised signatory's name, title and signature, plus the company stamp.

Sample NOC letter for an employee (a sample structure, not an official form): "This is to certify that [full name], passport no. [number], Emirates ID no. [number], has been employed with [company] as [job title] since [date]. We have no objection to [him/her] [the specific step]." Adapt it to the authority's checklist. Proof of pay is a separate salary certificate.

Language, translation and attestation

Write the NOC in a language the receiving authority accepts. For use abroad, MOFA attests UAE documents. For paper documents, the original must be in Arabic or English or come with a legally certified translation, be certified by the relevant competent authority where applicable, and not be laminated. MOFA shows the total fee before you pay.

Ask the receiving authority which first step it accepts for a private company's letter. Dubai Chambers members can have their authorised signatory's signature verified, for AED 100 at the time of writing. See our mofa attestation guide, and use certified translation if the destination needs another language.

Global Sky PRO drafts and types NOC letters for companies and individuals in Arabic, English or both, ready for the issuer to sign. We can't sign or stamp on behalf of an employer, sponsor or landlord, and the authority decides each application. Start with our letter drafting service.