A memorandum of association (MOA) sets out who owns your company, how shares are split and who manages it. We draft your MOA from the details you and your partners agree, ready for review, signing and the next step of your mainland license with the Department of Economy and Tourism (DET).
The MOA is the founding agreement between a company's owners. On the Dubai mainland it is one of the core documents in the licensing file. It comes after you have chosen your activity, legal form and trade name and received initial approval, and before you secure premises, register the tenancy through Ejari, obtain any further approvals and receive your license.
Because the MOA records ownership, it has to match everything else in your file. Partners' names must follow their passports, share percentages must add up, activities must match the initial approval, and the managers named must be the people who will actually run the company. Since 1 June 2021, foreign investors can own up to 100% of a mainland company for most activities, so an MOA may name only foreign partners.
We draft the MOA in clear, consistent wording based on what you and your partners have agreed. We do not advise on how to structure your company or split ownership; for that, speak to a lawyer or accountant. DET reviews the MOA as part of your application and decides whether it can proceed.
Partners setting up a limited liability company (LLC) in Dubai who have initial approval and need their MOA drafted.
Owners adding or removing a partner, transferring shares or changing managers, who need an amended MOA.
Foreign partners who want the MOA wording settled and checked before they sign, wherever they are based.
Clear boundaries, so you know exactly what you're paying for and who decides each step.
DET may ask for further documents depending on your activity and the partners involved.
Government fees, paid at cost
Notary and licensing fees are set by the relevant authority, including DET, and paid at cost. We confirm the exact amounts before you pay and list them separately from our service fee.
Global Sky PRO service fee
Quoted in writing before we start, so you know the full cost up front.
Timing
Drafting time depends on how many partners are involved and how quickly everyone agrees the terms. Signing and DET's review follow their own timelines, which we track for you.
Each step shows who does what, so you always know where things stand.
You and your partners agree ownership, capital, managers and how profit is shared.
We check your initial approval, trade name and partner documents so the MOA matches them.
We prepare the draft in Arabic and English and send it to every partner to review.
Partners confirm the draft and sign it in the way DET's process requires, which usually includes notarisation.
As part of our business setup service, we add the signed MOA to your licensing file and follow up.
DET reviews the MOA with the rest of your application and decides on the next step towards your license.
Every MOA follows the structure the authority expects, but the details are yours. A typical draft sets out the following.
An MOA is not fixed for life. When a partner joins or leaves, shares change hands or a new manager is appointed, the MOA is amended and the change is recorded with DET, which then updates your license details. We type the amendment from what the partners have agreed and help you work through the signing and submission steps.
The most common source of delay is a mismatch between the amended MOA and the rest of the file, such as a partner's name spelled differently from their passport or a share split that no longer adds up. We check these points before anyone signs.
Short answers here. Your situation may differ, so ask us before you decide.
It is the founding agreement between a company's owners. It records the company's name, legal form, activities, capital, each partner's share, who manages the business and how profits are shared. On the Dubai mainland, the MOA is prepared after initial approval and forms part of the file DET reviews before issuing your license.
If you are forming a limited liability company on the Dubai mainland, yes: the MOA is one of the standard licensing steps. Other legal forms, such as a sole establishment or a branch of an existing company, rely on different documents. Tell us your legal form and we confirm what DET expects for your file before we draft anything.
Yes. When partners, shares, managers or activities change, the MOA is amended, signed by the partners and recorded with DET so your license reflects the change. The new wording must match the rest of your file, including your trade license. We type the amendment from what the partners agree and track it through submission.
Every partner signs, or a representative holding a valid power of attorney signs for them. For a mainland LLC the MOA is usually notarised, either in person or through the remote options the authorities offer. Requirements can change, so we confirm the current signing route for your file before arranging it.
No. How you divide ownership, capital and control is a business and legal decision for you and your partners, ideally made with a lawyer or accountant. Once you have agreed, we record it accurately in the MOA and check that the figures add up and match the rest of your file.
Not exactly. Each free zone sets its own company documents, often from a standard template, and its own authority reviews them. This page covers mainland MOAs for companies licensed by DET. If you are setting up in a free zone, we follow that zone's format as part of your company formation.
Once signed and attested, the MOA joins your licensing file and the remaining mainland steps follow. According to the UAE government portal, you then secure premises, registering the tenancy with Ejari in Dubai, obtain any external approvals your activity needs, such as from the Central Bank, and collect your license from the Department of Economy and Tourism (DET). The license fee must be paid within 30 days of receiving the payment voucher, or the application is cancelled.
Most delays come from mismatches between the MOA and the rest of the file, not from the drafting itself. Typical causes are activities or a trade name that differ from the initial approval, partner names spelled differently from their passports, shares that do not add up to 100%, and a corporate partner's documents that are not yet attested and legally translated. A partner who cannot sign on time also holds things up. We check these points before anyone signs.
Send your details and we'll reply with the documents you need and every fee involved.
Send your enquiry
Takes a minute. We reply with the next steps and every fee involved.
Typing and drafting are based on your instructions. Global Sky PRO does not give legal advice; for legal judgement, consult a licensed advocate. Last reviewed 31 October 2026 by the Global Sky PRO team.