Certificate of Good Standing in Dubai: Requirements, Authorities and Application Process
- Federica Bertollini
- Dec 22, 2025
- 14 min read
Updated: 2 days ago
A Certificate of Good Standing in Dubai is an official corporate document used to confirm the current registration or regulatory status of a company with the authority responsible for its licence or incorporation.
There is no single Certificate of Good Standing issued by one authority for every Dubai business.
The correct issuing authority depends on where the company is registered. A Dubai mainland company, a Free Zone company and an offshore company can therefore follow different procedures and may receive documents with different names.
Depending on the jurisdiction, the document may be called:
Certificate of Good Standing
Certificate of Incumbency
Company Status Certificate
Registration Letter
To Whom It May Concern letter
These documents are related but should not automatically be treated as interchangeable.
A Certificate of Good Standing normally confirms information held by the issuing authority at the date of issue. Depending on the authority, this can include confirmation that the company remains registered, its licence is current, and relevant authority fees or obligations have been addressed.
For example, the Dubai Development Authority provides an online Certificate of Good Standing / Incumbency Certificate service for companies registered under its jurisdiction. The authority currently lists an immediate estimated delivery time and a fee of AED 1,000 plus the applicable Knowledge and Innovation Dirham charges.
Jebel Ali Free Zone, or JAFZA, separately provides a Certificate of Good Standing through its registration-letter service. JAFZA currently lists a one-working-day processing time and a government fee of AED 3,000 for the Certificate of Good Standing, in addition to the applicable electronic charge.
Trakhees also provides a specific Certificate of Good Standing service for Free Zone licences under its jurisdiction. Its service describes the certificate as evidence that the licence is registered and that there are no outstanding licensing fees or dues with Trakhees.
The purpose of the certificate is therefore to provide an official status confirmation from the relevant company registrar or licensing authority. It should not be interpreted more broadly than the information certified by that authority.
In particular, a company Certificate of Good Standing should not automatically be treated as evidence that:
The business is financially solvent
Its financial statements are accurate
It has no debts to third parties
It has completed every Federal Tax Authority obligation
It has passed a bank's AML or compliance review
It has no legal disputes
Its shareholders or directors have been independently vetted
Those matters may require separate documents or due diligence.
Certificates of Good Standing are commonly requested in connection with:
Opening or maintaining corporate bank accounts
Incorporating subsidiaries or branches abroad
Corporate restructuring
Due diligence
Financing transactions
Investment transactions
Tenders and vendor onboarding
Overseas regulatory applications
Verification of a company's legal existence or current status
Companies intending to use the certificate outside the UAE should also confirm whether the receiving organisation requires attestation, legalisation, an original hard copy, a recently issued certificate, or additional corporate documents.
It is also important to distinguish a corporate Certificate of Good Standing from a professional Good Standing Certificate. Doctors, healthcare practitioners, lawyers and other regulated professionals may obtain separate professional-status documents from their sector regulator. Those certificates follow different rules and do not establish the standing of a company.
This guide explains which authority issues a Certificate of Good Standing in Dubai, the differences between mainland, Free Zone and offshore companies, what the certificate confirms, application procedures, costs, supporting documents, international use and common problems that can delay issuance.
What Is a Certificate of Good Standing in Dubai?
A Certificate of Good Standing is a corporate-status document issued by the authority responsible for a company’s registration or licence.
Its purpose is generally to confirm that the company remains registered and is in acceptable standing with that authority at the time the certificate is issued.
The precise wording and scope depend on the issuing jurisdiction.
For example, Trakhees describes its Certificate of Good Standing for Free Zone licences as confirmation that the licence is registered with Trakhees and has no outstanding obligations such as licensing fees or dues.
Other authorities may provide a certificate containing additional company information or may combine the concept of good standing with an incumbency or company-status certificate.
A Certificate of Good Standing may therefore confirm matters such as:
Current company registration
Validity or status of the licence
Registered company name
Registration details
Compliance with relevant registrar requirements
Absence of outstanding licensing fees or authority dues, where expressly certified
The certificate should always be read according to its actual wording.
It does not automatically certify:
The company’s financial solvency
The absence of commercial debts
Corporate Tax or VAT compliance
The absence of litigation
Beneficial ownership compliance beyond what the issuing authority expressly confirms
Bank account status
Creditworthiness
The commercial reliability of the business
Where another organisation requests a “good standing certificate”, the company should first establish exactly what information that organisation needs.
In some transactions, a Certificate of Incumbency, company extract, licence copy, shareholder register, or another registrar document may be more appropriate.
Certificate of Good Standing for Dubai Mainland Companies
Dubai mainland companies are licensed through the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism, or DET, with business licensing services administered through Dubai’s official licensing channels.
Mainland companies should not assume that the exact document available from their licensing authority will always carry the title Certificate of Good Standing.
Depending on the purpose of the request, the required evidence may instead involve:
A company-status document
Commercial registration information
A certified licence copy
A company extract
A registration letter
Another official confirmation issued through the relevant Dubai licensing channel
Before requesting a document, the company should confirm with the bank, foreign authority, investor, auditor, lawyer, or other recipient:
The exact document name required
What information must appear on it
How recently it must have been issued
Whether an original or electronic document is acceptable
Whether attestation or legalisation is required
This is particularly important for documents intended for use outside the UAE, because foreign organisations sometimes use the generic expression “Certificate of Good Standing” even where the UAE authority issues an equivalent document under another name.
The company’s trade licence should also be valid and its commercial-registration information should be current before requesting official status documentation.
Certificate of Good Standing for Dubai Free Zone and Offshore Companies
Free Zone and offshore companies generally request corporate-status documents directly from the authority or registrar under which they are incorporated.
The process therefore varies significantly between jurisdictions.
Dubai Development Authority
Dubai Development Authority provides a specific Certificate of Good Standing / Incumbency Certificate service for companies under its jurisdiction.
The authority currently states:
Application through its online channel
No standard supporting documents required for the online request
Immediate estimated completion
AED 1,000 service fee
Additional Knowledge and Innovation Dirham charges
Jebel Ali Free Zone
JAFZA provides a Certificate of Good Standing through its Registration Letters service.
The company administrator submits the request through the Dubai Trade portal.
JAFZA currently states:
Processing time of approximately one working day
AED 3,000 Certificate of Good Standing fee
Applicable electronic fee and VAT
JAFZA Offshore Companies
JAFZA offshore companies have a separate corporate-letter service.
Available documents include:
Certificate of Good Standing
Letter of Incumbency
Company Officers Letter
Other specified registration letters
Requests are submitted through the Dubai Trade portal, and JAFZA states that additional documents may be requested where necessary.
Trakhees
Trakhees offers a dedicated Certificate of Good Standing service for qualifying Free Zone licences.
The certificate confirms that the licence is registered with Trakhees and that there are no outstanding licensing fees or dues with the authority.
The current published fee is AED 3,020.
Other Dubai Free Zones
Other Free Zones may use different:
Certificate names
Application portals
Fees
Processing times
Validity expectations
Supporting-document requirements
The company should therefore use the procedure published by its own registrar rather than relying on requirements applicable to another Dubai Free Zone.
Where the document will be submitted abroad, the recipient’s requirements should be checked before the certificate is ordered, particularly where attestation or legalisation will be required.
When Is a Certificate of Good Standing Required?
A Certificate of Good Standing is commonly requested when a third party needs independent confirmation from the company’s registrar that the business remains properly registered.
Typical situations include:
Opening or reviewing a corporate bank account
Establishing a subsidiary or branch in another country
Acquiring shares in another company
Corporate restructuring
Mergers and acquisitions
Investor due diligence
Financing and lending transactions
Tender applications
Vendor or supplier onboarding
Overseas company registration
Regulatory applications
Legal transactions
Verification requested by auditors or professional advisers
A foreign corporate shareholder may also be asked to provide a Certificate of Good Standing when investing in another company.
JAFZA, for example, lists an original Certificate of Incorporation or Certificate of Good Standing among documents that may be required from a non-individual shareholder in certain corporate registration procedures.
Banks and Financial Institutions
Banks may request current corporate-status documents as part of:
Account opening
Periodic KYC reviews
Changes in shareholders or authorised signatories
Financing applications
Compliance reviews
A Certificate of Good Standing does not replace the bank’s own KYC, AML, source-of-funds, beneficial ownership, or transaction-monitoring requirements.
International Corporate Transactions
When a Dubai company establishes a subsidiary, acquires shares, or enters into another corporate transaction abroad, the foreign registrar or professional adviser may request evidence that the UAE company continues to exist and remains in good standing.
Before ordering the certificate, the company should ask the recipient:
Whether a Certificate of Good Standing is specifically required
Whether a Certificate of Incumbency is also required
How recent the certificate must be
Whether an electronic certificate is accepted
Whether notarisation, attestation, or legalisation is required
Whether additional corporate documents must accompany it
Confirming these requirements first can avoid obtaining the wrong document or having to repeat the process.
Certificate of Good Standing vs Certificate of Incumbency
A Certificate of Good Standing and a Certificate of Incumbency serve related but different corporate purposes.
Certificate of Good Standing
A Certificate of Good Standing principally concerns the status of the company with its registrar or licensing authority.
Depending on the jurisdiction, it may confirm that:
The company remains registered
Its licence or registration is current
It has satisfied relevant registrar obligations
There are no outstanding authority fees or dues where the authority expressly certifies this
Certificate of Incumbency
A Certificate of Incumbency normally focuses more heavily on the current corporate structure and officeholders of the company.
Depending on the registrar, it may identify:
Shareholders
Directors
Managers
Secretary
Registered address
Incorporation or registration information
The precise information depends on the issuing authority.
Dubai Development Authority currently operates a combined Certificate of Good Standing / Incumbency Certificateservice containing company information.
JAFZA, by contrast, lists a Certificate of Good Standing among its Registration Letters, while its offshore-company service separately lists both a Certificate of Good Standing and a Letter of Incumbency.
The receiving organisation should therefore specify what it actually needs.
A bank asking for confirmation of current shareholders and directors may require an incumbency document rather than, or in addition to, a Certificate of Good Standing.
Companies should avoid ordering documents solely on the basis of similar terminology.
How to Obtain a Certificate of Good Standing in Dubai
The application process depends on the company’s registration authority.
A practical approach is:
Identify the company’s exact registrar or licensing authority.
Confirm the document required by the receiving organisation.
Check whether the authority offers a Certificate of Good Standing, Certificate of Incumbency, company-status certificate, or equivalent document.
Confirm that the company licence and registration are current.
Resolve outstanding registrar fees or compliance matters where applicable.
Access the relevant authority portal or service centre.
Submit the request through an authorised company user.
Provide supporting documents if requested.
Pay the applicable government fee.
Receive the electronic or physical certificate.
Complete attestation or legalisation where required for overseas use.
Dubai Development Authority
For companies within its jurisdiction, Dubai Development Authority currently allows the Certificate of Good Standing / Incumbency Certificate to be requested online. Its published service information states an immediate estimated completion time and a fee of AED 1,000, plus Knowledge and Innovation Dirham charges.
JAFZA
A JAFZA company administrator currently applies through the Dubai Trade Portal by navigating to Registration and selecting Registration Letters - Approval.
JAFZA currently publishes a processing time of one working day and a fee of AED 3,000 for a Certificate of Good Standing, plus the applicable electronic charge and VAT.
Trakhees
Trakhees currently provides its Certificate of Good Standing service through its designated service channels for qualifying Free Zone licences. The published fee is AED 3,020.
Other Dubai jurisdictions can have different portals, document requirements, fees, and processing times.
Companies should therefore verify the current requirements with their own registrar immediately before submitting the request.
Documents Required for a Certificate of Good Standing
There is no universal Dubai document checklist because the requirements depend on the company’s licensing authority and the type of certificate requested.
In many cases, the registrar already holds the principal corporate information and the request can be submitted through the company’s authorised online account.
Depending on the jurisdiction and circumstances, documents or information may include:
Valid trade licence
Company registration or incorporation details
Certificate of Incorporation
Memorandum and Articles of Association
Shareholder information
Director or manager information
Emirates ID or passport of the authorised applicant
Board resolution or authorisation where required
Details of the purpose for which the certificate is requested
Supporting documents requested by the registrar
Offshore companies may be asked for additional corporate or authorised-signatory documentation depending on the service and registrar.
Before applying, the company should also ensure that its records with the authority are current.
Changes involving:
Shareholders
Directors
Managers
Registered address
Company name
Business activities
should normally be properly reflected in the registrar’s records before a corporate-status certificate is requested.
This is particularly important where the certificate will be used for banking, investment, restructuring, or an overseas corporate transaction.
The information appearing on the certificate should be consistent with the company’s current legal and corporate records.
Using a Dubai Certificate of Good Standing Abroad
A Certificate of Good Standing is frequently required for transactions outside the UAE.
Examples include:
Incorporating a foreign subsidiary
Registering a branch overseas
Acquiring shares in a foreign company
Opening an overseas corporate bank account
Investment transactions
Foreign regulatory applications
International tenders
Corporate due diligence
The foreign recipient may require more than the certificate itself.
Depending on the country and purpose, additional requirements may include:
An original physical certificate
UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs attestation
Embassy or consular legalisation
Apostille or equivalent authentication where legally applicable
Certified translation
Notarised corporate documents
Certificate of Incumbency
Memorandum and Articles of Association
Certificate of Incorporation
Shareholder or director information
The required authentication process depends on the destination country and the organisation receiving the document.
Companies should therefore confirm the complete foreign-document requirements before ordering the certificate.
This is particularly important because some organisations require the Certificate of Good Standing to have been issued within a specific recent period.
Obtaining the certificate first and asking about legalisation afterwards can result in additional cost, delay, or the need to obtain a new certificate.
A Certificate of Good Standing normally confirms the company’s status as at the date on which the certificate is issued.
It should not automatically be treated as having a universal statutory validity period for every transaction.
Instead, the organisation receiving the certificate may decide how recent it must be.
For example, a bank, foreign registrar, investor, or regulatory authority may require a certificate issued within:
30 days
60 days
90 days
Another specified period
The requirement depends on the transaction and the recipient.
Companies should therefore ask:
How recent must the certificate be?
Must it remain valid when the transaction is completed?
Is an electronic certificate acceptable?
Is an original hard copy required?
Does it require attestation or legalisation?
A company should avoid obtaining a Certificate of Good Standing significantly in advance where the receiving organisation requires a recently issued document.
The company’s position can also change after the certificate is issued.
For example, subsequent changes to the licence, registration status, shareholders, directors, or outstanding authority obligations may mean that an older certificate no longer reflects the company’s current circumstances.
Corporate vs Professional Good Standing Certificates
A company Certificate of Good Standing should not be confused with a professional Good Standing Certificateissued for an individual practitioner.
These are different documents serving different purposes.
Corporate Certificate of Good Standing
A corporate Certificate of Good Standing relates to a company or legal entity.
It is issued by the relevant company registrar, Free Zone authority, or licensing authority and generally confirms the company’s current registration or regulatory status.
It may be requested for:
Banking
Corporate restructuring
Investment transactions
Due diligence
Overseas company registration
Financing
Regulatory applications
Professional Good Standing Certificate
A professional Good Standing Certificate relates to an individual professional rather than a company.
It may be required by regulators when a professional changes employer, transfers a licence, applies in another jurisdiction, or needs confirmation of their professional disciplinary status.
Examples can include:
Doctors
Nurses
Pharmacists
Other healthcare practitioners
Lawyers
Certain regulated professionals
The professional certificate is issued by the competent professional regulator and may confirm matters such as:
Professional registration
Licence status
Disciplinary history
Professional standing
A professional Good Standing Certificate does not prove that a company is in good standing, and a corporate Certificate of Good Standing does not establish the professional standing of an individual.
Applicants should therefore confirm whether the requesting organisation requires a corporate document or a professional regulatory document before beginning the application.
Common Certificate of Good Standing Mistakes
Problems commonly arise because companies assume that the term “Certificate of Good Standing” has the same meaning and procedure across every Dubai jurisdiction.
Common mistakes include:
Applying to the wrong authority
Assuming every Dubai company receives a document with exactly the same title
Confusing a Certificate of Good Standing with a Certificate of Incumbency
Ordering a certificate before confirming what the receiving organisation actually requires
Using an outdated certificate
Failing to update company records before requesting the document
Attempting to obtain the certificate while licence fees or registrar obligations remain outstanding
Assuming the certificate proves financial solvency
Assuming it confirms VAT or Corporate Tax compliance
Assuming it confirms the absence of litigation
Confusing a corporate Good Standing Certificate with a professional Good Standing Certificate
Failing to check whether a hard copy is required
Failing to arrange attestation or legalisation for overseas use
Applying too close to a banking, tender, regulatory, or transaction deadline
The safest approach is to begin with the requirements of the organisation receiving the certificate.
Before submitting the application, confirm:
Exact document required
Issuing authority
Information that must appear on the document
Maximum acceptable age of the certificate
Electronic or original format requirement
Attestation or legalisation requirements
Supporting corporate documents required
These checks can prevent unnecessary government fees and repeated applications.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Certificate of Good Standing in Dubai?
It is an official corporate document issued by the relevant registrar or licensing authority confirming the current status of a company according to that authority’s records.
Who issues a Certificate of Good Standing in Dubai?
The issuing authority depends on where the company is registered. Free Zone, offshore, and mainland companies can follow different procedures.
Is there one Certificate of Good Standing for all Dubai companies?
No. Different authorities issue different corporate-status documents and may use different terminology, fees, and procedures.
Is a Certificate of Good Standing the same as a trade licence?
No. A trade licence authorises the company to conduct specified activities. A Certificate of Good Standing provides additional confirmation concerning the company’s current status with its registrar or authority.
Is it the same as a Certificate of Incumbency?
Not necessarily. A Certificate of Good Standing principally concerns company status, while a Certificate of Incumbency commonly provides information about current shareholders, directors, managers, or other company officers.
How much does a Certificate of Good Standing cost?
Fees depend on the issuing authority. For example, Dubai Development Authority, JAFZA, and Trakhees currently publish different fees for their respective services.
How long does it take?
Processing time depends on the jurisdiction. Some authorities provide immediate electronic issuance, while others may require one or more working days.
How long is the certificate valid?
There is no universal validity period for every transaction. The receiving organisation normally determines how recently the certificate must have been issued.
Can I use a Dubai Certificate of Good Standing abroad?
Yes, but the foreign organisation may require attestation, legalisation, certified translation, or additional corporate documents.
Does the certificate prove that the company has no debts?
Not generally. It confirms only the matters stated by the issuing registrar or authority. It should not automatically be interpreted as proof of financial solvency or absence of third-party liabilities.
Does it prove that the company is compliant with UAE Corporate Tax and VAT?
Not automatically. Federal tax compliance is administered separately and may require different evidence from the Federal Tax Authority.
Can a company obtain the certificate if its licence has expired?
This depends on the authority, but companies should generally ensure that their licence, registration and outstanding authority obligations are in order before requesting the certificate.
Is a professional Good Standing Certificate the same document?
No. Professional Good Standing Certificates relate to an individual practitioner and are issued by the relevant professional regulator rather than the company registrar.
How NUR Advisors Group Can Help
Obtaining the correct Certificate of Good Standing starts with identifying the company’s registration authority and the exact document required by the receiving organisation.
NUR Advisors Group assists Dubai and UAE companies with:
Identifying the correct issuing authority
Certificate of Good Standing applications
Certificate of Incumbency requests
Company status and registration documents
Free Zone and offshore corporate documents
Review of company records before application
Coordination of licence and registration updates where required
Corporate document preparation
Attestation and legalisation coordination
We review the company’s jurisdiction, licence status, corporate records, shareholders, managers, and intended use of the document to determine which certificate should be requested.
Where the certificate will be used outside the UAE, we also help identify whether attestation, legalisation, certified translation, or additional corporate documents may be required.
This can help avoid ordering the wrong certificate, paying unnecessary authority fees, or discovering late in a transaction that further authentication is required.
Request a Certificate of Good Standing in Dubai
The correct procedure depends on the company’s jurisdiction and on the document requested by the bank, regulator, investor, foreign authority, or other recipient.
Before applying, confirm the required certificate type, issuing authority, acceptable issue date, format, and any attestation or legalisation requirements.
To discuss a Certificate of Good Standing, Certificate of Incumbency, company status document, corporate document attestation, or related company administration in Dubai, contact NUR Advisors Group at info@nur.ae.
Comments