A certificate of good standing in Dubai is obtained by confirming that a company is properly registered, fully compliant with its regulatory obligations, and in good standing with the authority that issued its license before submitting a formal request for certification.
The certificate is an official confirmation that a business is operating legally at a specific point in time. It shows that the company’s license is active, required filings have been maintained, and no unresolved penalties or enforcement issues are attached to the record. The certificate does not grant new rights or permissions, but it confirms the company’s compliance at the time of snapshot.
The relevance of the certificate of good standing has grown steadily. It is now routinely requested during banking reviews, external audits, ownership changes, corporate restructuring, and international expansion. As UAE authorities, banks, and overseas institutions rely more heavily on verified compliance data, the certificate has become a practical requirement rather than an administrative afterthought.
This guide explains how to obtain a certificate of good standing in Dubai, which authorities issue it, how long it remains valid, and when businesses are most likely to need one. Where timing or compliance gaps create delays, Creative Zone helps companies assess readiness early, coordinate with the appropriate authority, and navigate the certification process without unnecessary friction.
What is a certificate of good standing in Dubai?
A certificate of good standing in Dubai is an official document issued by the authority that licensed the company, confirming that the business is active, compliant, and has no outstanding penalties or violations.
What matters most is timing. The certificate does not describe how a company has behaved historically, and it does not make any promises about future compliance. It simply reflects what the licensing authority sees at the moment the document is issued.
For that reason, it is often used as a quick verification tool rather than a detailed compliance review. Banks, regulators, and counterparties rely on it when they need reassurance, but not a deep dive. If the records are clean on the day the certificate is pulled, that is what the document confirms. Nothing more than that.
Who issues a certificate of good standing in Dubai?
A certificate of good standing in Dubai is issued by the authority that licenses the company, so the issuing body depends entirely on the jurisdiction where the business is registered.
For companies licensed on the mainland, this confirmation is issued by the Department of Economy and Tourism (DET). The DET maintains the company’s licensing record and verifies that the business is active and that no unresolved issues are associated with the file at the time the certificate is requested.
Free zone companies are handled separately. Each free zone issues its own certificate based on the records it maintains internally. The review does not pass through a central mainland authority, which is why a free zone certificate can only come from the zone that issued the license.
Offshore companies follow a different administrative path again. In these cases, the certificate is issued by the offshore registrar responsible for incorporation and ongoing registration. The focus here is narrower, confirming that the entity remains properly registered under the offshore framework rather than assessing onshore operations.
Because records are held at the jurisdiction level, certificates are tied to the issuing authority. A company must request the document from the same body that originally licensed it for the confirmation to carry weight.
When is a certificate of good standing required?
A certificate of good standing in Dubai is required when a company needs to prove, rather than assume, that its compliance position is in order.
Banks are often the starting point. When a corporate account is opened, reviewed, or updated, banks often request a recent certificate as part of their due diligence. This is especially true where something has changed in the background, such as ownership, authorised signatories, or transaction activity. The certificate gives them a current reference point without reopening the company’s full history.
Corporate changes create similar pressure. Ownership transfers, share restructurings, and internal reorganisations tend to trigger requests for confirmation before amendments are approved. The same applies when companies apply for new licenses, permits, or renewals. If the record is being touched, the company’s standing is usually checked first.
The document also appears regularly in larger transactions. During mergers, acquisitions, and due diligence exercises, counterparties want assurance that the business is properly established and not carrying unresolved issues. For international expansion or overseas registration, the certificate is often used alongside other certification services to confirm the company’s home jurisdiction status.
Legal and audit reviews are another common setting. Lawyers and auditors rely on certificates of good standing as a simple way to confirm that nothing is outstanding at the time their work is carried out. It is less about detail and more about certainty.
Eligibility requirements for obtaining a certificate of good standing
Only companies that are fully compliant at the time of application are eligible for a certificate of good standing in Dubai.
As a minimum, the company’s trade license must be valid and active. An expired license, even by a short margin, is usually enough to pause or block issuance until renewal is completed. Licensing authorities treat the certificate as confirmation of current standing, not intent to regularise later.
Outstanding fines or penalties also matter. Any unresolved administrative fines, compliance breaches, or enforcement notes attached to the company record may prevent issuance of the certificate. In many cases, the issue is not serious non-compliance but a minor oversight that was never formally closed.
Regulatory compliance now plays a larger role than it did in the past. Companies are expected to be aligned with corporate tax registration and tax compliance and filings where applicable, have met Economic Substance Regulation obligations if they fall within scope, and maintain accurate Ultimate Beneficial Owner (UBO) records. Gaps in these areas often surface when a certificate is requested, even if day-to-day operations have not been affected.
Finally, the company’s records must be up to date with the issuing authority. Shareholder details, authorised signatories, business activities, and contact information all need to match what is on file. Where records lag behind reality, the certificate process tends to stall until updates are made.
Step-by-step process to get a certificate of good standing in Dubai
Obtaining a certificate of good standing in Dubai is a relatively simple process: confirm the correct issuing authority, undergo a compliance review, submit the application, pay the fee, and receive the certificate.
Step 1: Identify the issuing authority
Everything hinges on where the company is licensed. A mainland company will be linked to the DET, a free zone company to its specific free zone authority, and an offshore entity to its registrar. The application must be returned to the same body. When companies apply to the wrong authority, nothing moves. This is usually clarified upfront with Creative Zone before any request is submitted.
Step 2: Verify company compliance status
Before filing anything, it is worth checking what the authority will see. License status, unpaid fines, missing filings, or unresolved updates typically surface at this point. Most delays happen here, not because the business is non-compliant, but because something small was left unattended.
Step 3: Submit the application
Applications are typically lodged through the authority’s portal, though some jurisdictions still rely on manual submission. The process itself is not complex. Where it slows down is when company details do not match the authority’s on-file records, triggering clarification requests.
Step 4: Pay applicable government fees
Once the request is accepted, the relevant government fee is settled. Issuance does not progress until payment clears; delays at this stage are usually administrative rather than regulatory.
Step 5: Receive the certificate
After review, the certificate is issued. Most authorities provide it digitally, while physical copies are less common and usually optional. The document reflects the company’s status on that day only, which is why timing often matters more than speed.
Documents required for a certificate of good standing
The documents needed to secure a certificate of good standing are:
- Valid trade license: Confirms the company is active and authorised to operate at the time of application
- Establishment card (if applicable): Required for companies that sponsor visas and are registered with immigration authorities
- Company registration documents: Used to verify the company’s legal structure, ownership, and licensed activity
- Passport copy of authorised signatory: Confirms who is legally permitted to request the certificate on behalf of the company
- Power of Attorney (if applying through an agent): Confirms that a third party is authorised to submit the application
Cost of obtaining a certificate of good standing in Dubai (2026)
The cost of obtaining a certificate of good standing in Dubai ranges from AED 500 to AED 2,000, depending on the issuing authority and requirethe document turnaround time.
The base of this cost is the government issuance fee charged by the licensing authority. Mainland certificates issued through the DET usually fall at the lower end of the range, while free zone authorities often charge more, as each zone sets its own pricing structure.
In some cases, authority-specific charges apply. These can arise where certificates require manual processing or internal review rather than being generated automatically. The amount and structure of these charges vary by jurisdiction.
Urgent or express service fees may also apply when a faster turnaround is required. Not all authorities offer expedited processing, but where it is available, the added cost reflects the priority handling of the request.
How long is a certificate of good standing valid?
A certificate of good standing is only considered valid for a short period, and its usefulness depends largely on how recently it was issued. There is no single expiry date printed on the document.
Instead, most banks, authorities, and counterparties work to an informal window, usually 30 to 90 days. What matters to them is recency. The certificate confirms a company’s status on one specific day, and nothing beyond that.
This is why older certificates are often rejected, even if nothing has changed within the business. Licensing, compliance, and ownership records can shift quickly, and institutions prefer a fresh confirmation rather than relying on a document that may no longer reflect the current position.
In practical terms, companies are usually asked to obtain a new certificate each time it is requested, rather than reuse one issued months earlier.
Common reasons for certificate rejection or delay
These are the common reasons for certificates of good standing to be rejected or delayed:
- Expired trade license: Certificates are not issued if the license is inactive, even if renewal is in progress
- Outstanding fines or penalties: Unresolved administrative fines or compliance penalties must be cleared first
- Incomplete corporate filings: Missing or late regulatory filings can pause issuance, even if operations continue normally
- Mismatch in company records: Differences in ownership, signatories, or activity details often trigger manual review
- Incorrect application details: Errors or outdated information commonly lead to clarification requests, especially for bank compliance
Most delays are preventable. Early compliance checks identify minor issues before an application is submitted, which is especially important when certificates are required urgently for bank compliance.
Certificate of good standing vs trade license
A trade license and a certificate of good standing are related, but they serve different purposes, which is why they are often requested together.
A trade license authorises a company to carry out specific business activities in Dubai. It is what allows the business to operate legally, enter contracts, hire staff, and invoice clients. As long as the license is active and renewed on time, the company is permitted to trade within the scope listed on that license.
A certificate of good standing does not authorise activity: it confirms status. When issued, it shows that the company is compliant on that day, with no unresolved issues reflected on its record. The certificate is tied to a moment rather than a term, which is why it is usually accepted only for a short period after issuance.
The difference becomes clear in how the documents are used. A company may hold a valid trade license for an entire year and still be asked to provide a current certificate of good standing during a bank review, audit, or transaction. One document enables the business to operate, while the other reassures third parties that the company’s compliance position is in order when checked.
Impact of corporate tax and compliance rules on good standing (2026)
In 2026, a certificate of good standing depends largely on whether a company’s compliance records are current at the time of request.
Corporate tax now forms part of that check. Where registration or filing is required, missing or overdue items can prevent issuance. The certificate is not a tax clearance, but alignment still matters.
Economic Substance Regulations (ESR) have a similar effect. If a company falls within scope, incomplete notifications or reports often surface during review.
UBO records are treated the same way. Outdated ownership details or unreported changes can slow the process until they are corrected.
There is no technical hurdle here; timing is the issue. Companies that keep filings up to date tend to receive certificates without interruption, while others end up fixing compliance under pressure.
Why choose Creative Zone to obtain a certificate of good standing?
Creative Zone supports companies throughout the certificate of good standing process, from initial compliance checks through to application submission and coordination with the relevant licensing authority. The focus is on confirming readiness first, so the request does not stall after submission.
Before applying, we review the company’s license status, filings, and records to ensure regulatory requirements are in place. This step often makes the difference between a certificate being issued quickly and an application being delayed or rejected due to avoidable gaps.
Where authority interaction is required, our highly experienced team manages communication directly and tracks progress through to issuance. This is particularly useful for businesses that need certificates on short notice or as part of a wider transaction, audit, or corporate change. The same hands-on approach applies across broader business setup in Dubai services, where compliance and timing tend to overlap.
To move forward without unnecessary delays, contact Creative Zone to get help with the process.
Frequently asked questions
Is a certificate of good standing mandatory in Dubai?
A certificate of good standing is not mandatory by default, but it is commonly required for specific transactions such as banking, audits, or corporate changes.
Can a company with fines obtain a certificate of good standing?
A company with unresolved fines or penalties is usually not eligible until those issues are settled and cleared on record.
How long does it take to get a certificate of good standing?
Most certificates are issued within a few working days, depending on the authority and whether the company’s records are already in order.
Can I apply for a certificate of good standing online?
Yes, many authorities allow online applications, although some jurisdictions may still require manual submission.
Is a certificate of good standing required for bank account opening?
Banks frequently request a certificate of good standing as part of their due diligence when opening or reviewing a corporate account.
