Company liquidation
Closing a UAE company properly protects you from future fines, travel bans and liabilities.
Steps
- Shareholder resolution to dissolve and appoint a liquidator.
- Public notice to creditors where the law requires it, and a waiting period.
- Cancel all employee visas and labour contracts, and pay final settlements.
- Obtain clearances from utilities, landlords and authorities.
- Deregister from VAT and corporate tax with final returns.
- Close bank accounts.
- Liquidator's final report and licence cancellation.
Common mistakes
- Leaving the country without cancelling visas
- Letting the licence expire instead of cancelling it
- Forgetting tax deregistration, which triggers penalties
Common questions
Can I just let the licence expire?
No. Expired licences keep accruing fines and obligations. Formal cancellation is the only clean exit.
Official sources
We check our guidance against these official sources. Always confirm current fees and rules before acting.