Sharjah is the regional industrial hub; hence the government has taken initiatives to encourage investment and boost economic diversification in light of this. Companies both at home and abroad can benefit from this. Sharjah trade licences are mandatory for all enterprises to operate within the city, as they are essential to meeting the industry’s stringent performance standards.
Companies in Sharjah need to obtain licences so that the government can keep tabs on them and enforce consumer laws. The Sharjah Economic Development Department handles licences, renewals, and other licensing-related matters. A trade licence is required before a business may legally operate in Sharjah. Starting up a company without the required paperwork is illegal. In a similar vein, the licence must be renewed periodically to keep running.
What requirements must a company meet to obtain a Sharjah business licence?
Before obtaining a Sharjah commercial licence, an enterprise must satisfy the following conditions.
- Determine whether the company falls under the “industrial,” “commercial,” or “professional” umbrellas.
- Define your business’s permitted “ten per licence” activities.
- Establish your company’s brand by selecting a name.
- Apply for preliminary authorisation from SEDD.
- Get a trading name registered (if you haven’t already) if you get the green light.
- Look for a commercial lease and apply for company registration with the Sharjah Municipality.
- Get the necessary paperwork together, such as an Articles of Association and permits from the appropriate agencies.
- Send in your final paperwork to the Department so that you can officially open for business.
- The fee must be paid.
In addition to applying for a licence, your company can try to register its trademark in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The success of a company in Sharjah often prompts that company to look for new opportunities in Dubai and the other emirates. E-trader licensing in Dubai is one option among many available to prospective entrepreneurs there. You’re in the nation’s capital and you want to do it alone. Find out more about getting a freelancing licence in Abu Dhabi with our help below.
The cost of a Sharjah commercial licence is conditional on several variables, including the legal structure of the company, the type of licence required, and the value of the associated lease. The Sharjah Economic Development Department’s website is the best place to go to find an approximate cost breakdown.
Getting the company registered to collect value-added tax in the United Arab Emirates is also important.
The following procedures must be carried out to establish an overseas subsidiary of an existing business:
- Licences can be requested through the Department of Economic Development.
- A new branch may operate only after receiving the Board of Directors’ approval, which can be proven by reviewing either meeting minutes or the company’s bylaws.
- Deliver translated and validated documents from the UAE Embassy overseas and the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
- Authorization from the foreign company’s representative to move forward with the project with a power of attorney.
- Please send the completed application and any supporting documents to the head of the trade name section so that the branch can be registered.
- To make sure, check with the Trade Names Office.
- If you want to open a branch, you need to get in touch with the Ministry of Economy.
Shareholding Corporations (Both Public and Private)
The steps necessary to obtain a permit to manage either a public or private shareholding company are as follows:
- Do your best to get your application in order and send it off to the Ministry of Economy and the Department of Economic Development. The requirements of the Commercial Registry Act and its implementing rules must be met by this application. If it’s done within 15 days of the Ministry’s announcement of the company’s formation, it’s fine.
- Get paperwork started with the Department of Economic Development for the company’s founding.
- The Department of Economic Development establishes a panel. The Ministry of Development and the Department of Development both have a representative on the team. Whether the corporation should be founded or not is a recommendation of this committee. This recommendation is being submitted to the department leader for consideration.
- Department heads have the final call on whether to form a firm.
- The Ministry of the Economy reviews the recommendation and the supporting documentation before making a final determination.
- It is required that the term “public company” be included in the public shareholding business’s trading name should the decision be made to form the firm. The phrase “private joint-stock company” must also be included in the business’s trade name if it is a private shareholding company.
- When the proper authorities have entered the company into the trade registry, only then may business operations begin. Like how a corporation needs a Sharjah trade licence to conduct business.
How severe are the consequences of not renewing a Sharjah commercial licence?
Companies that fail to renew their Sharjah trading licences are subject to fines and may be removed from trading databases. As a result, the company’s operations would cease, any visas issued on its behalf would be nullified, and the proprietor might be required to leave the United Arab Emirates.
The government of Sharjah has upgraded their e-services to reduce the burden on business owners. Once everything is set up and the paperwork is in order, things usually go without a hitch.
A lot of development is being made in Sharjah, even though businesses there aren’t quite at the level of those in the larger emirates. There has been significant development in the emirate, as evidenced by the influx of new businesses and the increasing number of events hosted at the Sharjah Expo Centre. Given this, it presents a fantastic chance for business people in the area. It’s in your best interest as an expat to become well-versed in the UAE’s Business Gold Visa if you plan on staying in the country for an extended period for business purposes.
Our guide to obtaining a Sharjah trading licence has come to an end.
Set for today. In the next one, we’ll talk. Bye.