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A trade license amendment is any change to what your free zone licence and company papers record. Adding an activity, bringing in a new shareholder, replacing the manager, renaming the company: each one goes through the zone as an amendment, with its own fee. Ajman Free Zone charges AED 2,500 for a manager change and does it the same day. A shareholder change there costs more and takes at least 14 days because of a newspaper notice.
The amendments companies make most
- Adding or removing business activities
- Share transfer between existing shareholders
- New shareholder in, old shareholder out
- New manager, director or secretary
- Company name change
- Change of share capital
- Conversion between FZE and FZC, or a similar change of legal form
Published amendment fees
Most zones quote amendments on request. These are the figures we found on official pages.
| Change | Free zone | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Manager change | Ajman Free Zone | AED 2,500 (AED 500 amendment plus AED 2,000 for the MOA or AOA) |
| Registration or amendment, shareholder change | Ajman Free Zone | AED 2,000 |
| Establishment card amendment | Ajman Free Zone | AED 535 |
| Partnership agreement attestation | Ajman Free Zone | AED 2,000 |
| FZC or FZE conversion | Ajman Free Zone | AED 500 |
| Extra activity | Meydan Free Zone | AED 1,000 each, beyond 3 groups |
| Extra shareholder | Meydan Free Zone | AED 2,000 each |
| Extra activity | SPC Free Zone | AED 2,200 each, beyond 5 groups |
| Extra shareholder | SPC Free Zone | AED 1,000 each, beyond 7 |
Source: Ajman Free Zone FAQ, Meydan cost calculator, SPC cost calculator and pay as you go page, checked .
A shareholder change at Ajman Free Zone stacks several lines. Besides the AED 2,000 registration or amendment fee, the FAQ lists advertisement, amendment charges, registration and a security check at AED 500 each, the establishment card amendment, and a 14 day newspaper notice. Add them up before you agree a share sale price.
One zone builds a change into the price. Meydan's Fawri instant licence includes one free amendment, which helps if you are not yet sure of your final activity list.
No agency publishes an amendment only price that we could check. PRO agencies charge per task, at about AED 150 to AED 1,500 a task (published prices of 2 agencies, checked ), with zone fees on top.
What changes after the amendment
The licence is only the first document. After a change, check each of these:
- Establishment card: it must match the licence, which is why Ajman Free Zone charges for its amendment.
- MOA, AOA and share register: see MOA and board resolution.
- UBO register: beneficial owner rules apply to commercial free zone companies, so a new owner of 25% or more must be recorded.
- Visas: a leaving shareholder's visa is cancelled; a new one must meet the share rule.
- Bank: your bank will want the new licence and shareholder papers.
- Tax: check whether your VAT or corporate tax records need the new details.
How we handle an amendment request
Tell us the zone and what you want to change. We pass it to a licensed partner who files amendments in that zone. They quote one total covering the zone fees, the notice if one is needed and the follow-up updates, before they file anything. We are an independent directory, not the free zone authority, and the zone approves or refuses the change.
Documents for a typical amendment
- Board or shareholder resolution approving the change
- Amended MOA or AOA, where the zone requires it
- Share transfer agreement for a share sale
- Passport copies of new shareholders, managers or directors
- Corporate documents, often attested, if a shareholder is a company
- Current licence and establishment card
Steps
- Confirm with the zone what the change needs and whether a notice applies.
- Pass the resolution and sign the amended documents.
- File the amendment and pay the fees.
- Run any newspaper notice period.
- Collect the amended licence.
- Update the establishment card, UBO register, visas, bank and tax records.
Mistakes to avoid
- Transferring shares privately and filing later. The licence is what counts.
- Forgetting that a departing partner's visa stays on your company until cancelled.
- Leaving the establishment card on the old details.
- Adding activities one at a time when one filing could cover all of them.
When the change is part of your yearly cycle, do it with the free zone license renewal to save a second round of paperwork. Use the form on this page to describe the change, and we send it to a licensed partner for a price.
Sources
- https://afz.gov.ae/en/help-and-support/faqs.html : Ajman Free Zone manager and shareholder change fees, notice period
- https://www.meydanfz.ae/cost-calculator : Meydan extra activity and shareholder fees
- https://www.meydanfz.ae/fawri : Fawri licence and its free amendment
- https://www.spcfz.ae/cost-calculator/ : SPC extra activity and shareholder fees
- https://srtip.ae/free-zone-rules-and-regulations/ : beneficial owner rules and the 25% threshold
- https://www.henryclub.ae/business-operations/pro-services-dubai/ : PRO per task pricing
- https://www.rizmona.com/pro-services/ : PRO per task pricing
