New condition for commercial licenses in Dubai

Dubai Economic Development Department (DED) has made it mandatory for the commercial establishments to produce lease contracts registered with 'Ejari' for the renewal and amendment of commercial licenses. Ejari is the official online registration of property on lease in Dubai introduced by the Real Estate Regulatory Agency (Rera). The new rule will come into force for the renewal and amendment transactions beginning from July this year, said a joint announcement from DED and RERA. Marwan bin Ghalita, CEO, Rera, said linking the approval of commercial licenses with the registration and documentation of lease contracts in Rera is for the "benefit of the country's business sector and an advantage that helps it rank higher in the global competitiveness index issued by the World Bank". Mohammed Shael, CEO, Business Registration '&' Licensing Division at DED, said that the department will generalise the procedure to become a prerequisite for all licenses issued by the department.