Abu Dhabi Registration Authority Launches Initiative to Update Economic Licenses Registry

Abu Dhabi's business registration authority has launched a program to help investors renew expired economic licenses dating back over three years, including some that expired before 2010. The initiative aims to clean up business records while giving companies a chance to fix their legal status before their licenses get permanently canceled.

The Abu Dhabi Registration and Licensing Authority (ADRA) developed this program after talking with investors and business stakeholders about why licenses weren't being renewed. They found that canceling old licenses often hurt companies' other business activities, so they decided to give businesses another shot at getting compliant.

Here's how the system normally works in Abu Dhabi: licenses that expire get moved to an "expired licenses" registry if they've been expired for less than three years. But licenses that have been expired for three years or more get completely canceled from the system.

**The first phase covers the oldest cases** - licenses that expired before 2010. Business owners have from November 1-30, 2025 to renew these licenses or fix their status. The authority is waiving all late renewal fees for these cases.

ADRA will announce timing for handling licenses that expired after 2010 in the coming period.

The program reflects Abu Dhabi's push to maintain accurate, up-to-date business data for better decision-making. ADRA serves as the central authority for company registration and commercial records across the emirate, including non-financial free zones.

Mohammed Muneef Al Mansouri, ADRA's director general, said the authority regularly talks with the business sector to understand challenges and develop appropriate solutions. "This initiative supports ease of doing business and allows investors to correct the status of expired licenses, providing more flexibility for investors to benefit from the wide and promising opportunities that Abu Dhabi's economy offers," he said.

**Business growth numbers show the program's importance.** Active licenses in Abu Dhabi jumped 19% in the first half of this year compared to the same period in 2024. Al Mansouri said this growth reflects the emirate's appeal to investors.

The authority is working to provide more practical solutions that make business easier, both during registration and operational phases. Al Mansouri emphasized their commitment to supporting business through policies that create fertile ground for sector growth, using the latest digital solutions to simplify business establishment and development procedures.