How to Buy a Company in Dubai: Share Transfer & Checks 2026
Short answer: To buy a company in Dubai, you usually buy the owner’s shares in an existing LLC, not just its assets. The other partners get 30 days to buy the shares first, the transfer is signed in an attested contract, and you only become the legal owner once the trade licence and commercial register are amended with the Department of Economy and Tourism (DET). In 194 past Dubai company listings on BusinessFinder.me, the median asking price was AED 500,000.
Last updated: November 9, 2026
BusinessFinder.me is a UAE marketplace for buying and selling running businesses, where owners list companies, shops, restaurants and trade licences with asking prices in AED. This guide covers buying a whole company. For the wider process, see our main guide on how to buy a business in Dubai.
What does it mean to buy a company in Dubai?
Buying a company means taking over the legal entity itself: its trade licence, its name, its bank accounts, its contracts, its staff and its history, good and bad. The company does not change; only its owners do. That is different from buying a shop’s assets, where you take the fit-out and stock and move them under your own licence.
Key terms you will see
- LLC (limited liability company): the most common mainland company. Under Article 71 of the Commercial Companies Law it can have one owner or between two and fifty partners, each liable only up to their capital.
- Share (or stake) transfer: the sale of an owner’s shares in the company to a buyer.
- MOA: the memorandum of association, which names the partners and their shares and must be amended after a sale.
- Old company: sellers’ term for a company with several years of trading, often wanted for its bank history, client contracts or track record for tenders.
- Asset purchase: buying the business (equipment, stock, lease, customers) without the company that owns it.
Should you buy the shares or just the assets?
Buying shares is simpler for the customer-facing side, because licences, contracts and staff stay in the same company. But every past debt, fine, tax bill and legal claim stays with the company too. Buying assets leaves those liabilities behind, but you need your own licence and must move each contract and employee across.
| Share purchase | Asset purchase | |
|---|---|---|
| What you buy | The whole company | Equipment, stock, lease, goodwill |
| Trade licence | Stays; partners are amended | You use your own licence |
| Past debts and fines | Stay with the company (your risk) | Usually stay with the seller |
| Staff and visas | Stay on the same company | Must be moved or re-hired |
| Contracts and bank accounts | Continue | Must be re-signed or opened |
| Best for | Trading and service companies with contracts and history | Shops, restaurants and salons with a clean location |
If you only want a licence with no real trading behind it, read our guide to trade licences for sale in Dubai instead, and for trading companies see how to buy a general trading license in Dubai.
How much does a company cost to buy in Dubai?
We looked at 230 Dubai company and LLC listings that have since gone offline on BusinessFinder.me (listed between 2019 and 2025), with flagged reposts and placeholder prices removed. Of the 194 with a usable price, the median asking price was AED 500,000, and half asked between AED 147,000 and AED 1,500,000. The 36 listings from 2023 onwards had a median of AED 850,000. These are asking prices, not final sale prices.
| Asking price band | Number of listings |
|---|---|
| Up to AED 100,000 | 41 |
| AED 100,001 to 500,000 | 65 |
| AED 500,001 to 1,000,000 | 28 |
| AED 1,000,001 to 5,000,000 | 46 |
| Above AED 5,000,000 | 14 |
Which types of company cost the most?
| Type of company | Listings | Median asking price |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing and factories | 12 | AED 2,275,000 |
| Trading companies | 10 | AED 1,225,000 |
| Logistics, transport and car rental | 26 | AED 1,175,000 |
| Construction, contracting and fit-out | 14 | AED 1,100,000 |
| General services companies | 39 | AED 500,000 |
| Cleaning, maintenance and technical services | 34 | AED 355,000 |
| IT, media and e-commerce | 14 | AED 274,500 |
| Real estate and holiday homes | 12 | AED 200,000 |
Companies with equipment, vehicles, fleets or long-term contracts asked the most; small IT, media and real estate companies the least. For one sector in detail, see what a cleaning company costs in Dubai. To judge whether a price is fair, use our guide on how to value a business in Dubai.
Which companies are for sale in Dubai right now?
These are the latest company listings on BusinessFinder.me, updated automatically as owners post new ads:
- Premium luxury Transport Company for Sale in Dubai (Al Mezan Tower, Muhaisnah 4, Muhaisnah,)
- Food Import & Export Company (Ras Al Khor, Dubai, Dubai Emirate,)
- Licensed Dubai Security & FM Company for Sale – SIRA Registered, 90 Staff, Active Contracts (Deira, Dubai, United Arab Emirates)
- Software Development Company for Sale in Business Bay (Business Bay, Dubai, UAE)
- Delivery Company for Sale in Port Saeed, Deira (Horizone Building, Port Saeed, Deira, Dubai,)
- Car Rental Company for Sale in Deira, Dubai (Deira, Dubai, UAE)
For more, browse all businesses for sale or trade licences for sale on BusinessFinder.me.
How do you buy a company in Dubai, step by step?
- Agree the headline deal: price, which shares, what is included, and how much is held back until after the transfer.
- Run due diligence on the licence, accounts, bank statements, tax, staff, contracts and court cases (see the checklist below).
- Let the other partners use their pre-emption right. If the company has other partners, they get 30 days to buy the shares first.
- Sign the share transfer contract in attested form, usually before a notary public.
- Amend the trade licence and MOA with DET to change the partners, and the manager if needed.
- Update everything else: bank signatories, beneficial owner records, tax account contacts, immigration and labour records, and key contracts.
- Release the held-back money once the amended licence shows you as owner.
What does UAE law say about transferring LLC shares?
Under Article 79 of Federal Decree-Law No. 32 of 2021 on Commercial Companies, a partner’s stake is assigned by an attested instrument, and the transfer only counts against the company and third parties once it is recorded in the commercial register. Until the licence is amended, the seller is still the legal owner, so do not hand over the full price on signature.
Article 80 gives the other partners a right of redemption. The selling partner must tell them, through the company’s manager, who the buyer is and on what terms. Each partner then has 30 days from the date the manager is notified of the agreed price to ask to buy the stake. Only if nobody does can the seller sell to you. Ask for the partners’ written waivers.
How is the trade licence amended?
For Dubai mainland companies, a change of partners is a licence amendment. Invest in Dubai (DET) lists “amend partners or parties involved” as a standard trade licence modification, together with changes of manager, activities, capital and trade name, and says the amendment itself takes about 10 minutes at a service centre once documents are ready. Fees vary by case. Free zone companies follow their own free zone authority’s transfer process.
What should you check before buying a company?
Is the licence valid and does it match the business?
Check that the licence is active, that its activities cover what the company actually does, and that the company is not blocked by unpaid fines. If the licence is expired or close to expiry, agree in writing who pays to renew it before the transfer.
What debts and liabilities come with it?
With a share purchase, every unpaid supplier, loan, bounced cheque, tax bill and lawsuit stays with the company. Ask for audited or management accounts, twelve months of bank statements, a list of creditors and any court or police cases, and put a warranty in the contract that makes the seller pay for anything undisclosed.
What about tax and VAT?
Because the legal entity does not change, its VAT and corporate tax registrations stay with the company, along with any tax it owes or returns it has filed late. Check the Federal Tax Authority account history before you buy. The VAT relief for a transfer of a going concern, explained in the FTA’s public clarification VATP015, matters for asset deals rather than share deals.
Who pays the staff gratuity?
In a share purchase, staff stay employed by the same company, so end-of-service gratuity built up under the old owner becomes the company’s cost under you. According to the UAE Government portal, private-sector staff with a year or more of service earn 21 days’ basic salary per year for the first five years and 30 days per year after. Get a staff list with start dates and salaries, and agree a price adjustment.
Do the contracts and lease survive a change of owner?
Leases, client contracts and distribution agreements stay in the company’s name, but some contain a change-of-control clause that lets the other side end them. Read the main contracts and get written consent where needed.
Company buyer checklist
- Active trade licence with the right activities and no blocks
- MOA, shareholder register and written waivers from other partners
- Audited or management accounts and 12 months of bank statements
- List of debts, cheques, loans and any court cases
- FTA tax account: VAT and corporate tax returns up to date
- Staff list with visas, salaries, start dates and gratuity owed
- Lease and key contracts checked for change-of-control clauses
- Attested share transfer contract with warranties and a held-back payment
Key takeaways
- The median past asking price for a Dubai company on BusinessFinder.me was AED 500,000, and AED 850,000 for listings from 2023 onwards.
- Buying shares means taking on the company’s whole history, including debts, tax and staff gratuity.
- Other partners have 30 days to buy the shares first under Article 80 of the Commercial Companies Law.
- You only become the owner once the trade licence and commercial register are amended, so hold back part of the price until then.
- Start your search in businesses for sale on BusinessFinder.me.
Selling a company instead? You can list it on BusinessFinder.me from the post an ad page.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to buy a company in Dubai?
In 194 past Dubai company listings on BusinessFinder.me, the median asking price was AED 500,000, and half asked between AED 147,000 and AED 1,500,000. Logistics, construction, trading and manufacturing companies asked the most.
Can a foreigner buy a company in Dubai?
Yes. Since 2021, most mainland activities in Dubai can be fully foreign-owned, though some strategic activities have extra conditions. Check the activity with DET before you sign.
How are shares in a Dubai LLC transferred?
The seller and buyer sign an attested share transfer contract, the other partners waive their 30-day right to buy first, and DET amends the trade licence and MOA. The transfer only takes effect once it is recorded in the commercial register.
Do I take on the old owner’s debts when I buy a company?
Yes, if you buy the shares. The company keeps its debts, fines, tax bills and staff obligations. Protect yourself with due diligence, seller warranties and a held-back payment, or buy the assets instead.
Is buying an old company better than opening a new one?
An old company brings trading history, bank accounts, contracts and staff, which can help with banks and tenders. A new company has no hidden liabilities. It depends on whether the history is worth more than the risk.
Where can I find companies for sale in Dubai?
BusinessFinder.me lists running companies, businesses and trade licences for sale across Dubai and the UAE with asking prices in AED.
Sources: Federal Decree-Law No. 32 of 2021 on Commercial Companies (Articles 71, 79 and 80, UAE Legislation portal); Invest in Dubai (DET), request to amend a trade licence; Federal Tax Authority public clarification VATP015 on transfer of a going concern; UAE Government portal (u.ae) on end-of-service benefits; BusinessFinder.me listing data. This article is general information, not legal or tax advice.
