How to Sell a Business in Dubai: Step-by-Step Guide (2026)
Short answer: To sell a business in Dubai, prepare 12 months of financial records, set a realistic price based on proven profit, get your landlord’s written consent to transfer the lease, and then list the business where serious buyers look, such as BusinessFinder.me’s sell-your-business page. Once you agree terms with a buyer, sign a sale agreement, transfer the trade licence through the licensing authority, move the tenancy contract and staff to the new owner, and hand over on an agreed date. Most small sales in Dubai are “running business” sales, where the buyer takes over the licence, shop, equipment and team.
Last updated: 21 October 2026
This guide is for owners of cafeterias, salons, groceries, restaurants, garages, trading and service companies who want to sell a business in Dubai without losing months or money on avoidable problems.
What does selling a business in Dubai involve?
Selling a business in Dubai means transferring everything a buyer needs to keep trading: the trade licence (or the company that holds it), the shop lease, the fit-out and equipment, stock, staff and customers. No government body sets the price or runs the sale. You agree the deal privately with the buyer, then each part is moved over through the authority responsible for it.
A few terms you will meet:
- Running business: a business sold while it is trading, with its licence, location, equipment and usually its staff.
- Key money: a lump sum a new tenant pays the outgoing tenant for the right to take over a shop and its location. It is a market practice, not a government fee.
- Asset sale: the buyer purchases the business and its assets, not the company itself.
- Share sale: the buyer purchases the shares in the company that owns the business, so the company, its licence and its history stay in place under new owners.
- Heads of terms (or MoU): a short written summary of the agreed price, payment schedule and conditions, signed before the full sale agreement.
How do you sell a business in Dubai, step by step?
Most owner-run sales follow the same eight steps.
- Prepare your records. Gather 12 months of bank statements, POS and delivery-app reports, VAT returns, the trade licence, the tenancy contract and staff details.
- Set your price. Base it on proven monthly net profit, then adjust for assets, lease terms and key money. Our guide on how to value a business in Dubai explains the method with real listing data.
- Speak to your landlord. Ask, in writing, whether the lease can be transferred or a new tenancy granted to a buyer, and on what rent.
- List the business. Publish a clear listing with price, area, size, rent and profit figures.
- Screen buyers. Share basic numbers first. Share detailed financials only with serious buyers who sign a confidentiality agreement.
- Agree terms. Put the price, deposit, what is included, stock, staff and the handover date into signed heads of terms.
- Transfer the licence, lease and staff. Complete the licence amendment, the new tenancy registration and the staff arrangements (see below).
- Hand over and get paid. Count stock, hand over keys, passwords and supplier contacts, and release the final payment as agreed.
What documents do you need to sell a business in Dubai?
Buyers pay faster and argue less when the file is ready before the first viewing. Use this checklist:
- Valid trade licence and any activity permits (for example, food or salon approvals).
- Memorandum of association or company documents, if you are selling the company.
- Tenancy contract and Ejari certificate, plus the landlord’s written position on transfer.
- 12 months of bank statements and a simple monthly profit and loss summary.
- VAT returns, if the business is VAT-registered.
- Staff list with salaries, joining dates and visa status.
- Equipment list with photos and purchase invoices.
- Utility account details and proof that bills and fines are paid.
Should you sell the assets or the company?
Small shops in Dubai are often sold as a business transfer, while larger companies are more often sold through their shares. The choice changes who carries past liabilities, so agree it early and confirm it with a lawyer.
| Asset or business sale | Share sale | |
|---|---|---|
| What the buyer gets | The business, equipment, stock and goodwill | The company itself, with its licence and contracts |
| Past debts and disputes | Usually stay with the seller, unless agreed otherwise | Stay inside the company, so the buyer inherits them |
| Paperwork | New licence or licence amendment, new tenancy and staff transfers | Change of shareholders on the existing licence |
| VAT | Can fall outside VAT if it qualifies as a transfer of a going concern | A share sale is not a transfer of business assets |
On VAT, the Federal Tax Authority’s public clarification VATP015 says a transfer of a going concern (TOGC) is a type of asset sale, not a share sale. To qualify, the whole business or an independent part of it must be transferred, the buyer must be a taxable person, and the buyer must intend to continue the business. A mere transfer of assets does not qualify. Ask a registered tax agent to confirm your case before you sign.
Where can you list a business for sale in Dubai?
You can list it on BusinessFinder.me, a UAE marketplace for buying and selling running businesses such as restaurants, salons, groceries, garages and IT firms, with asking prices in AED. You sign in, add your business type, area, price and description, and buyers contact you directly. Other routes include business brokers, your own network and classified sites; our comparison of where to buy or sell a business in Dubai and the UAE covers each one.
What should a good business-for-sale listing include?
A good listing answers a buyer’s first questions before they call: price, location, size, rent, profit, staff and why you are selling. Many listings leave these out. We checked 142 live listings on BusinessFinder.me on 21 October 2026 and looked at what their descriptions mention:
| Detail mentioned in the listing | Listings | Share of 142 |
|---|---|---|
| Trade licence or licence status | 57 | 40% |
| Sales, revenue or turnover | 51 | 36% |
| Staff | 51 | 36% |
| Rent | 50 | 35% |
| Lease, Ejari or contract | 48 | 34% |
| Profit | 45 | 32% |
| Shop size in square feet | 44 | 31% |
| Reason for sale | 27 | 19% |
| Stock | 11 | 8% |
Source: BusinessFinder.me listing descriptions, keyword check on 21 October 2026. A mention does not mean the figure was verified.
Fewer than one in three listings mention profit, so a listing that states it clearly stands out. Two examples from the site show the difference detail makes:
- A marketing consultancy in Deira lists its price (AED 130,000), stated net profit (AED 30,000 to 35,000 a month), team size (8 staff) and status in five short lines.
- A running grocery in International City priced at AED 150,000 lists what the buyer gets: an active trade licence, the shop’s Ejari, an active DEWA account, CCTV, a POS counter and the fitted shelves and chillers.
For context on pricing, the median asking price across those 142 listings was AED 400,000, and 90 of them (63%) asked AED 500,000 or less. You can compare your price with similar businesses for sale on BusinessFinder.me.
How do you transfer the trade licence, lease and staff?
Trade licence
For a Dubai mainland business, changing the owner or partners is a licence amendment handled by the Department of Economy and Tourism (DET); see Invest in Dubai’s request to amend a trade licence service. Free zone companies follow their own free zone authority’s process. Make sure the licence is valid and free of fines before you start, because buyers will check.
Lease and Ejari
In Dubai, tenancy contracts are registered through Ejari with the Dubai Land Department, either at a Real Estate Trustee Centre or online through the Ejari system or the Dubai REST app. The landlord must agree to a tenancy in the buyer’s name. Without that consent, the location, and any key money you are asking for, has no value to a buyer.
Staff and gratuity
Staff who stay on need their work permits and visas moved to the new owner, or kept under the same company in a share sale. Under UAE Labour Law, as summarised on the UAE government portal u.ae, foreign employees with at least one year of service earn end-of-service gratuity of 21 days’ basic wage for each of the first five years and 30 days for each year after that. Calculate what each employee has built up and agree in writing whether you pay it at handover or the buyer takes it on in exchange for a lower price.
How can you get a better price when selling?
- Show profit on paper: match bank deposits to your sales reports.
- Renew the licence and clear fines and overdue bills before listing.
- Secure a longer lease or the landlord’s written consent to transfer.
- Keep key staff in place and willing to stay.
- Fix or replace broken equipment, and keep invoices.
- Give an honest reason for sale; buyers are wary when none is given.
- Price within the range of similar listings, and leave room to negotiate. Our price guides for salons, groceries and garages show typical asking prices.
What mistakes should sellers avoid?
The most common mistakes are handing over keys or the licence before full payment, sharing detailed financials with unscreened callers, agreeing a sale before the landlord has agreed the lease, and leaving stock, gratuity and unpaid bills out of the written agreement. Each one can turn a finished deal into a dispute. Take a deposit when heads of terms are signed, and tie the final payment to the licence and tenancy transfer.
Also remember tax: under UAE corporate tax, taxable income above AED 375,000 is taxed at 9%, and the Federal Tax Authority’s Small Business Relief may apply to businesses with revenue of AED 3 million or less. Ask your tax adviser how a gain on the sale is treated in your case.
Ready to sell your business?
When your records and lease are in order, list your business for sale on BusinessFinder.me with your asking price, area and key figures. If you are on the other side of the deal, read our step-by-step guide to buying a business in Dubai.
Key takeaways
- Prepare 12 months of bank, sales and VAT records before you list.
- Price on proven profit, then adjust for assets, lease and key money.
- Get the landlord’s written consent to transfer the lease first.
- State price, rent, profit, staff and reason for sale in your listing; fewer than one in three BusinessFinder.me listings we checked mention profit.
- Choose between an asset sale and a share sale early, and check VAT (TOGC) and corporate tax with an adviser.
- Tie the final payment to the licence and tenancy transfer, and put stock and gratuity in writing.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to sell a business in Dubai?
There is no official timeline. Finding a buyer usually takes the longest; once terms are agreed, the licence amendment, tenancy registration and staff transfers can move quickly if your documents are complete and the landlord has already agreed.
Can a foreigner sell a business in Dubai?
Yes. Owners of any nationality can sell their business or their shares. The process depends on whether the business is licensed on the Dubai mainland by the Department of Economy and Tourism or in a free zone, which has its own transfer rules.
Do I need the landlord’s permission to sell my business?
If the buyer will trade from your shop, yes in practice. The new tenancy must be registered through Ejari in the buyer’s name, which needs the landlord’s agreement. Get it in writing before you sign a sale.
Is VAT charged when selling a business in the UAE?
It depends. Under the Federal Tax Authority’s clarification VATP015, the transfer of a whole business, or an independent part of it, to a taxable person who will continue it can be treated as a transfer of a going concern and fall outside VAT. A sale of assets alone does not qualify.
Who pays staff gratuity when a business is sold?
Buyer and seller agree it. Under UAE Labour Law, foreign employees with at least one year of service earn 21 days’ basic wage per year for the first five years and 30 days per year after that. The seller usually pays it at handover or reduces the price by the amount owed.
Where can I sell my business in Dubai online?
You can list it on BusinessFinder.me, a UAE marketplace for buying and selling running businesses with prices in AED. Include your price, area, rent, profit and reason for sale so serious buyers can contact you.
This guide is general information, not legal, financial or tax advice. Listing details are as stated by sellers and were not independently verified.