UAE Company Credit Report: How to Check Businesses in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and the Free Zones

The UAE is one of the world’s busiest trading hubs — and one of the most complex places to verify a company. A business can be licensed by any of the seven emirates’ economic departments, by one of more than 40 commercial free zones, or by the financial free zones in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, each with its own register. Many re-export traders, holding companies and regional headquarters sit in these zones. This guide explains how UAE company verification works and when you need a full UAE company credit report.

How companies are registered in the UAE

Mainland companies — licensed by the economic department of the emirate where they operate, such as Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism or Abu Dhabi’s Department of Economic Development.
Commercial free-zone companies — licensed by free-zone authorities such as Jebel Ali Free Zone (JAFZA), the Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC) or Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone (RAKEZ). Common suffixes include FZE, FZCO and FZ-LLC.
Financial free zones — the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) and Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), which operate their own common-law registries with public search portals.

The key document is the trade licence. Its number, the legal name, the licensed activities, the issuing authority and the expiry date are what you verify.

The National Economic Register

The federal National Economic Register (NER) brings together licence data from licensing authorities across the country, so you can look up the basic details of a licence — name, licence number, status and activities. Start there, then confirm with the issuing authority, especially for free-zone entities, where coverage and detail vary.

Verification checklist for a UAE company

Get a copy of the current trade licence and the exact legal name.
Confirm the licence on the National Economic Register or the issuing authority’s portal.
Check that the licence is valid — not expired or cancelled — and that the licensed activities cover the goods or services in your deal.
Confirm the registered address and office. Free-zone “flexi-desk” licences are legitimate but signal a small operation.
Identify the owners and managers; UAE rules require companies to keep records of their real beneficiaries.
Make sure the bank account is in the licensed entity’s name.
Screen the company, its owners and managers against sanctions lists.
Order a credit report before any credit exposure or advance payment.

Documents to request from a UAE company

The current trade licence, showing licence number, licensed activities, issuing authority and expiry date.
The Memorandum of Association or, for free-zone entities, the certificate of incorporation.
The VAT Tax Registration Number (TRN) certificate from the Federal Tax Authority, where the company is registered for VAT.
A bank letter confirming the account name.
Identification of the authorised signatory for your KYB file.

Check that the legal name is identical on every document and matches the licence record.

Red flags in UAE trade

An expired or cancelled licence, or licensed activities unrelated to the deal — for example, a consultancy licence used to sell commodities.
A free-zone company with a single flexi-desk, no staff and very large trade volumes.
Recent incorporation combined with high-value orders on credit terms.
Goods routed through the UAE with no commercial reason, especially to or from high-risk destinations.
Payments requested from or to third parties unrelated to the contract.
Owners or managers you cannot identify (how to find UBOs).

Payment risk in the UAE

Trade credit is central to UAE business, but payment discipline is under strain. Atradius’ 2026 survey found that around two in five B2B invoices in the UAE are paid late, and more businesses reported deteriorating payment behaviour than improving. Before offering open-account terms to a UAE buyer, check its credit standing and set a limit (see credit limits).

What a UAE company credit report covers

A Raaziq BCR UAE company credit report verifies the licence and registration details, licensing authority and status, owners and managers, corporate structure and related companies, business activities, trade activity, legal and adverse data, financial analysis where available, country risk, and a credit rating with a recommended limit. Where a free-zone company does not publish accounts, the report says so clearly and relies on other evidence. Banks issuing LCs in favour of UAE beneficiaries can use the same report for counterparty due diligence.

Frequently asked questions

How can I check if a UAE company is registered?

Search the trade licence on the UAE’s National Economic Register or on the portal of the issuing authority — the emirate’s economic department or the relevant free zone. DIFC and ADGM have their own public registers.

What is the difference between a mainland and a free-zone company?

Mainland companies are licensed by an emirate’s economic department to trade in the UAE market; free-zone companies are licensed by a free-zone authority, mainly for international trade and services, under their own rules and registers.

Do UAE companies publish financial statements?

Most private companies do not. Listed companies and some regulated entities do. A credit report uses other indicators — licence history, trade activity, legal records and payment behaviour — where accounts are not available.

How fast can I get a UAE company credit report?

Raaziq BCR delivers UAE company reports in 1–48 hours.

Trading with a Dubai or free-zone company? Check it first. Order a UAE company credit report from Raaziq BCR — licence verification, ownership, legal records and credit limit, delivered in 1–48 hours.

Get a Credit Report → | WhatsApp +92-347-4597451 | info@raaziqbcr.com