Smart Zones® - Your UAE Entry Partner
Business • Residency • Banking • Wealth • Investment
Smart Zones® - Your UAE Entry Partner
Business • Residency • Banking • Wealth • Investment
UBO Compliance, UAE
Identify, declare and maintain your UBO register correctly under UAE regulatory requirements.
Free, no-obligation consultation on licence type and structure.
A UBO, or Ultimate Beneficial Owner, is the natural person or persons who ultimately own or control a company, including through layered ownership structures or other forms of control such as voting rights. The UAE's UBO framework, introduced under Cabinet Decision No. 58 of 2020 and refined by subsequent amending resolutions, requires companies to identify their UBOs, maintain a UBO register, and file this information with the relevant registrar, which is DET for mainland companies and the specific free zone authority for free zone companies. UBO declaration is a regulatory filing obligation rather than a paid product, though administrative penalties can apply for non-compliance. Contact our team if you need assistance identifying your UBOs and completing your filing correctly.
Why It Matters
The Ultimate Beneficial Owner (UBO) is the natural person or persons who ultimately own or control a company, even through layered ownership structures. The UAE requires companies to identify their UBOs and maintain a UBO register, under the framework introduced by Cabinet Decision No. 58 of 2020 and its subsequent amending resolutions. Getting your UBO declaration right avoids administrative penalties and keeps your company in good regulatory standing.
Understanding UBO
A UBO is identified through ownership or voting-rights thresholds, or through other means of control over the company, even indirectly.
Cabinet Decision No. 58 of 2020 and its subsequent amending resolutions set out UBO identification, declaration and register obligations for UAE companies.
The Ministry of Economy oversees the UAE's UBO regulatory framework at a federal level.
DET acts as the relevant registrar for UBO filings by mainland Dubai companies.
Each free zone authority acts as the relevant registrar for UBO filings by companies licensed in that zone.
Before You File
Trace ownership, including layered or indirect structures, to identify your true UBOs.
Assess ownership and voting-rights thresholds, plus other forms of control, against UAE UBO criteria.
Set up and maintain an internal UBO register as required by your registrar.
Submit your UBO declaration to DET or your free zone authority as applicable.
Getting Started
Trace direct and indirect ownership through any layered corporate structures.
Assess ownership percentage, voting rights and other control criteria against UAE UBO thresholds.
Determine the natural person or persons who qualify as Ultimate Beneficial Owners.
Gather identification and supporting documents for each identified UBO.
Set up a compliant internal register recording your UBO details.
Submit your UBO declaration to DET or your relevant free zone authority.
Update your UBO register whenever ownership or control changes.
Revisit your UBO status at renewal or whenever your ownership structure changes.
Budgeting
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| UBO declaration | A regulatory filing obligation, not a fee-based service, contact us for tailored assistance |
| Regulatory framework | Cabinet Decision No. 58 of 2020 and subsequent amending resolutions |
| Federal oversight | Ministry of Economy |
| Registrar | DET for mainland companies, the relevant free zone authority for free zone companies |
| Non-compliance | Administrative penalties can apply, confirm current requirements with our team |
No price figure is published for UBO compliance on this page, since UBO declaration is a regulatory filing obligation rather than a fee-based product. Any assistance fee is quoted directly, contact our team for a tailored quote.
Our Story
Smart Zones® UAE has helped more than 45,000 clients worldwide set up, relocate and protect their interests across the UAE, backed by 13+ years of experience in company formation, residency, banking and family trust formation.
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Smart Zones® - Your UAE Entry Partner
Business • Residency • Banking • Wealth • Investment