Company documents
MOA Amendment in Dubai: Change Your Company's Memorandum of Association
An MOA amendment Dubai companies make is a written change to the memorandum of association they already have. Partners may join or leave, capital may change, or the company may add or drop an activity. The change is usually written as an addendum to the MOA and signed by the partners.
We draft the addendum, check it against your current MOA and take it to our in-house notary public. We offer in-house, in person notary public services, online notary public services and home visit private notary services.
In short
- Price: on request. We confirm it before you pay.
- Who signs: the partners, as your current MOA requires, or agents with a notarised power of attorney.
- What to bring: your current MOA, trade licence, original IDs of the partners, and a note of what changes.
- Where: in person, at your office or online.
- Next step: the licensing authority decides whether and how it records the change.
Three ways to get it notarised
In person with our in-house notary public
The notary public checks each signer's original ID, reads the addendum, watches the partners sign and applies the seal.
Home or office visit
We come to your home, hospital or office. Price on request, plus the Dubai private notary government fee of AED 1,000 per trip outside the place of work.
Online
A partner who is abroad can sign online. UAE law lets a notary use IT tools in place of personal appearance (Federal Decree-Law No. 20 of 2022, Article 18). See our e-notary guide.
What changes are written into an addendum
An addendum to the MOA states what is changed and leaves the rest of the MOA as it is. Typical changes:
- Partners: a partner enters, leaves or transfers a share.
- Capital: the amount rises or falls, or the split between partners changes.
- Activities: a new activity is added, or one is dropped.
- Management: a new manager is named, or the signing rules change.
- Company details: the name or the address changes.
If a partner leaves by selling a share, our share transfer power of attorney page explains how an agent can sign the sale.
Who must sign
Read your current MOA first. It often says how changes are approved, for example by all partners or by a stated share. The addendum should follow that rule. If a partner cannot attend, that partner can sign through an agent with a notarised power of attorney that names this act. For the wording, see company power of attorney.
If a partner cannot sign, the law allows a fingerprint, and a nominee where illness or disability prevents both (Dubai Law No. 4 of 2013, Articles 30 and 31).
Checklist
Documents to bring
- Your current MOA, and any earlier addendum.
- Valid trade licence.
- Original passport and Emirates ID of every partner who signs.
- A note of each change, in your own words. We turn it into the legal wording.
- For a partner that is a company: its resolution naming who signs.
Step by step
The steps
1
Send us the MOA and your list of changes by WhatsApp or email.
2
We draft the addendum and check it against the current MOA. We order the Arabic text, which a Dubai notary expects (Dubai Law No. 4 of 2013, Article 27).
3
The partners sign before the notary, in person, at your location or online.
4
You take the notarised addendum to the licensing authority. Ask it first which wording and form it wants. A notary cannot act on matters reserved to another authority (Article 21).
Mistakes to avoid
Mistakes that get it refused
- The addendum contradicts a clause of the current MOA that it does not mention.
- A partner who must sign under the MOA is missing.
- Shares and capital no longer add up after the change.
- The authority asked for its own form and nobody checked first.
Prices
Price
| Item | Our service price | Government fee, paid on top at cost |
|---|---|---|
| MOA amendment or addendum | Price on request | Dubai private notary route: AED 100 per party registration plus AED 100 per signature |
All service prices are starting prices and are negotiable. Government fees are paid on top, at cost, exactly as the authority charges them. We confirm your final price before you pay. The notary fees page lists the fees we can state.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to rewrite the whole MOA to change one thing?
Not always. An addendum can change one clause and leave the rest. Some authorities may want a full restated MOA, so ask yours.
Can I add a partner by addendum?
An addendum can record it. The new partner signs as well. The authority that registers the company decides what it needs next.
Can the amendment be signed online?
Yes. A notary can use IT tools in place of personal appearance. We arrange the online sitting.
What if a partner refuses to sign?
Then the addendum cannot be signed as drafted. Check your current MOA for how changes are decided and speak to a lawyer about the partners' rights.
Is this the same as annulling the MOA?
No. An amendment changes the MOA. To end it, see MOA annulment in Dubai.
More in company documents
Powers of attorney, the MOA, resolutions and contracts for a company.
- Power of attorney for a company representative
- Power of attorney for share transfer
- Power of attorney for liquidation
- Power of attorney for tax matters
- Memorandum of association
- MOA annulment
- Board resolution
- Contract notarisation
- Contract termination
- Contract addendum
- Sale and assignment contract
- Legal document drafting
Contact
Book your notary appointment
- Phone and WhatsApp: +971 52 947 5935
- Email: support@privatenotarydubai.com
- Hours: Office open Monday to Friday, 9:00 am to 6:00 pm (Dubai time). WhatsApp and online requests answered 24/7.
If you do not have an MOA yet, see memorandum of association in Dubai. Other company papers are on the private notary services page.
- Phone+971 52 947 5935
- WhatsApp+971 52 947 5935
- Emailsupport@privatenotarydubai.com
- AddressJebel Ali, Main Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, UAE