Due Diligence Services and UBO verification in Dubai and the UAE
Company Search, Licence Checks and UBO Verification
Before you sign a contract, release goods on credit, invest or start legal action, you need to know exactly who you are dealing with. We would be able to assist with the checks UAE company licences, registry records, shareholders and beneficial owners to the extent possible and permissible in UAE, so you can verify a company in the UAE with confidence.
What Is Due Diligence?
Due diligence means checking and verifying information before you enter a transaction or business relationship. Rather than relying on what a counterparty tells you, you confirm the facts independently. Our due diligence services in the UAE cover two levels of review. A company search confirms who a company is, whether its licence is valid and who owns and controls it. Legal due diligence goes further, reviewing the company’s legal position, contracts and liabilities before a deal. Whether you need a quick check on a business partner or a full review before an acquisition, due diligence in Dubai starts here.
What Our Company Search Covers
Our Dubai company search is designed for anyone who needs reliable, documented facts about a UAE company. Whether the counterparty is an LLC in Dubai, a free zone entity or an offshore company, we obtain the details the relevant registry makes available and present them in a clear written summary. A typical Dubai company registration check covers:
- Company details: registered name, licence or registration number, legal form, issuing authority and registered address.
- Licence status: whether the licence is active, expired or cancelled, plus the business activities the company is licensed to carry out.
- Shareholders and partners: the registered owners and their shareholdings.
- Managers and signatories: who runs the company and who is authorised to represent and sign for it.
- Ultimate beneficial owners: the individuals who ultimately own or control the company, where this information is obtainable.
- Corporate shareholders: where a shareholder is itself a company, we trace ownership through further company layers where records allow.
A UAE company name check alone tells you that a business exists. Our search tells you whether it is trading lawfully, what it is permitted to do, and which people stand behind it. That is the information you need to decide whether to proceed, renegotiate terms or walk away.
UBO Checks: Who Really Owns the Company?
An ultimate beneficial owner (UBO) is the individual who ultimately owns or controls a company. Under the current UAE rules, set out in Cabinet Decision No. 109 of 2023 on the Regulation of Beneficial Owner Procedures, this generally means a person who holds 25% or more of the shares or voting rights, or who exercises control by other means.
The name on the shareholder register is not always the real owner. The registered shareholder may be another company, sometimes incorporated in a different jurisdiction, or a nominee holding shares on someone else’s behalf. Each layer can obscure the person who actually makes decisions and benefits from the business. A UBO check in Dubai traces ownership back to the real individual, so you know who you are contracting with and can identify sanctions, conflict or reputational concerns early.
When You Need Company Due Diligence
Businesses and investors turn to due diligence companies in Dubai at moments when the cost of being wrong is high. You should consider a company check:
- before signing with a new supplier, distributor or customer
- before entering a joint venture or partnership
- before investing in or lending to a UAE business
- before debt recovery, litigation or enforcement, to know who stands behind the company
- when a counterparty’s details look inconsistent or suspicious
Mainland, Free Zone and Offshore Companies
The UAE has no single national company registry. Mainland companies are registered with the economic department of the emirate where they are licensed, and each free zone has its own registration authority, as do the offshore registries. Each UAE corporate registry holds different records and releases different levels of information, and the Dubai corporate registry for a mainland company is not the same as the authority for a company in a Dubai free zone. James Berry knows where to look, what each registry releases and how to request it.
What a Search Can and Cannot Show
We set expectations honestly from the start. The information available depends on where the company is registered and what the relevant authority releases, so results vary from one company to another. It is also possible that at times, very limited information may only be available. Some information, such as pending litigation, may require further steps, additional searches or specific authorisations. Every report states clearly what was found, what was not available, and why, so you can judge the strength of the findings and decide whether further enquiries are worthwhile.
Legal Due Diligence Services
For acquisitions, investments, joint ventures and restructuring, a registry search is only the starting point. James Berry’s lawyers carry out legal due diligence in the UAE to review the target’s legal position and flag risks before completion. We report on what matters to the transaction, not just what is in the data room.
Corporate and regulatory
- company structure and constitutional documents
- shareholders, ownership and UBOs (see What Our Company Search Covers above)
- trade licences and regulatory approvals
corporate governance
Contracts and commercial
- key customer, supplier and financing agreements
- leases
- change-of-control and termination provisions
- liabilities, warranties and indemnities
Employment and disputes
- employment agreements and employee liabilities
- current or threatened litigation and arbitration
- regulatory proceedings
Due Diligence for Mergers and Acquisitions
M&A due diligence is a core part of any UAE acquisition. The findings of acquisition due diligence shape the price, the warranties and indemnities, and the conditions in the purchase agreement. Learn more about how we support transactions on our mergers and acquisitions page.
Company Search or Legal Due Diligence: Which Do You Need?
A company search suits most business relationships, such as checking a new supplier, partner or debtor, and typically takes days rather than weeks. Legal due diligence suits acquisitions and investments, and its scope is built around the specific transaction. If you are unsure which service fits your situation, send us an enquiry and we will advise on the right level of review.
How It Works
Company search and UBO checks
- Tell us the company: send the name and any details you hold, such as licence number or emirate.
- We identify the registry: we confirm where the company is registered.
- We search and request records: we obtain the information the registry makes available.
- You receive a written summary: with our observations and, if needed, recommended next steps.
Do I need a written agreement to start a debt recovery claim?
- Understand the transaction: purpose, parties and scope of the review.
- Review the documents: corporate, contractual, regulatory and employment records.
- Identify risks: liabilities, restrictions and matters needing further investigation.
- Advise on the findings: and support negotiations and transaction documents.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do due diligence services in the UAE include?
Due diligence services typically include a company search covering licence status, registered details, shareholders, managers and ultimate beneficial owners. For transactions, legal due diligence adds a review of corporate documents, key contracts, regulatory approvals, employment matters and disputes, with a written report flagging risks before you commit.
How can I find out who owns a company in Dubai?
Registered shareholders appear in the records of the authority where the company is licensed, but access varies. Where a shareholder is another company or a nominee, ownership must be traced through further layers. Our company search obtains available ownership records and, where obtainable, identifies the ultimate beneficial owners.
What is a UBO, and is UBO information public in the UAE?
A UBO is the individual who ultimately owns or controls a company, generally through 25% or more of shares or voting rights, or other control. UBO registers maintained under Cabinet Decision No. 109 of 2023 are not generally open to the public, so tracing ownership usually depends on registry records and documents.
Can you check free zone and offshore companies?
Yes, we can obtain company information for mainland and free zone entities through the relevant registries and publicly available sources. However, obtaining shareholder details for offshore companies is considerably more challenging, as offshore registries generally do not make such information publicly available. Furthermore, the contact details listed for offshore companies are typically those of their registered agents rather than the companies themselves.
Each licensing jurisdiction has its own rules on what it releases, so the scope of information can differ. Our report explains exactly what each registry provided and what was not available.
How long does a company search take?
Most company searches are completed within a few working days. Timing depends on the registry involved, how much information you provide at the start, and whether records must be formally requested. We will give you an expected timeframe when you instruct us.
What does legal due diligence cover?
Legal due diligence reviews the target’s corporate structure, ownership and UBOs, licences and approvals, governance, key contracts, leases, change-of-control provisions, liabilities, employment arrangements, and current or threatened litigation, arbitration and regulatory proceedings. The scope is tailored to the transaction and its risks.
What documents are needed for legal due diligence?
We typically review constitutional documents, trade licences, shareholder and board records, regulatory approvals, material contracts, financing agreements, leases, employment contracts and details of any disputes. We provide a tailored request list at the outset, usually shared through a data room.
What is the difference between a company search and legal due diligence?
A company search verifies who a company is, whether its licence is valid and who owns and controls it. Legal due diligence is a broader legal review of the company’s documents, contracts and liabilities, usually carried out before an acquisition, investment or joint venture.
Is it possible that a company search may yield no information or only limited information?
Yes. The availability and scope of information obtainable through company searches in the UAE may vary depending on the relevant jurisdiction, the type of entity, the applicable disclosure requirements, and the accessibility of the relevant registry or other information sources. Accordingly, a search may yield no results or only limited information, and the absence of publicly available information should not, in itself, be taken to indicate that the company does not exist or that no further information is available through other channels. In particular, shareholder details and ownership percentages may not be publicly accessible in all cases.
Any findings should therefore be considered in light of the sources consulted and the limitations of the search, and may not be sufficient, on their own, to establish the company’s ownership structure conclusively.
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