To apply for membership at the ADCCI, please first obtain a license to do so at any of the following organizations:

• Department of Economic Development.
• Industrial Development Office.
• Creative Media Authority.
• Masdar City - Free Zone.
• Khalifa Industrial Zone / Kizad - Free Zone.
• Abu Dhabi Global Market - Free Zone.
• Abu Dhabi Airport Free Zone - Free Zone.

Article 9 of Law No. 2 (2018) on Commercial Companies states that establishments operating in the State shall have a headquarter to practice their business activities therein or set up a branch or representative office to take one of the following legal forms:

Types of companies:

Limited Partnership
Joint venture
Limited Liability Company
Public Shareholding Company
Private Shareholding Company

Others:

Sole Trader

Branches or local representations:

Gulf region-based branch
Locally based branch
Foreign-based branch

The application for membership must be completed and signed and a copy of your Emirati ID must be attached for all procedures. In addition the following supporting documents are required:

Sole trader

• Copy of the trading license issued by the relevant authority
• Copy of the passport and registration summary for UAE nationals, if applicable
• Copy of leasing agreement (land plan, investment contract, and building owner contact)
• Copies of regulatory approvals where applicable (e.g. by the General Police Command, Food Control Authority, Health Authority, Waste Disposal Authority)
• Copy of the service agency agreement for foreign nationals, if applicable
• Signature by the authorized signatory

Companies

• Copy of the trading license issued by the relevant authority
• Copy of owner’s agreement
• Copy of the passport and registration summary for UAE nationals, if applicable
• Copy of leasing agreement (land plan, investment contract, and building owner contact)
• Copies of regulatory approvals where applicable (e.g. by the General Police Command, Food Control Authority, Health Authority, Waste Disposal Authority)
• Signature of the company’s authorized signatory

Branches and local representations (local, Gulf-region and foreign-based)

• Copy of the trading license issued by the relevant authority
• Copy of the license of the headquarter or the commercial register of the foreign company
• Copy of owner’s agreement (in the case of a foreign-based company a certified translation is required)
• Copy of leasing agreement (land plan, investment contract, and building owner contact)
• Copy of the passport and registration summary for UAE nationals, if applicable
• Copies of regulatory approvals where applicable (e.g. by the General Police Command, Food Control Authority, Health Authority, Waste Disposal Authority)
• Copy of the passport of the representative of the foreign company and his/her Emirate ID, if applicable
• Copy of the service agency agreement for foreign nationals, if applicable
• Agreement with representative agency in Abu Dhabi for foreign-based companies (certified translation)
• Copy of the decision of the board of directors (General Assembly) to open a branch in Abu Dhabi, for foreign-based companies (certified translation)
• Copy of the approval of the Ministry of Economy for foreign-based companies
• Legal document outlining the responsibilities between branch and parent company
• Signature of the representative of the foreign company (translated and certified)
• Signature of the company’s authorized signatory