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Check a contractor

Before you sign or pay a deposit, run the checks yourself. Each one links to the official place to look, says what a good result is, and what should worry you. Most take two minutes.

  1. The trade licence is active

    A business without a valid licence cannot legally take your job or your money.

    1. Ask for a copy of the trade licence and note the legal name, licence number and who issued it.
    2. Search the name or licence number in the Invest in Dubai business directory. It is free, needs no account, and covers mainland Dubai and Dubai free-zone licences.
    3. Open the record and read the status and expiry date.
    Open the Invest in Dubai directory
    Good result

    Status active, expiry after your job ends, and the legal name matches the quote and the bank account you will pay.

    Red flags
    • No result for the name or number
    • Expired or cancelled, described as "being renewed"
    • A different company name on the quote or invoice
    What did you find?

  2. The licensed activities cover your job

    A licence only covers the activities written on it.

    1. In the same record, read the activities line by line.
    2. Compare them with the work you are paying for.
    Good result

    Red flags
    • Only design, consultancy or trading, for a job that includes building work
    • Activities that differ from what the company tells you
    What did you find?

  3. Registered on the Dubai Contractor Register

    Dubai Law No. 7 of 2025 says clients may not engage contractors that are not registered and classified. Existing contractors have until 8 January 2027 to regularise.

    1. Ask for the Contractor Register record and the classification, and keep a copy with your contract.
    2. Dubai Municipality lets you check DM-approved contractors through its lookup page and the Dubai BPS app. We found no public search of the new register itself on 28 October 2026.
    Open the Dubai Municipality lookupDubai BPS app (Android)Dubai BPS app (iPhone)
    Good result

    A registration record in the same legal name, with a classification that fits the size of your job.

    Red flags
    • No record and no answer when you ask
    • "We don't need it" for contracting work, especially after 8 January 2027
    What did you find?

  4. Registered as an engineering consultant

    Design and engineering offices in Dubai register with Dubai Municipality under Dubai Law No. 14 of 2025.

    1. Ask for the consultant registration and classification.
    2. Check DM-approved consultancy offices on the Dubai Municipality lookup page or the Dubai BPS app.
    Open the Dubai Municipality lookup
    Good result

    A registration in the same legal name. If the office will also build, it needs the contracting checks too.

    Red flags
    • A design-only licence offering to build the work as well
    • No registration details
    What did you find?

  5. Allowed to work in your community

      Good result

      Red flags
        What did you find?

      • Enrolled with DEWA for electrical or solar work

        Electrical contractors enrol with DEWA, and grid-connected solar under Shams Dubai needs a DEWA-enrolled solar PV contractor.

        1. Ask which DEWA enrolment the company holds.
        2. Find the company on DEWA's published list of enrolled consultants and contractors.
        Open the DEWA list
        Good result

        The company is on the list in the right category: electrical, or solar PV for panels.

        Red flags
        • Not on the list for work that needs a DEWA connection or approval
        • A subcontractor's enrolment offered in place of their own, with no agreement shown
        What did you find?

      • Approved by Dubai Civil Defence

        For fire and life-safety work a trade licence is not enough: the company must be approved by Dubai Civil Defence, by activity.

        1. Ask for the Civil Defence approval certificate.
        2. Check it lists the activity you need: installation, maintenance, or inspection and testing.
        Good result

        A current Civil Defence approval in the company's name, for your activity.

        Red flags
        • Only a trade licence
        • Approval for maintenance offered for a new installation
        What did you find?

      • Insurance is in force for your dates

        If a worker is hurt or a neighbour's property is damaged, insurance pays, not you.

        1. Ask for the insurance certificate: third-party liability and workers' compensation as a minimum; contractor's all risks for larger works.
        2. Check the insurer is on the Central Bank of the UAE's register of insurance companies.
        Open the Central Bank register (PDF)
        Good result

        The insured name matches the licence, the dates cover your whole job, and the insurer appears on the Central Bank register.

        Red flags
        • A certificate in another company's name
        • Cover that ends before your job does
        • An insurer you cannot find on the register
        What did you find?

      • The VAT number on the quote is real

        A quote that charges 5% VAT must carry a valid tax registration number (TRN).

        1. Copy the 15-digit TRN from the quote.
        2. Check it on the Federal Tax Authority's TRN verification.
        Open TRN verification
        Good result

        The TRN is valid and shows the same company name as the licence.

        Red flags
        • VAT charged with no TRN
        • A TRN that is invalid or belongs to another name
        What did you find?

      • Finished work you can see

        Paperwork shows a company may work. Finished jobs show it can.

        1. Ask for two recent jobs like yours, finished in the last 12 months, with the owners' contact details.
        2. Call at least one owner, or visit. Ask about timing, payments, snagging and how problems were handled.
        Good result

        Owners confirm the work, the timeline and that snags were fixed.

        Red flags
        • Photos only, with no owner you can contact
        • Every reference is a friend or a relative
        • Pressure to pay a large deposit before any of this
        What did you find?
      The short answer

      To check a Dubai contractor, search its licence in the free Invest in Dubai business directory and confirm it is active and covers your job. Then ask for its Contractor Register record, the permit your community requires and an insurance certificate from an insurer on the Central Bank register. Verify the VAT number with the Federal Tax Authority and call a recent client.

      By SoukLocal AdvisorUpdated

      For the background to each step, read how to check a contractor's licence, contractor insurance and how to choose a contractor. Your answers stay in your browser; SoukLocal does not see them.

      Questions

      How do I check a contractor's licence in Dubai?

      Search the company name or licence number in the Invest in Dubai business directory. It is free and needs no account, and shows the licence status, expiry date and activities for mainland Dubai and Dubai free-zone licences. Check the name matches the quote, the licence is active and the activities cover your job.

      Can I check the Dubai Contractor Register online?

      Not fully. On 28 October 2026 we found no public search of the register created by Dubai Law No. 7 of 2025. Dubai Municipality lets you check DM-approved contractors on its lookup page and the Dubai BPS app. Ask the contractor for its registration record and classification and keep a copy.

      How do I check a contractor's insurance?

      Ask for the insurance certificate. Check the insured name matches the trade licence, the cover runs for your whole job, and the insurer appears on the Central Bank of the UAE's register of insurance companies.

      How do I check the VAT number on a quote?

      Copy the 15-digit TRN from the quote and check it on the Federal Tax Authority's TRN verification. It should be valid and show the same company name as the licence.

      Does SoukLocal run these checks for me?

      Yes, for businesses listed as Verified on SoukLocal: licence, activities, register status, insurance and finished work are checked and dated on each listing. This tool is for any other contractor you are considering.

      Sources