What the activity is
Every trade licence in the UAE lists the activities the company may carry out, and each activity has a name and a code in the licensing system. Documents clearing is the activity under which a company processes government transactions on behalf of other people and businesses. In Dubai, the code most consultants quote for it is 8299.85; other emirates' activity lists may word or number it differently.
When you hire a PRO company in the UAE, this is the licence activity you should expect to find on its trade licence, or a close variant of it. A company without it may still run errands for itself, but it should not sell the service to you.
In Dubai, the activity name appears on the Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) licence and in the activity list on the Invest in Dubai portal; in the other emirates, it appears on the licence issued by the emirate's economic department. Always read the exact wording on the licence rather than relying on a code, because consultants shorten and merge names, and activity lists are updated.
What a documents clearing company may do
Within the activity, a company may submit and follow up government transactions for its clients under a signed authorisation. In practice that covers company licensing and renewals, labour and immigration transactions, tenancy registration, Emirates ID applications, attestation runs and similar paperwork.
It may also register with the electronic channels the government requires, such as Tasheel for labour services and, in Dubai, Amer for immigration services, after meeting each authority's own conditions. The trade licence alone does not open those channels. Ask which ones the company actually holds and for how long.
A documents clearing company makes its money from service fees. It does not collect government fees as its own income. Government fees are passed on at cost, with the receipt.
Licence renewals matter here. Ask for the expiry date of its licence, put the date in your calendar and check the register again at renewal.
What it may not do
The activity does not turn a PRO company into a law firm, an accountant or a tax agent. Giving legal advice, appearing in court, preparing audited accounts and filing VAT or Corporate Tax returns require their own licences and qualified people.
It is also not a recruitment licence. A PRO can process the visa of a person you have already hired. It cannot place workers with you for a fee unless it also holds a MOHRE recruitment or employment services licence.
If a PRO company offers to give an opinion on a contract, file your tax returns or find you staff, ask which licence covers that work. A clear answer names a second licence or a partner firm. A vague answer is a reason to walk away.
Ownership and set-up of a documents clearing company
Rules on who may own a company with this activity have changed over the years, and they differ by structure. Historically the activity was tied to local ownership or a local service agent. Since the 2021 reforms to the commercial companies law, many activities allow full foreign ownership, but some still need an approval or a local partner.
Do not rely on a forum post from 2019. Ask the emirate's economic department (DET in Dubai, where the Invest in Dubai portal shows the current position) or a licensed business setup consultant to check before you pay for a set-up.
Budget for a licence, a registered office with a registered tenancy contract (Ejari in Dubai), and the deposits and fees for registering on the government service channels. First-year costs for a small documents clearing company typically start in the range of AED 15,000 to 30,000 before staff (indicative Dubai figures, October 2026; in the other emirates costs are often similar or somewhat lower).
A licensed PRO company that is thinking about growth should also consider hiring a manager who knows each system, because the quality of the work depends on a few experienced people.
Questions to ask before you hire one
Ask for the trade licence and check the activity wording against the register. Ask which government channels the company is registered on and the name of the person who will handle your file. Ask how long the company has held its licence, since a company licensed last month has no record to show.
Ask for a written fee schedule that separates the government fee from the service fee, and for a sample receipt. Ask how it keeps documents safe and what happens if a transaction is rejected.
Finally, ask for two client references with a similar company size and call them. A PRO with fifty satisfied clients finds this easy. Our guide on what a PRO actually does lists the controls you should keep in place.
If your PRO company turns out to lack the activity
Some companies that sell PRO packages hold only a general trading or consultancy licence and rely on a third party for the actual work. That is not always illegal, but it matters if something fails, because you may have a contract with a company that cannot be held to the service.
If you discover this mid-contract, ask the company in writing to name the licensed party performing the work and to confirm that party's responsibility. Ask for your documents back if you are not satisfied.
You can report a licensed activity mismatch to the consumer protection channel of the emirate's economic department (DET in Dubai). If the company is listed on Moathaq, send us the details through the report form, and we will check the listing against the register.
Any AED amounts in this guide are typical ranges for Dubai as of October 2026; prices in other emirates are often similar or lower. They are not quotes and not offers: real prices depend on the job, the company and the date, so ask for written quotes.
Frequently asked questions
Is documents clearing the same as a typing centre licence?
No. Typing centres hold their own activity for typing and document services and are registered to operate Tasheel or Amer counters. A documents clearing company handles a client's file end to end, usually for companies rather than walk-in individuals.
Can any company use the 8299.85 code on its licence?
Only a company whose licence lists the activity. Read the activity line on the economic department (DET in Dubai) or free zone record. If you cannot find it, the company is working under a different activity, and you should ask which one.
How much does a PRO company licence cost to set up?
Typically, first-year costs start around AED 15,000 to 30,000 for the licence, a registered office and registrations, before staff and deposits, at typical Dubai prices; other emirates are often similar or somewhat lower. Ownership requirements should be checked with the emirate's economic department (DET in Dubai) before you pay.
Can a free zone company offer PRO services to the public?
A free zone company can process the zone's own transactions for its clients. Offering PRO services across mainland authorities typically requires a licence that allows it, so ask which licence covers the work.
