This section provides answers to common questions about the Memorandum and Articles of Association (MOA & AOA) required for onboarding. Please review the following guidelines to ensure a smooth and efficient onboarding process.
Key Requirements for MOA & AOA
Requirement | Details |
Inclusion of Amendments | The MOA & AOA must include all amendments (if any). If there are no amendments, this is acceptable. |
Shareholding Consistency | The MOA & AOA must reflect the same shareholding details as stated on the Trade License. |
Directors and Managers | All Directors and Managers of the company must be listed in the MOA & AOA. |
Business Activities | All business activities mentioned must match those on the Trade License. |
Attestation | The MOA & AOA must be attested or issued by the relevant Licensing Authority. |
Note: If the MOA & AOA do not mention Managers, a Power of Attorney (POA) for Managers may be provided as an alternative.
Special Instructions by Entity Type
Mainland Companies
The above requirements are generally sufficient for mainland entities.
Civil Companies
In lieu of an MOA, a Services Agreement can be provided indicative of partners and managers.
Sole Establishment
In this case, an MOA is not required as long as the Owner is also the only Manager of the company.
Free Zone Companies
Free Zone MOA & AOA may not always contain all required information. In such cases, please provide one or more of the following documents:
Document Type | Description | Where to Obtain |
Certificate of Incumbency | Lists all shareholders (with ownership percentages) and all active directors. | E.g., DIFC, JAFZA, DIEZ, DSO |
Company Extract | Details all shareholders, directors, and managers. | E.g., ADGM, DMCC, DWTC |
Director List / Partner List | Lists of directors and partners, downloadable from the free zone portal. | Respective free zone portals |
These documents are typically available for download directly from your free zone authority’s online portal.