Dubai UAE
Sallam Sallam
The Auto Renewal service launched by the Business Registration and Licensing (BRL) sector in Dubai Economy has recorded a 47% per cent increase in the number of total licences renewed (73,404) during the first half of 2019. Among the auto-renewed licences issued, 73.2% were Commercial, 24% Professional, 2.2% Industrial and 0.6% related to Tourism.
Auto Renewal service has proven to be of immense value to business in Dubai while also expediting the transformation of Dubai into a smart city. It adds to the competitiveness of Dubai and aims to promotie happiness across all communities in Dubai, says Dubai Economy.
Business licences can be auto renewed in two simple steps, and in less than two minutes. Business owners only have to send a text message with their trade licence number to be renewed to ‘6969,’ and they will receive a ‘payment voucher.’ They can then complete the payment through any of the payment channels provided in the text message. They can also log on to the website ded.ae or use the ‘DED Business’ App.
Business licence owners can also renew their licences up to four years provided that the lease is valid. If the license renewal is for more than one year, the number of years must be added in the text message, eg (licence number – number of years). Further, the location of the company must be the same as the previous year.
With the Auto Renewal service, a text message will also be sent to business licence holders to notify them of the renewal date (one week before the licence expires), including information on the service channels, and how to automatically complete the renewal. The Auto Renewal service covers more than 2,200 commercial activities, equivalent to 99.8% of all business licences.
No external approvals are needed to complete the renewal except for four commercial activities – transportation by public taxi, transportation by limousine, rent-a-car, and non-emergency transportation services – which require the approval of the Roads & Transport Authority (RTA), in addition to two others (inbound and outbound tours) related to the Department of Tourism & Commerce Marketing (DTCM).
General trade, readymade clothing, perfume & cosmetics, watches & spare parts, gifts, dyes & paints, textiles, plumbing & sanitary installations, and carpentary & flooring were the ,aim economic activities covered by the licences auto-renewed during the first half of 2019.
The report also showed that Indians led the lsit of the top 10 nationalities among those who auto-renewed licenses in H1, 2019 followed by Pakistanis, British, Egyptians, Jordanians, Lebanese, Chinese, Bangladeshis, Canadians, and Americans.
Dubai Economy offers a number of payment channels for auto renewal transactions, including eServices, the ‘DED Business’ App and E-Dirham G2, or cash and check payments through authorised banks and outsourced service centres. Direct debit from the licence owner’s account through participating banks is also an option.
