Abu Dhabi

At a glanceRequirements at a glance

Economic (Trade) Licence Required

Yes. A valid economic licence, issued through ADRA, that covers goods transport or household moving activity. Abu Dhabi’s freight transport regulation requires an operator to hold a valid business licence issued by the competent authority before Abu Dhabi Mobility will grant an activity permit. Licensing services are delivered through the TAMM government portal.

Freight Transport Permits Required

Yes

Where the mover operates its own freight vehicles in Abu Dhabi. Under Abu Dhabi’s Regulation of Transport of Goods (Resolution No. 74 of 2021), the operating company needs a freight transport operation (activity) permit, each freight vehicle needs an operating permit, and each driver needs a driver (vocational) permit. All are applied for on the Asateel platform. Where the mover subcontracts the transport, the carrier’s own permits cover the vehicles and drivers it uses. The regulation does not say whether a mover that subcontracts all transport also needs its own activity permit; such a mover should confirm with Abu Dhabi Mobility.

Driver Permits Required

Yes, for drivers of the mover’s own freight vehicles. A freight vehicle may not be driven without an Abu Dhabi Mobility driver permit. The driver must also hold a UAE driving licence for the category of vehicle driven (for example, light vehicle or heavy vehicle).

Tracking Device Requirement

Yes, for freight vehicles operating under a permit. Abu Dhabi Mobility issues vehicle permits only for vehicles with a functioning tracking device, installed to the standards it approves, and linked to its monitoring system.

Vehicles Registered in Other Emirates

Freight vehicles must be registered in Abu Dhabi to carry out freight transport there. Abu Dhabi Mobility may authorize vehicles from outside the emirate to operate for one month, three months, six months or one year, on production of the vehicle registration card, the transport contract and the business licence. This matters for movers based in another emirate who carry out moves into, out of or within Abu Dhabi.

Permit Validity & Renewal

Time-limited. Activity permits are valid for one year and must be renewed before they expire; an activity permit becomes void two months after its expiry date. Driver permits are valid for two years and become void one month after expiry. These periods are not permission to keep operating on an expired permit. Abu Dhabi Mobility can also suspend or cancel a permit for unmet requirements, incorrect details, or traffic fines left unpaid for six months.

Non-Compliance Penalties

Significant. The regulation’s penalty schedule sets fines including AED 10,000 for operating without a permit, AED 2,000 for using a driver not authorized by Abu Dhabi Mobility, AED 4,000 for operating without a working tracking device, and AED 1,000 per month for operating on an expired permit. Permits cannot be renewed until outstanding fines are paid.

Vehicle Insurance Required

Yes, for every vehicle the mover operates. Every vehicle must be insured with a UAE-licensed insurer covering civil liability for death, injury and property damage it causes, as a condition of licensing the vehicle under federal traffic law. This protects third parties, not the customer’s goods.

Protection for Customers’ Goods

No law requiring household movers to insure your goods was identified. Ask the mover what protection it offers for your goods, its limits, and whether it is insurance or the mover’s own liability.

Consumer Contract Rules

Yes. Federal Law No. 15 of 2020 on Consumer Protection (amended by Federal Decree-Law No. 5 of 2023) and its Executive Regulations apply to the service contract with the consumer. Among other things, the provider must issue a detailed invoice in Arabic showing the price and details of the service, contracts with consumers must be in Arabic (other languages may be added), and a defective service must be re-performed or refunded. The federal Ministry of Economy and Tourism supervises the law nationally; ADRA provides consumer protection services on the Abu Dhabi mainland.

OverviewOverview & Scope

Abu Dhabi does not issue a single moving-industry licence. Every household goods mover needs a company economic licence, issued through ADRA (an arm of ADDED), with the correct activity. A mover that operates its own freight vehicles also needs a set of freight transport permits from Abu Dhabi Mobility: a company activity permit, a permit for each freight vehicle, and a permit for each driver, all managed on the Asateel platform. Those vehicles must carry a working, approved tracking device before they can be permitted, and the operator must keep maintenance and driver working-hours records. This is an ongoing, per-vehicle and per-driver system with fines for non-compliance, rather than a one-time approval. Where the mover subcontracts transport, the carrier’s own permits cover that transport. Finally, the consumer side of the contract is governed by the same federal consumer protection law that applies across the UAE.

RegistrationRegistration & Compliance Essentials

Movers must:

Company licensing

1. Hold a valid mainland economic licence issued through ADRA (via TAMM), with the business activity registered correctly for goods transport or household moving.
2. Maintain business premises as required for the licence. A warehouse is needed only where the mover offers storage.
3. Where the mover operates its own freight vehicles, hold an Abu Dhabi Mobility freight transport operation (activity) permit through Asateel before carrying out freight transport in Abu Dhabi, and renew it before it expires.
4. Where the mover holds that activity permit, register with the Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre (ADPHC) occupational safety and health system as required for freight transport operators, within 30 days of obtaining or renewing the licence. How this applies depends on ADPHC’s risk classification of the company; confirm with ADPHC.

Vehicles and drivers (where the mover operates its own freight vehicles)

5. Hold an Abu Dhabi Mobility permit for each freight vehicle operated, with a functioning approved tracking device linked to the monitoring system.
6. Obtain Abu Dhabi Mobility authorization for vehicles registered in another emirate before using them for freight transport in Abu Dhabi.
7. Ensure every driver holds an Abu Dhabi Mobility driver permit and a UAE driving licence for the category of vehicle driven.
8. Insure every vehicle with a UAE-licensed insurer, as required to license it.
9. Pay traffic fines promptly, since fines unpaid for six months can lead to suspension or cancellation of a permit.

Subcontracted transport

10. Where transport is subcontracted, use carriers that hold the licences required for the transport they perform.

Customer practices

11. Provide contracts, estimates and invoices that comply with Federal Law No. 15 of 2020 on Consumer Protection (as amended) and its Executive Regulations, including a detailed Arabic invoice.

Records

12. Keep maintenance records (for at least three years) and driver working-hours records for the mover’s own freight vehicles and drivers, and produce them to Abu Dhabi Mobility on request.

ChecklistCompliance checklist

Company licensing

• Mainland economic licence held via ADRA, with the correct activityVerified by DocumentRequired
• Business premises in place (warehouse lease only if storage is offered)Verified by DocumentRequired
• Abu Dhabi Mobility freight transport operation (activity) permit held and currentWhere applicable (mover operates its own freight vehicles in Abu Dhabi)Verified by DocumentRequired
• ADPHC occupational safety and health registration completedWhere applicable (mover holds an Abu Dhabi Mobility activity permit and ADPHC's risk classification requires registration)Verified by DocumentRequired

Vehicles and drivers (where the mover operates its own vehicles)

• Abu Dhabi Mobility permit held for each freight vehicle operatedWhere applicable (mover operates its own vehicles)Verified by DocumentRequired
• Approved tracking device installed and working in each permitted freight vehicleWhere applicable (mover operates its own vehicles)Verified by DocumentRequired
• Out-of-emirate vehicles authorized by Abu Dhabi Mobility before use in Abu DhabiWhere applicable (mover operates its own vehicles registered outside Abu Dhabi)Verified by DocumentRequired
• Drivers hold Abu Dhabi Mobility driver permits and the correct UAE licence categoryWhere applicable (mover operates its own vehicles)Verified by DocumentRequired
• Vehicle insurance in force for each vehicleWhere applicable (mover operates its own vehicles)Verified by DocumentRequired
• Traffic fines paid so that permits are not suspended and can be renewedWhere applicable (mover operates its own vehicles)Verified by AffirmationRequired
• Where transport is subcontracted, the mover uses carriers that hold the licences required for the transport they performWhere applicableVerified by AffirmationRequired

Customer practices

• Contract, estimate and Arabic invoice compliant with Federal Law No. 15 of 2020 (as amended) and its Executive RegulationsVerified by AffirmationRequired

Records

• Maintenance records (at least three years) and driver working-hours records keptWhere applicable (mover operates its own vehicles)Verified by AffirmationRequired