The 13 UAE laws, decisions and regulations on commercial law in the Polaris Legal Library, each summarised from the official text with status, key provisions and penalties.
Federal Decree-Law No. (25) of 2025 Promulgating the Civil Transactions Law
The new UAE Civil Code, in force from 1 June 2026: it repeals the 1985 law and re-enacts the rules on persons, property, obligations, contracts, harmful acts and conflict of laws, lowers the age of majority to 18 Gregorian years, adds pre-contract disclosure duties and framework agreements, updates sale and latent-defect remedies and modernises single-person, non-profit and professional company provisions.
Federal Decree-Law No. (42) of 2023 Concerning Anti-Commercial Fraud
Replaces the 2016 anti-fraud law: criminalises misrepresenting the type, price, origin or characteristics of goods and services and dealing in counterfeit, spoilt or fraudulent products, with imprisonment up to two years and fines of AED 5,000 to 1,000,000, higher for goods affecting health, and gives the Ministry of Economy and local authorities inspection, recall and closure powers.
Federal Decree-Law No. (50) of 2022 Promulgating the Commercial Transactions Law
The UAE Commercial Code: defines merchants and commercial activities, including those conducted through technological means, the commercial books merchants must keep, business assets, trade names and unfair competition, commercial obligations, guarantees, interest, commercial sales and commercial papers, replacing Federal Law No. 18 of 1993.
Federal Law No. (3) of 2022 Concerning Regulating Commercial Agencies
Replaces the 1981 agencies law: registered commercial agencies remain reserved to UAE nationals and wholly Emirati-owned companies, with exceptions for public joint stock companies at least 51% Emirati-owned and Cabinet-approved international companies; agencies need a notarised contract registered with the Ministry of Economy, one year's termination notice, a Commercial Agencies Committee for disputes and transitional periods.
Federal Decree-Law No. (31) of 2021 Promulgating the Crimes and Penalties Law
The UAE Penal Code replacing Federal Law No. 3 of 1987 from 2 January 2022; it defines the offences and penalties that touch business, including fraud, breach of trust and forgery, and under Article 66 makes companies criminally liable, with fines up to AED 5,000,000 and confiscation, for crimes committed on their behalf by representatives, directors or agents.
Federal Decree-Law No. (46) of 2021 on Electronic Transactions and Trust Services
Replaces the 2006 e-commerce law: electronic documents, signatures and seals cannot be denied legal effect merely because they are electronic; trust service providers must be licensed by TDRA, with an additional qualified status for qualified electronic signatures and seals; and the Cabinet may bring transactions or documents into or out of the law's scope.
Federal Law No. (15) of 2020 on Consumer Protection
Replaces the 2006 consumer law: guarantees consumers safety, accurate information, privacy and compensation, imposes labelling, pricing, invoicing, warranty and repair-replace-refund duties on suppliers, advertisers and agents including UAE-registered e-commerce sellers, creates a Supreme Committee for Consumer Protection and punishes breaches with up to two years' imprisonment and fines of AED 10,000 to 2,000,000.
ADGM Application of English Law Regulations 2015
The regulation that applies English common law, including the rules of equity, directly in ADGM as it stands from time to time, and makes a schedule of English civil statutes applicable in the zone, subject to ADGM's own regulations. The consolidated text is published in the ADGM rulebook hosted by Thomson Reuters.
Contract Law, DIFC Law No. 6 of 2004
The DIFC's general law of contract, modelled on international principles: formation, validity, interpretation, performance, non-performance and remedies for contracts governed by DIFC law, read together with the Implied Terms in Contracts and Unfair Terms Law 2005. Consolidated to 2024.
Law No. (6) of 2023 Establishing the Dubai Business Registration and Licensing Corporation
Establishes a corporation affiliated with the Department of Economy and Tourism to streamline business registration and licensing in Dubai, introducing a Unified Business Number and a central database of economic establishments that includes free zone companies; in force on Gazette publication.
Law No. (20) of 2021 Establishing the Department of Economy and Tourism in the Emirate of Dubai
Creates the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism as the government department that plans, regulates and promotes the Emirate's economy and tourism, transferring the functions, staff and budgets of the former Department of Economic Development and DTCM; in force on Gazette publication.
Law No. (13) of 2011 Regulating the Conduct of Economic Activities in the Emirate of Dubai
Framework for licensing economic activities in Dubai: permitted legal forms, licence terms and renewals, penalties, and the position of free zone companies, which are outside the definition of Business but may be authorised by the economic department to operate and open branches in Dubai; in force on Gazette publication.
Ras Al Khaimah Law No. 8 of 2016 On Regulating Practicing Economic Activities in Ras Al Khaimah
Emirate-level law of 11 November 2016 regulating the licensing and practice of economic activities in Ras Al Khaimah, including provisions on activities within free zones and coordination with the Free Zone Authority, listed on the RAK Government legislation search.
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