2025-10-08

Commercial Permits Regulations (Temporary Commercial) Rules 2025

The Registrar of the Abu Dhabi Global Market issued the Commercial Permits Regulations (Temporary Commercial) Rules 2025 to regulate temporary business activities within the ADGM premises. These rules establish the Registrar as the sole authority for issuing, varying, and revoking Temporary Commercial Permits, which allow licensed persons to conduct business for up to 12 months. Compliance is mandatory, with unauthorized operations or failure to discontinue business upon suspension subject to fines of up to level 8 on the Fines Scale.

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United Arab Emirates

Financial Services Regulatory Authority

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Consultation Paper No. 11 of 2025 Appendix 1 1 COMMERCIAL PERMITS REGULATIONS (TEMPORARY COMMERCIAL) RULES 2025 Date of Publication: [] 2025 The Registrar of the Abu Dhabi Global Market, in implementation of the provisions of section 2(4) of the Commercial Permits Regulations 2024, hereby makes the following rules:

  1. Citation, commencement and interpretation (1) These Rules may be cited as the Commercial Permits Regulations (Temporary Commercial) Rules 2025. (2) These Rules will come into force on: (a) the day after the expiry date of a permit to temporarily conduct business at the Premises issued by the Registrar for any person that has been temporarily conducting business in the Premises prior to the publication of these Rules; and (b) the date of publication of these Rules for any person that intends to temporarily conduct business at the Premises but has not done so prior to the publication of these Rules or has done so without a permit to temporarily conduct business at the Premises. (3) In these Rules, “Competent Body” means any UAE or Emirate of Abu Dhabi governmental or regulatory authority; “Fines Scale” means the standard fines scale set out in Schedule 1 of the Administrative Regulations 2025; “Licensed Person” refers to a person issued with a valid Commercial License pursuant to the Commercial Licensing Regulations 2025; “Premises” means any property within the geographical boundaries of the Abu Dhabi Global Market from where the business activity provided on the Temporary Commercial Permit will take place; “Regulations” means the Commercial Permits Regulations 2024; “Temporary Commercial Permit” means a permit issued by the Registrar to a person permitting such person to temporarily conduct business for up to a maximum of 12 months in or from the Premises; and “temporarily conducting business” or “temporarily conduct business” refers to conducting one or more business activities listed on the Temporary Commercial Permit holder’s valid commercial license issued by a Competent Body or the Registrar.
  2. Application These Rules apply to: (a) subject to Rule 1(2)(a), every person that is, on the date of publication of these Rules, temporarily conducting business in the Premises; and

Consultation Paper No. 11 of 2025 Appendix 1 2 (b) every person that intends to temporarily conduct business at the Premises. 3. Registrar’s authority (1) The Registrar shall be the sole authority to issue Temporary Commercial Permits. (2) The Registrar shall set the conditions to be met to obtain and maintain a Temporary Commercial Permit. (3) The Registrar may, in its discretion, determine the period of validity of the Temporary Commercial Permit. (4) Subject to Part 3 of the Regulations, the Registrar may, in its sole discretion, suspend or revoke any Temporary Commercial Permit issued under subsection (1) of this Rule. (5) The Registrar may, at its sole discretion, impose any conditions, limitations or restrictions on a Temporary Commercial Permit issued by the Registrar under these Rules. (6) The Registrar may issue guidance to supplement these Rules. (7) The Registrar may inspect the Premises of the holder of any Temporary Commercial Permit to ensure compliance with these Rules and the Regulations. 4. General requirements A person who seeks to temporarily conduct business at the Premises must obtain a Temporary Commercial Permit before temporarily conducting business. 5. Application for a Temporary Commercial Permit (1) An application for a Temporary Commercial Permit may be made to the Registrar by any person. (2) An applicant for a Temporary Commercial Permit must: (a) if a body corporate, sole proprietorship or partnership, hold a valid commercial licence issued by a Competent Body or the Registrar; (b) complete an application in the form prescribed by the Registrar from time to time in accordance with the requirements of these Rules, and any guidance issued under these Rules, and submit that application to the Registrar with any other information in writing as may from time to time be required by the Registrar; (c) provide the Registrar with a no objection letter issued by or a lease agreement signed by the landlord of the Premises permitting the applicant to temporarily conduct business at the Premises; (d) provide the Registrar with any additional information it may require; and (e) pay such fee or fees in connection with the application as set out in rules made by the Board.

Consultation Paper No. 11 of 2025 Appendix 1 3 (3) When reviewing an application for a Temporary Commercial Permit, the Registrar may take into account: (a) matters of public health and safety; (b) location of the Premises and the surrounding environment; (c) matters of cultural sensitivity; and (d) any other matter that the Registrar deems relevant. (4) An applicant may withdraw the application by giving the Registrar written notice at any time before the Registrar determines it. (5) Failing to obtain a Temporary Commercial Permit prior to temporarily conducting business at the Premises will be considered a contravention of these Rules and any such person temporarily conducting business at the Premises without a Temporary Commercial Permit may be liable to a fine not exceeding level 8 on the Fines Scale for each contravention. 6. Variation or cancellation of a Temporary Commercial Permit (1) The Registrar may, on application of a Temporary Commercial Permit holder, cancel or vary the Temporary Commercial Permit. (2) An application for the variation of a Temporary Commercial Permit must comply with, and will be subject to, Rule 5. (3) The Registrar may refuse an application for variation under this section if it appears to it that it is desirable to do so in the interests of the Abu Dhabi Global Market. 7. General conditions of Temporary Commercial Permits (1) A Temporary Commercial Permit holder must at all times– (a) be a Licensed Person; or (b) hold a valid commercial licence issued by a Competent Body; and (c) comply with any conditions of the Temporary Commercial Permit issued by the Registrar. (2) Failure to comply with these Rules may result in a contravention pursuant to the Regulations. 8. Discontinuance of temporarily conducting business Where a Temporary Commercial Permit has been suspended or revoked by the Registrar, the Temporary Commercial Permit holder must immediately discontinue temporarily conducting business in the Premises, or the Temporary Commercial Permit holder will be liable to a fine not exceeding level 8 on the Fines Scale.