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Quick answer
If your RAKEZ company held more than one trade licence, the FTA may reject your corporate tax de-registration and ask for a cancelled-licence copy of a number you don't recognise. That's almost always the licence registered with the FTA at corporate tax registration — often a secondary/commercial licence. RAKEZ, however, issues a single Certificate of De-registration under your primary licence, and it reflects all licences you held. The fix: get written confirmation from RAKEZ that the certificate covers all your licences, and submit that to the FTA alongside the certificate.
This one confuses almost everyone the first time. Your free-zone licence is cancelled, RAKEZ has issued the de-registration certificate, and you upload it to EmaraTax to close your corporate tax registration. Then the FTA sends it back: “please attach the cancelled licence copy for licence number XXXXXXX.” You look at your certificate — it shows a completely different number — and think, “I don't have that licence.” You do. It's a cross-referencing quirk, and it's quick to resolve once you understand it.
Why it happens
One entity, more than one licence — and two different systems
A RAKEZ company can hold several trade licences under a single entity (for example a general trading licence and a separate commercial licence for specific activities). Two things then diverge:
- RAKEZ issues one Certificate of De-registration under your primary licence when you close — but that single certificate reflects all the licences the company held. You won't receive a separate cancellation certificate for each licence.
- The FTA holds, on your corporate tax record, the specific licence number that was provided when you registered for corporate tax — which may be a secondary licence, not the primary one shown on your de-registration certificate.
So when the FTA checks your de-registration, it's looking for its number — the secondary licence — and can't see it on a certificate issued under the primary. Hence the request for a “cancelled licence copy” that appears not to exist.
You're not missing a document
There is no separate cancellation certificate for the secondary licence — RAKEZ deliberately issues just one, under the primary, covering everything. Trying to hunt down a second certificate is the wrong path.
The fix
Prove one certificate covers all your licences
Instead of a second certificate, you provide written confirmation from RAKEZ that the de-registration certificate issued under the primary licence covers all licences held — including the specific number the FTA is asking about. RAKEZ will state this in an email or letter; that confirmation is your proof. You then re-submit the corporate tax de-registration to the FTA with both the de-registration certificate and the RAKEZ confirmation attached.
Step by step
How to resolve it cleanly
| Step | What to do |
|---|---|
| 1. Identify the number | Check which licence number the FTA has on your corporate tax record — that's the one it wants cancelled. |
| 2. Confirm the structure | Confirm RAKEZ issued the de-registration certificate under your primary licence. |
| 3. Request RAKEZ confirmation | Ask RAKEZ for written confirmation (email/letter) that the certificate covers all licences, naming or reflecting the FTA's number. |
| 4. Re-submit to the FTA | Re-submit the de-registration with the certificate plus the RAKEZ confirmation attached. |
| 5. Wait for the response | The FTA reviews and, once satisfied, proceeds with the corporate tax de-registration. |
The takeaway
A documentation mismatch, not a cancellation problem
Your company is properly closed — all its licences are cancelled under that one certificate. The FTA simply needs its licence number tied to the cancellation in writing. Keep the RAKEZ confirmation on file, make sure the licence number on your FTA record matches what you submit, and the de-registration goes through. If you're not sure which licence the FTA registered, that's the first thing to check — it's usually the one handed over at corporate tax registration.
Corporate tax de-registration stuck on a licence you don’t recognise?
We identify the licence the FTA has on record, get the right confirmation from RAKEZ, and re-submit your de-registration so it clears — without you chasing a certificate that doesn’t exist.
Related reading
RAKEZ licence cancellation cost & the AED 200-a-day late fee →FTA asked for financials on a dormant company — the declaration route →Related Fastlane services
FAQ
The FTA is asking for a cancelled licence copy I don't recognise — what is it?
It is almost always the licence number that was registered with the FTA when you first registered for corporate tax — often a secondary or commercial licence rather than your primary one. The FTA checks that specific number against your de-registration, so it asks for proof that licence is cancelled, even though your RAKEZ certificate shows a different (primary) number.
My RAKEZ company had several licences — how many de-registration certificates do I get?
One. RAKEZ issues a single Certificate of De-registration under your primary licence, and that certificate reflects all the licences the company held. You will not receive a separate cancellation certificate for each licence, so there is no second certificate to find.
How do I prove a secondary licence is cancelled if the certificate only shows the primary?
You obtain written confirmation from RAKEZ — an email or letter — stating that the de-registration certificate issued under the primary licence covers all licences held, including the number the FTA is asking about. That confirmation is the proof the FTA needs; there is no separate certificate for the secondary licence.
What exactly do I submit to the FTA to resolve this?
Re-submit your corporate tax de-registration with two documents: the RAKEZ Certificate of De-registration (issued under the primary licence) and the RAKEZ written confirmation that the certificate covers all licences held. Together they tie the FTA's licence number to the cancellation, which is what the FTA is looking for.
Does this only happen with RAKEZ?
The multiple-licence, single-certificate situation is common in RAKEZ, but the underlying issue — the FTA holding one licence number on your corporate tax record while the free zone issues a consolidated cancellation under a primary licence — can arise in other free zones too. The fix is the same: written confirmation from the free zone that the cancellation covers the licence on your FTA record.
General guidance on UAE corporate tax de-registration for free-zone companies with multiple licences, current as of July 2026; not legal or tax advice. RAKEZ and FTA procedures may change and each case turns on its own records. Confirm your position with RAKEZ, the FTA or a qualified adviser before acting.