#1. Item 1 — Trade licence with demolition activity listed
The trade licence must explicitly list demolition activity (Arabic: 'أعمال الهدم') under the licensed activities section. A generic 'building contracting' licence does not authorise demolition work and cannot be used to apply for demolition permits.
Verify by requesting the trade licence PDF and reading the activities section. Cross-check the activity code with the Department of Economy and Tourism (Dubai) or relevant emirate-level economic department.
#2. Item 2 — Authority contractor classification by height or scope
Dubai Municipality, ADM, and Sharjah Municipality classify demolition contractors by maximum allowable building height (e.g., G+1, G+4, G+10, unlimited) and by infrastructure scope. The classification must match the project, and the certificate must be current.
Ask for the classification certificate. A licensed contractor classified G+4 cannot legally demolish a G+10 building, even if their trade licence shows demolition activity.
#3. Item 3 — Authority approvals for jurisdiction
Mainland Dubai requires Dubai Municipality approval; DDA-administered areas require DDA / Trakhees; Abu Dhabi requires DMT / ADM; Sharjah requires Sharjah Municipality; Northern Emirates have their own municipal approvals. ADNOC pre-qualification applies inside ADNOC operating areas.
Match the approval to the project's jurisdiction. The right contractor for a Dubai mainland villa is not necessarily the right contractor for a Saadiyat Island tower.
#4. Item 4 — Establishment card and labour quota
A licensed contractor maintains a current establishment card with the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) and a labour quota that supports field crew size. Without these, workers cannot be legally employed.
Quota size is a quiet indicator of company capacity — too small for the claimed scope is a red flag.
#5. Item 5 — VAT registration and tax compliance
A licensed UAE demolition contractor with annual taxable turnover above the AED 375,000 threshold must be VAT-registered. Invoices must show the TRN (Tax Registration Number). Operators without a TRN below threshold may be legitimate but also signal small scale.
Verify the TRN on the Federal Tax Authority website.
#6. Item 6 — Insurance certificates with current validity
Public Liability with appropriate limit (AED 5–10M minimum), Workmen's Compensation per crew size, and Contractor's All Risks where required. Each certificate names the insurer and broker, lists policy number, sum insured, and validity period.
Call the broker to confirm the policy is current and covers UAE demolition activity specifically.
#7. Item 7 — Personnel certifications
Equipment operators (excavator, crane, MEWP) certified by an accredited Third Party Certifier (TPC) under UAE OSHAD or equivalent; HSE officer with NEBOSH IGC or IOSH; project manager with relevant engineering registration where required; asbestos competence cards for asbestos abatement crews.
Personnel certifications expire — confirm validity dates, not just possession.
#8. Item 8 — Waste tipping accounts and approved disposal sites
Licensed UAE demolition contractors hold tipping accounts at municipality-approved C&D recycling facilities (e.g., Dubai Municipality-approved sites or Tadweer in Abu Dhabi). Each project produces tipping receipts that confirm waste went where it was supposed to go.
Without tipping accounts, contractors dump in unauthorised sites — which becomes the property owner's problem too.