Key takeaways
- A UAE resolution normally names the company and licence, states the meeting or written-consent basis, lists numbered RESOLVED clauses and closes with shareholder signatures.
- Free zones and mainland registries often publish their own preferred wording — use it when it exists rather than a generic template.
- Bilingual Arabic/English layouts are common for banks and government-facing submissions.
- Keep one decision per resolved clause; combining unrelated approvals is the most common reason a resolution is queried.
Section-by-section: what a UAE template contains
The order below is the one most UAE readers expect. Sections marked optional depend on who will receive the document.
Company identification block
Legal name exactly as printed on the trade licence, licence number, issuing authority (for example DED, DMCC, JAFZA, RAKEZ, DIFC or ADGM), registered address and — where relevant — the tax registration number. If the name on the resolution and the name on the licence differ by so much as a suffix, expect the document to come back.
Title and reference
State the type plainly: "Shareholders' Resolution", "Resolution of the Sole Shareholder" or "Written Resolution of the Members". Add an internal reference number and the date. Banks and registrars file by reference, and an unnumbered resolution is hard to cite later.
Basis of the decision
Either the resolution records a meeting (date, place, attendance, quorum) or it records written consent signed by the required majority without a meeting. Say which. A written resolution that describes a meeting nobody held is a problem waiting to surface.
Shareholding table
Name of each shareholder, number of shares held and percentage of capital. This is what allows a reader to check that the signatures represent the majority the decision requires under the company's constitutional documents.
RESOLVED clauses
Numbered, one decision each, written in the past or present tense as a decision already taken: "RESOLVED that Mr X be appointed as General Manager with effect from 1 April 2026." Include effective dates and, where a person is authorised to act, the precise scope and any monetary limit.
Authorisation and delegation clause (optional)
Where the decision needs follow-up steps — signing forms, attending a registry, submitting documents to a bank — a closing clause authorising a named person to do those things saves a second resolution later.
Signature block
Full name, capacity, passport or Emirates ID reference where required by the recipient, signature and date, with space for a company stamp. Corporate shareholders sign through an authorised representative, and the recipient will usually want to see that representative's own authority.
Bilingual Arabic and English layouts
Two layouts are in common use: a two-column page with Arabic on the right and English on the left, or sequential pages with the Arabic version first. Two-column layouts are easier for a counter clerk to check line by line; sequential layouts are easier to keep clean when clauses run long.
Whichever you use, keep clause numbering identical in both languages and state which language prevails if there is a conflict. Where a submission must be in Arabic, a legal translation is usually expected rather than an in-house one — confirm this with the receiving authority before you print and sign.
A short worked example
A three-shareholder Dubai LLC changes its general manager. The resolution names the company and licence, records a meeting held at the registered office with all three shareholders present, sets out the shareholding as 51/29/20, and carries two resolved clauses: the first accepting the outgoing manager's resignation with effect from 31 March 2026, the second appointing the incoming manager from 1 April 2026 and authorising him to sign the registry amendment forms. It is a page and a half, and there is nothing in it a reader has to interpret.
Formatting and filing conventions
- A4 portrait, company letterhead, 11–12pt body text with numbered clauses.
- Page footer showing "Page X of Y" — multi-page resolutions get separated in scanning.
- Initials on every page where the recipient asks for them, in addition to the final signature.
- PDF for circulation; keep the editable master so a follow-up resolution can reuse the identification block.
- File a signed original in the corporate register alongside the licence and constitutional documents.
This guide is general information about document drafting, not legal advice. Requirements differ between mainland registries, free zones and offshore regimes, and they change. Confirm the current wording, attestation and filing rules with the relevant authority, your registered agent or a qualified adviser before you rely on a resolution.
Create the document
You can draft a shareholder resolution online with DocMak's Shareholder Resolution Generator: fill the company and shareholder details once, choose the resolution type, and export a clean bilingual-ready PDF. If the decision came out of a board or general meeting, pair it with a meeting agenda and minutes so the paper trail is complete.
Frequently asked questions
Does a UAE shareholder resolution have to be notarised?
It depends on the decision and the recipient. Some registry filings and share transfers are handled through a notary or the registry itself, while many internal or banking uses accept a signed and stamped original. Ask the receiving authority or your registered agent what they require before you sign.
Can shareholders sign in different places on different dates?
Written resolutions are commonly signed in counterparts. Include a counterparts clause, and treat the resolution as dated on the day the last required signature is added.
What is the difference between a shareholder resolution and a board resolution?
A shareholder resolution is a decision of the owners; a board resolution is a decision of the directors or managers. Which one is needed depends on the company's constitutional documents and the nature of the decision.