Which licence a gym in Abu Dhabi works under
The Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED) describes an economic licence as a certificate allowing a business to practise a specific economic activity, after meeting the conditions set by the relevant laws. Its Abu Dhabi Business Centre provides the licensing services. Many people still call them trade licences.
Two details on a licence matter to a customer. The first is the licensed name, which should be the business that takes your money. The second is the list of activities, which should fit what you are buying, such as gym access or coaching.
Licensing is one check among several when you compare clubs. For the full shortlist method, see how to choose a gym in Abu Dhabi.
Check the licence on TAHAQAQ
TAHAQAQ is ADDED's licence enquiry. When the department launched it in 2020, it said consumers could enter a licence number to check the status of the licence and its activities before making a transaction or signing a contract. The UAE government portal now lists it as "Enquire about economic licences" for Abu Dhabi, on TAMM.
- Ask the gym for a copy or a photo of its economic licence.
- Note the licence number and the name exactly as printed.
- Open the economic licence enquiry on TAMM (tamm.abudhabi), which the UAE government portal links from its page on verifying business licences, and enter the number.
- Read the result. Is the licence active, and do the activities fit a gym?
- Compare the licensed name with the name on your contract, your receipt and your card statement.
To search beyond Abu Dhabi, the same portal page links to the National Economic Register run by the Ministry of Economy and Tourism.
Online services move and change their screens. If a link has changed, start again from the UAE government portal's "Verify business licences" page.
Sports licensing: what changed in September 2026
On 23 September 2026, the Abu Dhabi Media Office reported an Executive Council resolution adding new mandates to the Abu Dhabi Sports Council. They include regulating and licensing sporting establishments and entities across the emirate, in coordination with the relevant authorities.
The release says the Council's board will issue the regulations for licensing sports establishments, subject to the Executive Council's approval. At the time of writing (October 2026), check the Abu Dhabi Sports Council's website to see whether those rules are in force and what a licensed facility should be able to show you. Either way, ask the gym which approvals it holds beyond its economic licence.
Questions to ask on a tour
| Ask | A good answer | A warning sign |
|---|---|---|
| Can I see your economic licence? | A copy is shown or sent without fuss | Vague replies, or a promise to send it that never arrives |
| Whose name goes on my contract and receipt? | The licensed name, or one the gym can explain | A personal name or an unrelated company |
| Which activities does the licence cover? | Activities that fit a gym | Activities with nothing to do with fitness |
| Is the licence current? | It shows as active on the enquiry | It has expired, or the number returns nothing |
| Do you hold any sports or other approvals? | A clear answer you can check | No answer, or approvals nobody can name |
| Do you charge VAT? | A tax registration number on the invoice if they do | VAT added with no registration number shown |
The last row has its own guide: VAT on gym memberships explains how to read a quote and a tax invoice.
Red flags worth walking away from
- Payment requested into a personal bank account or wallet instead of the business account.
- A contract or receipt that carries no business name.
- Pressure to pay before you have seen the licence or the contract.
- A licence number that returns no record, or a record for a different business.
- A sports complex where nobody can say which business actually runs the gym.
No single item proves wrongdoing, but each is a reason to stop and ask. Read the membership contract checklist before you sign anything.
What a licence does not tell you
A valid licence shows that the business is registered for its activities. It says nothing about how clean the changing area is, how crowded the floor gets at your hour or whether the coaches are qualified.
Check the coaches separately. How to check a personal trainer is registered walks through the REPs UAE register, and it also explains the Sports Council's new mandate for licensing sports professionals.
Asking RPM
RPM Gym is one club, on Level 4 of AD HUB Sports Complex in Al Manhal. This page does not list its licence details. Ask the team to show you the licence and any approvals, then check the number on TAHAQAQ yourself, exactly as you would at any other gym.
A free guided tour is a good moment to ask, along with the written membership terms for the tier you are considering. Prices and inclusions are confirmed on enquiry.
Sources
- UAE Government portal (u.ae), Verify business licences
- Abu Dhabi Media Office, Department of Economic Development launches TAHAQAQ verification service (24 November 2020)
- Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development, Licensing requirements
- Abu Dhabi Media Office, Executive Council issues resolution adding new mandates to Abu Dhabi Sports Council (23 September 2026)
Questions, answered.
Is a trade licence the same as an economic licence?
In everyday speech, yes. ADDED's own term is economic licence. Ask for the licence number whichever name the gym uses.
Can I check a licence without the number?
TAHAQAQ was launched as a search by licence number. Without it, ask the gym. A business that is about to take your membership fee should be willing to share it.
The gym is inside a larger sports complex. Whose licence do I check?
The building and the gym can be different businesses. Ask which business runs the gym, check that licence, and make sure the same name appears on your contract.
Does a valid licence mean the gym is good?
No. It shows the business is licensed for its activities. Judge the rest on a tour, at the hour you plan to train.