Debt Collection Agency Dubai | B2B Recovery in the UAE

Recover B2B debts in Dubai and across the UAE through onshore courts, DIFC, or ADGM. The 2022 civil procedure reform (Federal Decree-Law 42/2022) introduced a fast payment order procedure under Article 62. General commercial limitation is 10 years. Since 1999, Cosmodca coordinates recovery in the UAE from a single intake.

A UAE debtor owes your company money. The invoices are 120 days past due, the WhatsApp replies have slowed to one emoji every three weeks, and your sales director keeps reminding everyone that Dubai “is a very important market.” Now what?

10 yearsCommercial limitation UAE

Art. 62Fast payment order 2023

3 systemsOnshore / DIFC / ADGM

Why Dubai B2B Recovery Is Not Domestic Recovery With a Different Postcode

10 yearsArt. 95 Commercial LawFrom date debt became due

Art. 62Fast payment orderUncontested written claims

DIFC CourtsEnglish common lawFor DIFC clause contracts

NY ConventionForeign arbitral awardsUAE signatory since 2006

2023Reform in forceFederal DL 42/2022

Collection process

1

Pre-legal amicable

First 45 days. Resolves most claims where debtor has active banking relationships.

2

Payment order Art. 62

Fast enforcement title for uncontested written claims — weeks if unopposed.

3

Full litigation / DIFC

Onshore Arabic proceedings or DIFC English courts depending on contract clause.

Collecting a commercial debt in Dubai is not a scaled-up version of collecting in Düsseldorf or Denver. The UAE runs three parallel legal environments at once. Onshore courts apply civil law rooted in the Civil Transactions Law and the Commercial Transactions Law. The DIFC Courts and the ADGM Courts operate in English, under common-law principles, with judges trained in London, Singapore, and Hong Kong.

Three parallel systems, one federation, one debtor. Which door you knock on determines how fast you get paid and whether the judgment you win is actually enforceable where the debtor’s assets sit.

The 2022 Civil Procedure Reform

Federal Decree-Law No. 42 of 2022 came into force on 2 January 2023. For B2B creditors, the key upgrade is Article 62: the payment order procedure. A creditor with a written, uncontested, due and payable claim can apply directly to the competent judge, who may issue a payment order without a full hearing.

Can Debt Collectors Work Internationally in the UAE?

Yes. A creditor domiciled anywhere in the world can pursue a debtor in the UAE through local courts, DIFC, ADGM, or arbitration. The UAE ratified the New York Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards in 2006.

What Is the Limitation Period for Commercial Debts in the UAE?

The general limitation period for commercial obligations under Article 95 of the Commercial Transactions Law is 10 years from the date the debt became due.

The Bounced Cheque Route After 2022

Until 2022, a bounced cheque in the UAE was a criminal matter. The 2022 reform decriminalised ordinary bounced cheques and made them a directly executable instrument in the civil enforcement system. A dishonoured cheque can now be taken straight to the execution judge without the need to obtain a judgment first.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does commercial debt recovery take in the UAE? Amicable recovery typically resolves within 30 to 60 days where the debtor is willing to engage. A payment order under Article 62 for genuinely uncontested claims produces an enforceable title in a matter of weeks.