TECOM Office Relocation: Dubai Internet City & Media City Rules
TECOM office relocation is the process of moving a company’s office within or between the business districts run by TECOM Group, such as Dubai Internet City and Dubai Media City, and updating the company’s records with the Dubai Development Authority (DDA).
That makes TECOM moves more predictable than moves in some other free zones. The rules are the same whether you’re in Dubai Internet City, Dubai Media City, Dubai Knowledge Park or Dubai Studio City. The challenge is timing. Fit-out permits, building completion, the address change and the IT cutover all have to line up, because most companies in these zones can’t afford a day without their systems.
What Is AXS and Why Does It Matter for Your Move?
axs is TECOM Group’s smart services platform. It covers government services such as visas, and corporate services such as leasing, licensing, NOCs and permits, with 200+ services in total. For an office relocation, you’ll use axs to:
- Lease the new unit (for TECOM-owned buildings)
- Request NOCs
- Apply for DDA fit-out permits and inspections
- Submit the change of company address
- Update visas and other records linked to your address
axs also runs customer service centres in TECOM communities and a customer care line (800-4-AXS). Make sure the person handling your move has axs login access and knows how to raise service requests before the process starts.
Step 1: Lease the New Unit
Start by securing the new office, either from TECOM Group directly (for TECOM-owned buildings) or from a private owner in the zone.
Before you sign, check:
- The unit is approved for your licence activity
- The space suits your team size and visa needs
- Whether the unit is fitted, part-fitted or shell and core
- The internet provider and connectivity options in the building
- The building’s rules on moving, lift access and working hours
If the unit is already fitted and suits you as it is, you can skip straight to the move permits and address change.
Step 2: Fit-Out Approval From the DDA
If the new unit needs work, fit-out comes before the move. In TECOM zones, fit-out permits are issued by the DDA through axs.
What you’ll need:
- A building management NOC from TECOM Facilities Management or the private building manager
- A DDA-registered consultant and contractor
- Title deed or tenancy contract
- Architectural drawings in DDA format, plus structural and MEP drawings where the works need them
- A cost estimate of the construction works
- Dubai Civil Defence approval where the works affect fire systems
Once a complete, compliant submission is accepted, DDA fit-out permits are typically processed in around 2 working days. The building NOC and Civil Defence approval take longer, so the full fit-out approval process for a DIC office is usually counted in weeks, not days.
Completion. After the works, as-built drawings go into axs and a final inspection is booked. The Building Completion Certificate follows after a successful inspection. You’ll need it for your licence and for connecting services, so don’t plan the move before it’s issued.
Step 3: Change of Company Address on axs
Once the new unit is ready, update your company address with the DDA:
- Log in to axs.
- Create a new service request.
- Select Change of company address.
- Fill in the application and upload any supporting documents.
- Pay the fees.
Fee: AED 500, plus AED 10 Knowledge Dirham and AED 10 Innovation Dirham.
Processing time: 1 working day, according to the DDA.
You can also submit in person at the customer service centres in Dubai Studio City and Dubai Knowledge Park.
After the address change, update your establishment card, visas and other records that show your address.
Step 4: Move Permits and Building Rules in DIC and DMC
The physical move is managed by the buildings, not by the DDA. You need approval from the building you’re leaving and the building you’re moving into.
What building management usually asks for:
- Move-in or move-out request with date, time and unit number
- Company trade licence
- Moving company’s trade licence and insurance certificate
- Crew list with ID copies
- Truck plate numbers and sizes
- A refundable damage deposit, if the building requires one
Rules to confirm before move day:
- Allowed move days and hours
- Service lift booking and maximum load
- Loading bay location and truck height limits
- Parking and waiting space for the truck
- Protection for lifts, walls and floors
- Removal of packing waste
Many TECOM buildings are low- and mid-rise with surface-level loading, which makes moves quicker than in high-rise towers. The newer, larger buildings in DIC and DMC still have strict lobby and lift rules, so always get them in writing.
Step 5: Plan the IT and Internet Cutover
For most companies in Dubai Internet City and Dubai Media City, the hardest part of a move is keeping systems running. Plan it early:
- Confirm the internet provider for the new building and request activation as early as possible. Business fibre can take weeks to install.
- Order the new line before the old one is cancelled. Run both for a few days if you can.
- Map the network. List every server, switch, firewall, access point and printer, and plan the new layout before the move.
- Move servers last and reconnect them first. Shut down in order, move in padded, anti-static packing, and test before staff arrive.
- Test on day one. Check the internet, VPN, phones, printers and access control before the team starts work.
Moving Between TECOM Zones
Moving from Dubai Media City to Dubai Internet City, or between other DDA-regulated TECOM zones, is simpler than leaving the TECOM network, because the same authority and the same axs platform handle both ends. The main questions are whether your licence activity is allowed in the new zone and whether your licence needs amending. Check both with the DDA before you sign the new lease.
Moving from a TECOM zone to DMCC, DIFC, JAFZA or the mainland is a bigger step. The new authority has to license the company, and staff visas usually need to be transferred or reissued.
TECOM Office Relocation Timeline
| Timing | Task |
|---|---|
| 10 to 8 weeks before | Choose the new unit; confirm activity and visa fit; order internet at the new unit |
| 8 to 6 weeks before | Sign lease; get building management NOC; appoint DDA-registered consultant and contractor |
| 6 to 3 weeks before | DDA fit-out permit, Civil Defence approval and works |
| 3 to 2 weeks before | Final inspection and completion certificate; book movers |
| 2 to 1 weeks before | Move permits from both buildings; lift and loading bookings; network plan |
| Move week | Move furniture and IT; test systems; submit change of company address on axs |
| After the move | Update establishment card, visas, bank, DEWA and suppliers; hand over old unit |
Common Mistakes in TECOM Office Moves
- Ordering the internet too late. A move with no connection on day one is a lost day for the whole team.
- Starting fit-out without the building NOC. The DDA won’t issue the permit without it.
- Using a contractor who isn’t DDA-registered. The permit application will be rejected.
- Moving in before the completion certificate. It holds up your licence and services.
- Booking only the new building. The old building also needs a move-out permit and lift booking.
- Forgetting the address change. Your licence and visa records still show the old unit until you submit the axs request.
How E Office Movers Handles TECOM Moves
We plan Dubai Internet City and Media City moves around your systems. Our team works with both buildings on move permits and lift bookings, sends our licence, insurance and crew details in advance, and moves IT equipment in anti-static packing with a clear shutdown and reconnection order. We set up furniture and reconnect equipment in the new unit so your team can log in on the first morning.
If your company is moving within DIC, DMC or another TECOM community, contact our office movers in Dubai for a site survey and a move plan built around your IT.
