company setup
How to Set Up a Mainland Company in Dubai
How to form a DED-licensed mainland company in Dubai. Covers trade name reservation, initial approval, Ejari registration, and license issuance. Regulated sectors require additional approvals not covered here.
Gov. fee
AED 12,000–25,000+ (government fees only)
Timeline
2–4 weeks (without external approvals)
For
Business owners forming a DED-licensed mainland company in Dubai under a commercial,…
Steps
8
Start
Search the DED activity list and identify the activity code that matches your business.
Last updated: April 2026
- 1Choose Your Business Activity
- 2Choose Your Legal Structure
- 3Reserve Your Trade Name
- 4Get Initial Approval
- 5Register Your Office Lease
- 6Obtain External Approvals Only If Required
- 7Submit the License Application
- 8Receive Your Trade License
Step by step
Choose Your Business Activity
Search the DED activity list and identify the activity code that matches your business. The activity determines your license type (commercial, professional, or industrial) and whether additional approvals from other government bodies are required before DED can issue your license.
Where to go
DED (Dubai Economy and Tourism)
Address / portal
dedubai.gov.ae — search Business Activities
Est. cost
No fee
Est. time
1 day
Advice
If your activity falls under a regulated sector — health, education, food, real estate brokerage, or financial services — check the DED portal for the external approval requirement before starting. Regulated activities add 4–10 weeks to the total timeline.
Note
Selecting the wrong activity requires a license amendment after issuance — AED 5,000–10,000+. Confirm your activity code with a DED consultant or PRO before proceeding.
Choose Your Legal Structure
Select the legal form for your company. For most SMEs: LLC (minimum 2 shareholders, up to 50, liability limited to share capital), Sole Establishment (single owner, unlimited personal liability), or Civil Company (for licensed professionals such as lawyers, engineers, and doctors). The legal structure affects your documents, fees, and liability exposure.
Where to go
DED (Dubai Economy and Tourism)
Address / portal
dedubai.gov.ae
Est. cost
No fee at this stage
Est. time
1 day
Advice
An LLC requires a Memorandum of Association notarized by a UAE notary (AED 1,500–4,000). A Sole Establishment skips this and is simpler and cheaper to form. Choose an LLC if you have co-founders or plan to bring in investors at any stage.
Reserve Your Trade Name
Reserve your company name through the DED portal or a service center. The name must not duplicate an existing registered company, must not include government or authority references, and should be consistent with your approved business activity.
Where to go
DED (Dubai Economy and Tourism)
Address / portal
dedubai.gov.ae → Trade Name Reservation, or any DED service center
Est. cost
AED 620–720
Est. time
1–2 business days
Advice
Prepare two or three alternative names before submitting — rejections are common for popular terms. The DED system automatically generates an Arabic transliteration of your name; review it before confirming, as it appears on the license.
Get Initial Approval
Submit your trade name, business activity, legal structure, and shareholder passport copies to DED for initial approval. Initial approval is not a license — it confirms you can proceed to set up your office and prepare remaining documents.
Where to go
DED (Dubai Economy and Tourism)
Address / portal
dedubai.gov.ae, or any DED service center
Est. cost
AED 100–1,000 (varies by activity)
Est. time
1–3 business days
Advice
The initial approval certificate is valid for 6 months. Use this window to sign your office lease and apply for any required external approvals. If it lapses, you must reapply and pay the fee again.
Register Your Office Lease
Sign a commercial lease for your Dubai office, shop, or warehouse, then register the lease through the Ejari system. Ejari registration is mandatory — DED will not accept a license application without a registered commercial lease.
Where to go
Real Estate Regulatory Agency (RERA)
Address / portal
ejari.gov.ae, or any Ejari-registered typing center
Est. cost
AED 220 registration fee (office rent is separate)
Est. time
1–2 business days after signing the lease
Advice
Confirm with your landlord that the premises type (office, retail, warehouse) matches your DED business activity before signing. The Ejari address and premises classification must align with what DED approved in your initial approval.
Note
Flexi-desks and co-working memberships are not accepted by DED for most mainland licenses. A dedicated commercial space with an exclusive lease agreement is required.
Obtain External Approvals Only If Required
If your activity is regulated, apply for approval from the relevant government authority before DED can issue your license. Health activities require DHA approval. Education requires KHDA. Food businesses require Dubai Municipality. Real estate brokerage requires RERA. Most commercial and professional activities skip this step entirely.
Where to go
Relevant government authority (DHA, KHDA, Dubai Municipality, RERA, etc.)
Address / portal
Varies by authority — the DED portal lists which approvals apply to your activity
Est. cost
Varies by sector
Est. time
Varies: 4–10+ weeks if required
Advice
Submit external approval applications as soon as your initial approval is issued, not after your Ejari is ready. These approvals take weeks and run in parallel with office setup.
Note
DED cannot issue your license until all required external approvals are received. This is the most common cause of timeline overruns for regulated businesses.
Submit the License Application
Upload all required documents to the DED portal and pay the license fee. Required documents: initial approval certificate, Ejari registration, shareholder passport copies, MOA (for LLC, notarized), and external approvals if applicable.
Where to go
DED (Dubai Economy and Tourism)
Address / portal
dedubai.gov.ae
Est. cost
AED 8,000–20,000+ (license fee varies by activity and structure)
Est. time
1–3 business days after submission
Advice
For LLC structures, the MOA must be notarized by a UAE notary before submission. Any documents not in Arabic or English must include a DED-certified translation. Verify the documents checklist on the DED portal for your specific activity before submitting.
Note
The license fee paid at this step is non-refundable if your application is rejected due to incomplete or mismatched documents. Review everything before submitting.
Receive Your Trade License
DED issues your trade license once all documents are verified and fees are cleared. Download the license from the DED portal. The license is valid for one year and must be renewed before the expiry date each year.
Where to go
DED (Dubai Economy and Tourism)
Address / portal
dedubai.gov.ae
Est. cost
Included in Step 7
Est. time
1–3 business days after payment
Advice
After receiving the license, your next steps are: open a business bank account (allow 2–6 weeks), obtain an establishment card from ICA (required before applying for employee or investor visas), and register for VAT if your annual revenue is expected to exceed AED 375,000.
Overview
A Dubai mainland company is licensed by DED (Dubai Economy and Tourism) and can trade with customers across the UAE, including government entities and local businesses. Since 2021, most activities allow 100% foreign ownership without a local sponsor. Your license type (commercial, professional, or industrial) is determined by your business activity.
The process runs in three phases: name reservation and initial approval (1–3 business days), office setup and Ejari registration (1–5 business days), and license application and fee payment (1–3 business days). Government fees range from AED 12,000 to AED 25,000+, not including office rent. Regulated activities such as health, education, or food businesses require external authority approvals that add 4–10 weeks.
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