Mainland company setup
Dubai Mainland Company Setup with a DET Licence
A Dubai mainland company setup gives you a licence from the Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) and the right to trade anywhere in the city, sign government contracts and open shops or showrooms. Most activities now allow full foreign ownership. The trade-off is a real office with an Ejari-registered lease. We help you choose between DET's instant licence and the standard route, then handle the licence, visas and bank account.
- Licence issued by Dubai DET through the Invest in Dubai platform
- Instant licence option for eligible activities, often issued the same day
- Ejari-registered office decides how many visas you can apply for
- One team for licence, visas, bank account, VAT and corporate tax
Get an itemised quote
Tell us your activity, partners and how many visas you need. We usually send a written, line-by-line quote within one working day.
At a glance
- Licensing authority
- Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), formerly Dubai DED
- Main portal
- Invest in Dubai (invest.dubai.ae); labour via MOHRE, visas via GDRFA Dubai / ICP
- Ownership
- Up to 100% foreign ownership for most activities under Federal Decree-Law No. 32 of 2021; strategic-impact activities keep conditions
- Office requirement
- Physical premises with an Ejari-registered tenancy contract (Dubai Land Department); instant licences can defer this for the first year
- Visa basis
- MOHRE work-permit quota, assessed on factors such as office size, activity and legal form
- Typical timeline
- Instant licence: often minutes to a day. Standard LLC: usually 1–3 weeks once documents are ready
- Licence validity
- Usually 1 year; multi-year options exist for some licences
- Unique ID
- Dubai Unified Licence (DUL) number and QR code linked to your company
- Tax
- Corporate tax 9% above AED 375,000 taxable profit; VAT registration mandatory above AED 375,000 taxable supplies
Licence and company options
Instant licence (Invest in Dubai)
Best for: Simple service or trading businesses that want to start quickly
DET has offered instant licences online since 2017 for activities that need no outside approval. You can often get the licence within minutes after payment. The catch: the Ejari lease and the notarised memorandum are usually only deferred, not waived. You must provide them before the first renewal, so plan your office from day one.
Standard commercial licence
Best for: Trading, import and export, retail, e-commerce with stock
Covers buying and selling goods. General trading lets you hold many unrelated trading activities on one licence but costs more. If you import, you will also need a Dubai Customs code after the licence is issued.
Professional licence
Best for: Consultants, designers, IT services, marketing, training
For services based on skill or qualification. A foreign individual holding a professional licence as a sole establishment or civil company usually appoints a UAE-national local service agent. The agent owns nothing and is paid a fixed yearly fee. If you set up as an LLC instead, you normally do not need an agent.
Industrial licence
Best for: Manufacturing, assembly, packaging, food production
Needs a factory or warehouse in a zoned industrial area and usually extra approvals, such as Dubai Municipality or civil defence. Expect a longer timeline and plan the premises before you apply.
Tourism licence
Best for: Tour operators, holiday homes, travel agencies, desert camps
DET also regulates tourism, so tourism activities sit under the same authority but with their own classification and conditions. Some need a financial security deposit or qualified staff, so check the activity rules before you sign a lease.
Who it suits
Businesses that sell to Dubai customers directly
If you want a shop, showroom, clinic or service van working across the city, a mainland licence avoids the limits a free zone company faces when it trades outside its zone.
Companies chasing government and large corporate contracts
Many Dubai government entities and large local companies prefer, or require, suppliers with a DET licence. A mainland licence keeps you eligible for those tenders.
Founders who need several visas soon
Mainland quotas grow with your office. If you plan to hire five or more people in the first year, a mainland office often scales better than a free zone desk.
Solo consultants who want to test the market fast
The instant licence lets you start trading quickly, as long as you accept that an Ejari office will be needed before renewal.
Free zone companies expanding onto the mainland
If you already have a free zone company, a Dubai mainland branch or a new LLC lets you invoice mainland clients properly. Dubai has also introduced a route for some free zone companies to get a DET permit for mainland work, so we compare both.
Step-by-step process
- 1
Pick your activity from DET's list
Every licence starts with activity codes from DET's official list. The codes decide the licence type, whether outside approvals are needed and whether the instant route is available. We check this first, because it shapes everything after.
- 2
Choose the legal form
Most foreign founders choose an LLC (one or more shareholders) or a sole establishment. Professional activities can also use a civil company. Your choice affects liability, the agent question and how easily you can add partners later.
- 3
Reserve the trade name and get initial approval
Both are done on the Invest in Dubai platform. The name must follow DET naming rules: no religious terms, no well-known brands you do not own, and the legal form at the end, for example 'LLC'.
- 4
Secure an office and register Ejari
Sign a lease for premises approved for commercial use, then register it on Ejari. For an instant licence this can come later in the first year, but for a standard licence it is usually needed before issue.
- 5
Sign the memorandum of association
For an LLC, partners sign the memorandum before a notary, in person or through remote notary services where available. We prepare the draft and the translation.
- 6
Pay fees and receive the licence
After DET reviews the file you pay the licence fees and receive the trade licence with its Dubai Unified Licence number. Keep a digital copy; banks and suppliers ask for it constantly.
- 7
Open the establishment card and apply for visas
The company registers with immigration and MOHRE, which sets your work-permit quota. Then each investor or employee visa moves through entry permit, medical, Emirates ID and stamping.
- 8
Bank account, VAT and corporate tax
With licence and visas in hand, we prepare the bank file. Corporate tax registration with the FTA is required for every company, and VAT registration once your turnover passes the threshold.
Documents you'll need
- Passport copies of every shareholder and the manager
- UAE visa and Emirates ID copies (if already resident)
- Passport-size photos on a white background
- Short business plan or activity description (for some activities and banks)
- Trade name options in order of preference
- Signed lease and Ejari certificate for the office
- Memorandum of association (LLC) prepared for notarisation
- No-objection letter from current sponsor (if you are employed in the UAE)
- Corporate shareholder documents, attested and translated (if a company is a partner)
- Local service agent agreement (professional licence for foreign individuals)
- Outside approvals where the activity needs them (for example, health, education or food)
Typical timeline
| Stage | Typical duration |
|---|---|
| Activity check, trade name and initial approval | 1–3 working days |
| Office search, lease signing and Ejari | 3–10 working days (depends on landlord) |
| Memorandum notarisation and licence issue | 2–5 working days |
| Establishment card and first visa | 2–4 weeks |
| Corporate bank account | 2–6 weeks (bank decides) |
Instant licence vs standard DET licence
| Point | Instant licence | Standard licence |
|---|---|---|
| Speed | Often within minutes to a day | Usually 1–3 weeks |
| Activities | Only those with no outside approval | Full DET activity list |
| Ejari at start | Usually deferred to the first year | Usually needed before issue |
| Notarised memorandum | Usually deferred to the first year | Signed before issue |
| First renewal | Office and memorandum must be in place | Normal renewal with valid Ejari |
What makes Dubai mainland different from other emirates
Dubai is the most digital of the seven licensing authorities. Almost every step, from name reservation to renewal, runs on the Invest in Dubai platform, and DET has added a Dubai Unified Licence number that links your company record across government services and banks.
Dubai is also the most expensive mainland in rent terms. The licence fee itself is only part of the bill; office rent in central areas can be the largest single cost. That is why the office choice deserves as much thought as the licence type.
The upside is market access. Dubai has the largest consumer base, the biggest corporate buyers and the main logistics hubs of Jebel Ali and the airports. If your customers are here, a Dubai licence makes invoicing, hiring and banking simpler.
Ejari, office size and your visa quota
Ejari is the Dubai Land Department's system for registering tenancy contracts. DET will not usually issue or renew a standard mainland licence without a valid Ejari certificate in the company's name.
Your office also feeds into the visa quota. MOHRE looks at factors such as the size of your premises, your activity and your legal form when it allocates work permits. A small business-centre office often supports only a few visas; a larger standalone office supports more. There is no single published square-metre rule, so we check this with the authorities for your case before you sign.
Lease length matters too. If your lease ends before your licence renewal date, you will need to renew or replace it in time, or the licence renewal stalls.
Worked example: a two-partner digital agency wanting three visas
Two partners, one Indian and one British, want a marketing and web agency in Dubai, with visas for themselves and one designer. Marketing services are a professional activity, but they choose an LLC so they can share ownership 60/40 and avoid a local service agent.
Their activities qualify for the instant route, but they choose the standard licence because they already have office space lined up and want everything finished at once. They lease a small fitted office rather than a flexi-desk so the quota covers three visas with room to grow.
Their first-year budget includes the trade name, DET licence fees, notarisation, rent, Ejari, the establishment card and three visas. Rent and visas together make up more than half. At renewal they will pay the licence fees again, renew Ejari with the lease, and renew the establishment card. Visas renew on their own two-year cycle, not with the licence.
What changes at renewal
A Dubai trade licence is usually renewed every year on the Invest in Dubai platform. Before renewal you need a valid Ejari, an active establishment card and no unpaid fines.
Instant licence holders feel the biggest change at the first renewal. The deferred Ejari and notarised memorandum must now be in place, and any temporary address used in year one does not carry over. Budget for a real office in year two, not only in year one.
Common mistakes to avoid
Signing a lease before checking the activity
Some activities need a ground-floor shop, a warehouse or a specific zone. If you lease first, you may find the premises cannot hold your licence. Check the activity rules, then lease.
Treating the instant licence as office-free
The instant route usually defers the Ejari lease; it does not remove it. People who skip planning find their first renewal blocked.
Choosing the smallest office and expecting many visas
A flexi-desk or tiny office keeps rent low but often limits your quota. If you will hire soon, size the office for next year's team.
Adding too many activities
Each extra activity can raise fees or trigger outside approvals. Start with what you will actually sell; you can add activities later.
Forgetting corporate tax registration
Every mainland company must register for corporate tax with the FTA, even with no profit yet. Late registration can bring a penalty.
Why set up your mainland company with Freezone King
Honest mainland vs free zone advice
We set up in Dubai free zones and on the mainland, so we tell you plainly when a free zone suits your plan better than a DET licence.
Licence, visas, bank and tax in one file
One team carries the work from activity selection to Emirates ID, bank account, VAT and corporate tax, so nothing waits between providers.
Support in your language
Our team explains each step in eight languages, which helps when partners from different countries need to sign the same documents.
WhatsApp updates at every stage
You get short WhatsApp updates when an approval lands or a document is needed, without chasing anyone.
Frequently asked questions
Can a foreigner own 100% of a Dubai mainland company?
Yes, for most commercial and professional activities. Since the 2021 Commercial Companies Law, a few strategic-impact activities still carry conditions, so we check your exact activity on DET's list.
How much does a Dubai mainland license cost?
It depends on your activities, licence type, office and number of visas. Office rent and visas usually add more than the licence itself, so we send a written quote after a short call.
What is the Dubai instant licence?
It is a licence issued online through Invest in Dubai for eligible activities, often in minutes. The Ejari lease and notarised memorandum are usually deferred until the first renewal.
Do I need an office for a Dubai mainland company?
Yes. A standard DET licence needs a physical office with an Ejari-registered lease. Instant licences can defer this, but you need it before you renew.
How many visas can I get on a Dubai mainland licence?
MOHRE sets the quota based on factors including office size, activity and legal form. A small office may support only a few visas; larger premises usually support more.
Do I need a local service agent in Dubai?
Usually only if a foreign individual holds a professional licence as a sole establishment or civil company. The agent has no ownership and is paid a fixed yearly fee. An LLC normally does not need one.
How long does Dubai mainland company setup take?
An instant licence can be issued the same day. A standard LLC usually takes one to three weeks for the licence, then a few more weeks for visas and the bank account.
What is the Dubai Unified Licence?
It is a unique identifier and QR code DET links to licensed companies in Dubai, on the mainland and in free zones, so government bodies and banks can check your record more easily.
Can I run a Dubai mainland company from a business centre?
Often yes, if the business centre provides an Ejari-registered contract. The trade-off is a smaller visa quota than a standalone office would usually give.
Can a free zone company trade on the Dubai mainland?
Not freely. It usually needs a mainland branch, a distributor, or a DET permit under Dubai's newer rules for free zone companies. We compare the options for your case.
What is needed to renew a Dubai mainland licence?
A valid Ejari, an active establishment card, any outside approvals your activity needs and payment of the renewal fees on the Invest in Dubai platform.
Is VAT registration required for a new Dubai company?
VAT registration is mandatory once taxable supplies pass AED 375,000 in 12 months and optional from AED 187,500. Corporate tax registration applies to every company regardless of income.
Sources
- u.ae: Steps to start a business on the mainland
- Dubai Media Office: DET instant licences issued since 2017
- Dubai Media Office: DET launches Dubai Unified Licence
- MOHRE: Work permit quotas for establishments
- u.ae: Recruiting on the mainland
- CMS: Dubai resolution on mainland access for free zone companies
Researched on 8 November 2026. Fees, rules and timelines change; confirm the current terms before you apply.
Planning a mainland company?
Share your activity and visa plans. We compare mainland and free zone options honestly and send a clear quote.