Dubai mainland
Dubai mainland company formation
A mainland licence lets you trade directly with customers anywhere in the UAE, including government entities — with 100% foreign ownership on most activities.
Get a fixed quote
Four fields. We reply within one working day.
Or call Jaleel +971 52 432 9060 or Mis Shabi +971 50 314 9109
Why choose mainland
- Sell directly to customers anywhere in the UAE, with no distributor needed
- Bid for UAE government and semi-government contracts
- 100% foreign ownership on most commercial and professional activities
- No restriction on the number of visas, subject to office size
- Open branches anywhere in the UAE
- Generally smoother corporate bank account opening than free-zone licences
What to weigh up
- A physical office with a registered Ejari contract is mandatory
- Higher first-year cost, driven mostly by the office requirement
- Corporate tax at 9% above AED 375,000 — no free-zone 0% route
- More annual compliance than a typical free-zone licence
What it costs
The office requirement is what separates mainland from free-zone pricing. Everything else is broadly comparable — it is the mandatory Ejari-registered premises that adds the bulk of the difference.
Compare against free zones| Item | From |
|---|---|
| DED trade licenceVaries by activity category | AED 15,500 |
| Trade name reservation and initial approval | AED 1,200 |
| Office with registered Ejari, fromMandatory — the largest single cost | AED 18,000 |
| Memorandum of Association notarisation | AED 1,800 |
| Establishment card | AED 1,500 |
| Residence visa, per person | AED 4,600 |
These are indicative 2026 market ranges, shown so you can budget realistically. Government fees change and every case differs — we send a fixed written quote covering your exact activity, visa count and facility before you commit to anything.
The formation process
Typical timings with complete documents. Activities needing external ministry approval take longer.
Activity and structure selection
1–2 working daysConfirming your activity is permitted and choosing the right legal form.
Trade name reservation
1–2 working daysName submitted to the Department of Economy and Tourism.
Initial approval
2–3 working daysDET confirms no objection to the proposed business.
Office lease and Ejari
3–7 working daysTenancy contract signed and registered — required before the licence issues.
MoA notarisation
1–2 working daysMemorandum of Association signed before a notary.
Licence issuance
2–4 working daysTrade licence issued once all approvals and payments are complete.
Establishment card and visas
2–4 weeksImmigration card, then residence visas per person.
Mainland licence types
Which licence you apply for comes down to one question: does your revenue come from selling goods, or from selling expertise? Everything else — ownership, visas, the office requirement — works the same way either side of that line.
Commercial licence
Revenue from selling goods
For companies that trade — import, export, wholesale, retail or general commerce. Issued by the Department of Economic Development in each emirate, and the right choice whenever your margin comes from moving product rather than billing time.
Common activities
- Import and export
- Retail and wholesale trading
- Foodstuff trading
- Building materials trading
- Electrical goods trading
- Fuel and petroleum products
- Transport and logistics
- Construction and contracting
- Communication services
- Financial intermediation
Professional licence
Revenue from selling expertise
For individuals and firms providing specialist services on the strength of their qualifications. Capital requirements are lighter than a commercial licence, and it can be held as a sole establishment or an LLC depending on how many owners there are.
Common activities
- Business consultancy
- IT services
- Technical services
- Commercial brokerage
- Web design and internet services
- Social media services
- Printing and publishing
- Hospitality management
The issuing authority
Both are issued by Dubai's DET — the Department of Economy and Tourism, still widely called the DED. A handful of activities need a second approval from an external authority on top of it, such as the Central Bank for financial services or the KHDA for education. We confirm which apply to your activity before you pay anything.
Mainland questions
Do I still need a local sponsor?
Not for most activities. Amendments to the Commercial Companies Law now permit 100% foreign ownership across the majority of commercial and professional activities. A small number of strategic activities still require Emirati participation, and we confirm your specific activity before you commit.
How much office space do I actually need?
A registered Ejari tenancy contract is mandatory, and visa allocation scales with floor area — roughly one visa per 9 square metres as a rule of thumb. For small teams, a serviced office or business centre arrangement usually satisfies the requirement at the lowest cost.
Mainland or free zone — which should I choose?
If most of your customers are UAE-based businesses or consumers, mainland is usually correct because you can invoice them directly. If you sell internationally, or to other free-zone companies, a free zone is normally cheaper and faster. The deciding factor is where your revenue comes from, not which licence is cheapest.
Can I convert a free-zone company to mainland later?
You cannot convert the entity itself, but you can establish a mainland company and either run both or migrate operations across. Some free zones also offer a dual licence that grants mainland trading rights without a second company — SPC is the most straightforward of these.
Mainland or free zone?
Tell us who your customers are and we'll tell you which structure actually costs you less over three years — including when the answer is not mainland.
Or call Jaleel +971 52 432 9060 or Mis Shabi +971 50 314 9109