Mainland Business Setup in Dubai: Steps, Licence Types and Costs

Last updated 3 November 2026

Mainland business setup in Dubai means a licence from DET, the Department of Economy and Tourism, which took over from the old Department of Economic Development (DED). With that licence a company can sell to anyone in the UAE from day one. A free zone company has to add a branch, a distributor or a permit to do the same. Most mainland activities can be 100% foreign owned, so you pick the licence by what you do, not by your passport.

How do I set up a mainland company in Dubai?

Pick the activity. DET lists activities under commercial, professional and industrial licences. Your activity decides the licence type, the office rule and any outside approval.
Reserve a trade name. The name must follow DET naming rules and cannot copy a registered name.
Get initial approval. DET confirms the activity and the legal form, and flags any extra permits.
Sign the company documents. An LLC needs a memorandum of association. A sole establishment or a professional licence needs less. See MOA and board resolution.
Register the office. Normal licences need a lease registered through Ejari. Read the flexi desk and Ejari guide.
Pay and collect the licence. After the licence come the establishment card, visas and a bank account.

Steps and licence names follow the Invest in Dubai pages and the UAE government portal, checked October 2026. Menu labels on the portal change, so follow the labels on screen.

Which mainland licence do I need?

Licence	For	Page
Commercial	Buying and selling goods, trading, retail	Dubai DET trade licence
Professional	Consultants, designers, advisers and other service work	Professional licence
Industrial	Making or processing goods	Dubai DET trade licence
E-trader	Small online sellers working from home	E-trader licence
LLC company form	Two or more owners, or limited liability for one	LLC formation

What documents do I need for a Dubai mainland company?

Passport copies for every owner and manager.
Emirates ID and residence visa copy, for owners who live in the UAE.
Proposed trade names and the list of activities.
Signed memorandum of association, for an LLC.
Registered lease (Ejari) for the office.
Outside approvals, where the activity needs one.

If an owner is a company, expect to supply its incorporation papers and a board resolution too.

How much does a Dubai mainland licence cost?

The licence fee is one line. The rest decides your total.

Line	What to know
Licence fee	About AED 12,500 to AED 15,000 a year for a commercial licence, per 2 setup agencies, checked October 2026
Office	Rent or a flexi desk. Often the biggest line
Visas	Charged per person, after the licence
Approvals	Only for regulated activities
Renewal	Yearly, with the lease

DET publishes its own fee tables on Invest in Dubai. We have not checked them line by line, so we show agency ranges only. Full detail is on mainland licence cost.

Mainland or free zone

Choose mainland if most revenue comes from UAE customers, if you need a shop or a large office, or if you bid for local contracts. Choose a free zone if clients are abroad or you want a fixed package. The free zone or mainland page sets the two side by side, and the business setup in Dubai guide covers both.

Other emirates

Sharjah and Ajman have their own economic departments and lower entry prices. See Sharjah mainland licence and Ajman mainland licence.

Get a quote

Use the form on this page with your activity, owners and visa count. We pass it to a licensed setup partner, who replies with the licence type and a written price. UAEFreeZoneDirectory.com is independent. It does not issue licences and is not DET.

Sources

UAE government portal, full foreign ownership of commercial companies: https://u.ae/en/information-and-services/business/Doing-business/doing-business-on-the-mainland/full-foreign-ownership-of-commercial-companies
Invest in Dubai, DET business licensing: https://investindubai.gov.ae
Published prices of 2 setup agencies: https://www.alaan.com/blog/dubai-trade-licence-cost-requirements-guide and https://voffice.co.id/blog/en/types-of-trade-licenses-in-dubai/

Get free quotes from several free zones

Tell us about mainland company setup in Dubai: your activity, the visas and the office you need. We pass it to the free zones that fit or to a licensed setup partner, and reply with options you can compare side by side.

UAEFreeZoneDirectory.com is an independent directory, not a free zone or a government office. You pay nothing for using this form.

Questions people ask

How do I start a mainland business in Dubai?

Choose the activity and licence type, reserve a trade name, get initial approval, sign the company documents, rent an office, then pay the fees and receive the licence from DET. Visas and the establishment card come after the licence.

Can a foreigner own 100% of a mainland company in Dubai?

For most activities, yes. The UAE government portal says most mainland companies can be fully foreign owned. Some activities still carry conditions, and DET shows them at the initial approval step.

Do I need a physical office for a mainland licence?

A normal licence needs a registered lease. Some licences can start with a shared or flexi desk, and Dubai also offers licences that do not need an office. Ask which applies to your activity before you pay.

What does a mainland company cost to set up in Dubai?

Setup agencies publish a DET commercial licence fee of about AED 12,500 to AED 15,000 a year (published prices of 2 setup agencies). Office rent, visas, approvals and your trade name come on top, so see the cost page for the full picture.

How long does mainland setup take?

DET does not give one fixed time because it depends on the activity and on outside approvals. A plain activity with no approval can move in days. Regulated activities take longer.