Dubai Professional Licence: Who Needs It, Cost and Steps

Last updated 25 October 2026

A Dubai professional license fits a business that sells expertise. You are paid for what you know, not for goods you move. The licence comes from DET, the Department of Economy and Tourism, and is the mainland answer to a free zone consultancy licence. It lets you work with any UAE client, which is the reason most professionals pick it.

Who it suits

Consultants, advisers and trainers.
Designers, engineers and architects, when the profession allows it.
Accountants, translators and other service firms.
Owners who bill UAE companies and government bodies directly.

If your clients are abroad, a consultancy licence in a free zone may cost less to run.

Steps

Choose the professional activity on Invest in Dubai.
Reserve the trade name.
Get initial approval. Regulated professions need an outside approval first.
Register an office. A flexi desk may do, see flexi desk and Ejari.
Pay the fees and receive the licence.
Apply for the establishment card and visas.

Documents

Passport and Emirates ID copies, with the visa page for residents.
Degree or professional certificate, where the activity asks for it.
Registered lease or flexi desk contract.
Approval letter from the outside authority, for regulated work.

Cost

Item	Published range
Professional licence fee, per year	AED 9,500 to AED 12,500

Source: published prices of 2 setup agencies, checked October 2026. One agency starts higher, at about AED 12,000. Office, visas, trade name and approvals are extra. Ask DET or a partner for a written figure. The cost breakdown is on mainland licence cost.

Other licences

For trade in goods look at the DET trade licence. For a small home-based seller see the e-trader licence. A one-person service business with clients abroad can compare a freelance licence.

Sources

Alaan, Dubai trade licence cost guide: https://www.alaan.com/blog/dubai-trade-licence-cost-requirements-guide
Voffice, types of trade licences in Dubai: https://voffice.co.id/blog/en/types-of-trade-licenses-in-dubai/
Invest in Dubai: https://investindubai.gov.ae

Get free quotes from several free zones

Tell us about a Dubai professional licence: 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.

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Questions people ask

What is a professional licence in Dubai?

It is a mainland licence from DET for businesses that sell skills and services, not goods. Commercial licences cover trade in goods, industrial licences cover making them.

How much does a Dubai professional licence cost?

Setup agencies publish about AED 9,500 to AED 12,500 a year for the licence fee (published prices of 2 agencies). Office, visas and approvals are extra.

Can a foreigner own a professional licence company?

For most activities yes, with full foreign ownership. Some regulated professions need a licence from another authority first, and DET names it at initial approval.

Do I need an office?

Usually a registered lease is needed. Many professionals use a flexi desk or shared office to keep the cost down, where DET allows it for the activity.

Professional licence or freelance licence?

A freelance licence in a free zone is for one person with clients abroad or in the zone. A mainland professional licence lets you invoice UAE companies directly and can carry staff visas.