In order to establish your company, you must first find out what business zone or ownership kind would best suit you. Dubai Economic Department has a list of over 2100 (business) activities you can select from.

To determine the appropriate zone for your business, it's important to understand that Dubai offers various types of economic zones: Free Zone, Offshore, and Mainland. Each zone has its own advantages depending on your business category and activities.

Free Zone Companies

Free Zone offers the extravagance of 100 percent foreign national ownership which is Dubai's way of attracting and inspiring foreign investment by making it stress-free to set up a business and easing down the immigration and labor procedures. There are around 45 Free Zones in the UAE, of which around 25 are in Dubai, each of which caters to precise categories of business. Free zone rules are far less strict and the timeframes for setting up companies are much faster, as the paperwork and administration requirements are minimal and there is no need for appointment of a UAE local sponsor to obtain a license.

Step 1 – Pre-Approval Stage

The application for initial company registration is submitted through the free zone's registrar. Some of the free zones have their own online portals through which clients can process the initial application instead of going to the registrar for submission. This phase includes completion of application forms, registering the shareholder and officers' details, company name reservation, activity, management and compliance approvals.

Step 2 - Registration

This is where company registration, invoice issuance and submission and verification of the original legal documents takes place. At this stage, most of the free zones require the shareholder or the authorized signatory to visit the registrar to sign and verify various documents such as passports and IDs.

Step 3 - Licensing

Signing of the Lease Agreement and finalization of the license by the registrar take place at this stage. Once the management approval is granted, the license and corporate documents of the company shall be issued.

Mainland Companies

If you wish to operate in Dubai mainland, you have to register with the Department of Economic Development (DED), which will then grant you a Dubai business license.

The most common way to establish a mainland business in the UAE is through the reliable and well-established Limited Liability Company (LLC), although there are other options available as well.

Register Trade Name

The trade name of your new business must reflect your chosen activity, and it must get approved by the authorities before formal usage. Approval is subject to the trade name not already being in use by someone else, or it being previously registered. Further, the trade name must not offend public morals or the public order of the UAE.

You can check the availability of trade names on the websites of the Department of Economic Development (DED) in every emirate except Fujairah, where it is listed on Fujairah Municipality's Rukhsati app. Licensed trade names can also be found on the UAE Ministry of Economy Unified Commercial Registration System, and the National Economic Register.

Alternatively, you can shortlist trade names that reflect the nature of your business, and our team will check its availability and secure its registration. When approved, the trade name will be followed by the acronym of your legal structure, ex: LLC, PLC or PJSC.

Get required approvals

Complete all the paperwork and all the processes to get you the Initial Approval. This early approval is a prerequisite for almost all ensuing steps towards setting up a business on the UAE mainland.

Thereafter, based on your chosen business activity, there may be other government approvals and translations of such approvals, and various attestations and notarizations. Carefully timed and coordinated, these steps will lead towards collection of the final approval - your UAE Mainland Company's Trade License.

Confirm workspace

You may have a preference about where your new office needs to be located.

There are multiple choices for new business set up in the UAE's mainland, each catering to specific needs and budgets:

If you do not wish to take up the process of procuring visas yourself, our immigration teams will handle everything on your behalf: opening an official governmental file, processing your Establishment Card, applying for the required number of employment and/or residence visas for members of staff and family. This also includes the verification, translation, and attestation of various documents.

Open bank account

Opening a corporate bank account is an integral part of the formation of a UAE mainland company. Businesses are legally required to separate personal and professional funds.

The UAE offers numerous choices, from prestigious international banks, well-established local banks, and digital-only banks. Each offers distinct advantages to entrepreneurs, start-ups, small businesses, or large foreign corporations.

Seek professional support

Often, mainland company setup in Dubai can be overwhelming affair, to start operations immediately without a network of alliances and partnerships in place.

We offer comprehensive assistance with every aspect of company incorporation and provide ongoing professional support as needed. Our rapidly growing team develops and implements innovative solutions that address the evolving demands of business and help overcome the challenges companies face.

Now that you distinguish about the background and requirements to initiate with the official process of registering your company, here's how you go about to apply and get a business license in Dubai.

Getting your Business Registered