Mainland licence.
Trade anywhere in the UAE.

A licence from the emirate's economic department. You can sell directly to the local market, open branches and bid for government contracts. Most activities now allow full foreign ownership.

Foreign ownership: Up to 100%
Office: Tenancy with Ejari required
Visa cap: Set by office size
Typical first year: AED 27,000 to 90,000

Calculate my cost Talk to an advisor

Where you can register

Indicative first-year licence fees. The right choice depends on your activity far more than on the headline price.

Dubai DET Mainland

from AED 12,000

Dubai

Trade anywhere in the UAE and bid for government work. Requires a tenancy contract with Ejari.

Trade UAE wide
Government tenders
No visa cap

Abu Dhabi ADDED

from AED 5,500

Abu Dhabi

Mainland licensing in the capital, favoured for energy, defence and public-sector supply chains.

Capital access
Energy and defence
Competitive fees

How the filing runs

1
Reserve the trade name
Three options submitted in order of preference. Names cannot reference religion, politics or an existing brand.
2
Secure initial approval
The economic department confirms it has no objection to a foreign investor running that activity.
3
Sign the tenancy and register Ejari
The lease is registered with the land department. This is the step that gates everything after it.
4
Notarise the memorandum
Shareholders sign in front of a notary or via an approved e-signature channel.
5
Pay and collect the licence
Fees settle, the licence issues, and the establishment card follows so visas can begin.

What catches people out

A tenancy contract registered with Ejari is mandatory before the licence is issued.
Your visa quota is tied to office size, roughly one visa per 9 to 12 square metres.
Some professional activities still require a Local Service Agent on an annual fee.
Certain activities need approval from a second authority before the DET will license you.