Dubai Mainland Company Setup
Mainland trade licence and establishment formalities for trading or services in Dubai.
A mainland company in Dubai is licensed by the Department of Economy and Tourism and may trade anywhere in the United Arab Emirates, including with government bodies. That is the distinction from a free zone company, which cannot sell directly into the mainland market.
The historic reason founders avoided the mainland — the requirement for a local partner holding majority ownership — has largely gone. Full foreign ownership is now permitted for most commercial and industrial activities, which has changed the calculation considerably.
Charges on enquiry
This service is quoted case by case, because the work depends on your documents, the authority involved and the timeline you need. Send us a short note and we will confirm the professional charges and the government fees in writing before starting.
Mainland or free zone
- Mainland — trades anywhere in the UAE, may bid for government contracts, no territorial restriction
- Free zone — full ownership and simpler setup, but cannot sell directly into the mainland
- Mainland now permits full foreign ownership for most activities, narrowing the free zone advantage
- A mainland licence requires physical office space with a registered tenancy contract
- Free zones package office and licence together, which is cheaper at small scale
The activity determines everything
Your licensed activity governs which licence category applies, whether external approvals are needed, and whether full foreign ownership is available. A small number of strategic activities still require Emirati participation.
Choosing an activity that does not match what you actually intend to do is the most common structural error. Amending the licence later is possible but means revisiting approvals, and in some cases the office space taken is no longer suitable.
Office space and the Ejari
A mainland licence requires a genuine office with a tenancy contract registered through the Ejari system. The registered tenancy is part of the licence file, not an incidental expense.
The size of the premises also determines how many residence visas the company can sponsor, so the office decision should follow the headcount plan rather than being minimised in isolation.
What follows the licence
- Establishment card, and residence visa processing for the manager and staff
- Corporate bank account, which is the least predictable step
- Corporate tax registration, since the UAE now levies federal corporate tax
- Value added tax registration, above the mandatory threshold
- Annual licence renewal, tied to the tenancy contract remaining valid
How we handle it
- 1 Selecting the activity We match your intended business to a licensed activity, since this drives ownership, approvals and premises requirements.
- 2 Trade name reservation The trade name is reserved and initial approval obtained from the licensing authority.
- 3 External approvals Where the activity requires clearance from another authority, that is obtained before the licence application.
- 4 Premises and Ejari Office space is taken and the tenancy contract registered, which the licence file requires.
- 5 Licence issue The trade licence and establishment card are issued.
- 6 Visas, banking and tax Visa processing is initiated, bank account opening supported, and corporate tax registration completed.
Frequently asked questions
Do we still need a local partner?
For most commercial and industrial activities, no. Full foreign ownership is now permitted on the mainland, though a small number of strategic activities still require Emirati participation.
Mainland or free zone?
Mainland if you need to sell within the UAE or bid for government work. A free zone is cheaper and simpler at small scale but cannot trade directly into the mainland market.
Do we need physical office space?
For a mainland licence, yes, with a tenancy contract registered through Ejari. The size also determines your residence visa allocation.
Is the UAE still tax-free?
No. A federal corporate tax now applies above a threshold, and VAT applies above the registration threshold. Structures should be planned against the current rules rather than the historic reputation.
What are the Indian obligations?
Forming an overseas entity is an overseas direct investment requiring reporting through your authorised dealer bank, disclosure in Schedule FA, and an Annual Performance Report each year.
What is not included. Government fees, statutory charges, stamp duty, court and registry fees, digital signature costs and any third-party professional charges are separate and payable at actuals. GST applies on professional fees where indicated. Prices shown are indicative and may change without notice; we confirm the total in writing before any work begins — see our terms on pricing.
Talk to us about Dubai Mainland Company Setup
Share your requirement and our team will confirm the documents needed, the exact charges and a realistic timeline — usually the same working day.
- Expert document checking before submission
- Regular status updates on WhatsApp
- Transparent professional charges
- Assistance in Marathi & English
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