Main Land

The mainland refers to the areas outside the free zones in the UAE, and the Department of Economic Development (DED) serves as the regulatory authority responsible for granting mainland licenses. Mainland businesses are permitted to operate without limitations both within the UAE and internationally.

It is no longer mandatory to have a local sponsor to obtain a Dubai mainland license for approximately 1000 commercial and industrial activities. This comes with several benefits, including:

The freedom to lease commercial space in any location,
Conduct a broad range of business activities,
Trade anywhere in the UAE and internationally,
Have complete foreign ownership,
No currency constraints,
Streamlined employment visa processing,
Eligibility to bid on government projects,
Ease of opening a corporate bank account.

License Type & Activities

A Mainland company formation offers more than 3000 business activities listed in the UAE. The business activity, company structure and jurisdiction of operation will determine the license and other applicable requirements.

+Commercial License

+Industrial License

+Professional License

Process for mainland license

1Choose business activity

2Choose company structure

3Get trade name approval

4Get initial license approval

5Get external approval (if required)

6License issuance

7Open company bank account

8Get establishment card

9Labour file

10Process visa