UAE Trade License: Types, Requirements and Renewal
Last updated: November 2026
Every trade license Dubai grants on the mainland comes from the Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), lists the business's permitted activities and runs for one year. Once the documents are complete, DET issues a standard licence in 10 minutes and an Instant or eTrader licence in five. In a free zone, the zone authority issues the licence under its own regulations. UAE authorities spell the word licence, and so do we below.
We form UAE companies for foreign founders and obtain each company's first trade licence. We match your activities to a licence type and legal form, on the mainland or in a free zone. Then we reserve the trade name, collect any regulator approvals and file the application. After issue we register the company for corporate tax and introduce you to a bank. Each case gets a written quote.
| Quick facts | Value |
|---|---|
| Local company form | LLC (limited liability company, one owner allowed), equivalent of an LLC / private limited company |
| Dubai mainland licensing authority | Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), through the Dubai Business Registration and Licensing Corporation (DBLC) |
| Where to apply | Invest in Dubai (IID) portal or a DET service centre |
| Main DET licence types | Commercial, professional and industrial; DET also licenses tourism businesses |
| Other DET licences | eTrader, Instant, Dual (Free Zone Branch), SME and Intelaq |
| Issue time once documents are complete | 10 minutes; 5 for Instant and eTrader licences |
| Validity and renewal | One year; renewed online, by SMS or at a DET service centre |
| Foreign ownership on the Dubai mainland | 100% in over 1,000 commercial and industrial activities; a short restricted list needs an Emirati partner |
| Minimum share capital (LLC) | No statutory minimum |
| Freelancers | Permits from MOHRE; no separate DET freelance licence |
| Free zone licences | Issued by each zone authority; the federal list names 31 free zone company registrars |
| Corporate tax registration | Within three months of incorporation |
What Is a Trade Licence in the UAE?
A UAE trade licence is the permit an emirate or free zone authority grants a business for a defined list of activities. On the Dubai mainland the issuer is DET, acting through DBLC. In a free zone, the zone authority licenses and registers companies under its own regulations. Free zone companies are considered outside the UAE mainland jurisdiction, so the two licences are not interchangeable.
Many guides still name the Department of Economic Development (DED) as the Dubai issuer. That is out of date. DET issues the licence, and the company sits on the Dubai commercial register. That register links to the federal National Economic Register under Federal Decree-Law No. 37 of 2021. Our UAE company formation overview covers the country as a whole.
Trade licence certificate, copy and download
DET stores every licence it issues in the document locker of the Invest in Dubai portal, where the licence certificate is kept and downloaded. Every Dubai business, mainland or free zone, also receives a Dubai Unified Licence (DUL): one DET identifier with a QR code, rolled out in stages. It is a unique commercial identification meant to standardise bank KYC, and it is not described as a licence to trade. The Dubai Unified Licence guide explains the rollout.
Trade Licence Types in Dubai
DET issues commercial, professional and industrial licences, licenses tourism businesses and adds five special licences. The activity decides the type. Regulated activities also need approval from a regulator such as TDRA, the Central Bank (CBUAE), SCA or MOHRE. DET's business licensing overview lists the categories.
| Licence | Used for | Key condition |
|---|---|---|
| Commercial | Trading activities | Can issue as an Instant Licence when no external approval is needed |
| Professional | Professional and service activities | Also held by civil companies of two or more partners |
| Industrial | Manufacturing and other industrial activities | External approvals needed |
| Tourism | Tourism businesses | Licensed by DET |
| Instant | Activities with no external approvals | Issued in five minutes; virtual site in year one |
| eTrader | Home-based selling on social media and online platforms | Sole proprietorship; ID number required |
| Dual (Free Zone Branch) | Free zone companies operating on the Dubai mainland | One-year licence or a permit of up to six months |
| SME | Small and medium businesses | UAE and GCC entrepreneurs |
| Intelaq | Home-based business | UAE or GCC nationals living in Dubai; up to five licences |
The SME and Intelaq licences are reserved for UAE and GCC nationals.
Commercial, professional or industrial: which licence do I need?
The licence follows the activity. Trading goes on a commercial licence, services and professions on a professional licence, and manufacturing on an industrial licence, which needs external approvals before issue. Professional activities can also run through a civil company, the DET legal form for two or more partners in a professional activity. A short restricted list, from telecommunications and banking to commercial agencies, still needs an Emirati partner. Our foreign ownership and director rules by country compare the UAE with other jurisdictions.
A local service agent is a separate point. Some professional licences of civil establishments wholly owned by non-GCC nationals need one, under an attested service agent contract. DET asks for the contract only "if required for your business type" and confirms it per activity. We check it before filing. Our page on Dubai mainland company formation explains the role.
The Instant Licence
The Instant Licence covers activities that need no external approval and is issued in five minutes. It bundles the Memorandum of Association, a year-one virtual site, Dubai Chamber membership for commercial licences, and GDRFA and MOHRE establishment cards with the option to employ three people. It is open to an LLC, a single-owner LLC, a sole establishment or a civil company. By the first renewal, the company needs a real business location.
Dual licence for free zone companies
A free zone company can serve Dubai mainland customers through a DET Free Zone Branch Licence, valid one year, or an activity permit of up to six months. Both rest on Executive Council Resolution No. 11 of 2025: the zone must approve, and DIFC financial firms are excluded. A Free Zone Mainland Operating Permit has been open to DUL holders since October 2025. Our guide to free zone company setup covers mainland sales in full.
eTrader Licence and Freelance Permits
eTrader licence: selling online from home
DET's eTrader licence covers a home-based sole proprietorship that sells through social media and online platforms. The application asks for an ID number, and the licence issues in five minutes once the file is complete. It is not a company, so it carries no limited liability. Check DET's eligibility conditions for your nationality and residence before relying on it.
Founders who want limited liability form a company instead. Dubai CommerCity, a DIEZ and Wasl Properties joint venture, is dedicated exclusively to digital commerce. JAFZA hosts retail and e-commerce businesses, and Ajman Free Zone lists an e-commerce licence.
Freelance permits and freelancer licences
DET lists no separate freelance licence. Freelance or self-employment permits come from MOHRE, the UAE labour ministry. Several free zones license freelancers themselves: Dubai South, Ajman Free Zone in 40 categories, and twofour54 in Abu Dhabi through a Sole Proprietor licence for media, gaming and entertainment. Abu Dhabi's ADDED also issues a Freelancer licence to citizens and foreigners who work remotely without an office.
Free Zone Trade Licences
No official count of UAE free zones exists: u.ae links to 37 zone websites, and the federal Ministry of Economy and Tourism lists 31 free zone company registrars. Categories differ by zone. Dubai Silicon Oasis issues trade, service and industrial licences, IFZA commercial and professional ones, and the Dubai Development Authority licenses by cluster. Under the u.ae free zone guide, the licence follows within 14 working days of approval. DMCC publishes about 10 working days, JAFZA (Jebel Ali Free Zone) 3 to 14 business days.
The issuer also decides the market. A mainland licence lets a company sell directly to mainland customers, within its licensed activities. From a free zone, direct mainland sales generally need a mainland distributor, branch or company, or in Dubai a DET licence or permit. Our Dubai business setup guide compares the routes side by side.
How to Get a Trade Licence in Dubai: Step by Step
The process runs through the Invest in Dubai portal or a DET service centre. As your formation agent, we prepare and file each step and coordinate the regulator approvals. DET requires applicants to hold a valid UAE visit visa or entry permit, and its mainland company guide sets out the sequence.
- Choose the activities and the legal form. The activities decide the licence type and any regulator approval. The usual form is an LLC with one owner or 2 to 50 partners.
- Reserve the trade name. Book it from a verified IID account in 10 minutes. The name must reflect the activity, be transliterated and avoid family or tribe names unless they are the licensee's.
- Obtain initial approval. DET's initial approval comes before the premises.
- Register the premises. The lease goes on Ejari, the Dubai Land Department system, with a minimum workspace of 100 sq ft.
- Sign the Memorandum of Association. DET issues the MoA for LLCs, one-person companies and civil companies, and a notary for other forms. It is in Arabic, which prevails in a bilingual text, and is authenticated in person or by e-signature. A service agent contract is signed here where the business type requires one.
- Collect external approvals. Regulated and industrial activities need the regulator's approval before the licence issues.
- Receive the licence. DET issues it in 10 minutes once the file is complete and stores it in your IID document locker.
After the licence is issued
Register for corporate tax on EmaraTax within three months (FTA Decision No. 3 of 2024). Registering late triggers the fixed administrative penalty set by Cabinet Decision No. 75 of 2023. Filing the first return within seven months of the end of the first tax period gets the penalty waived or refunded. File the beneficial owners with the registrar within 60 days, and obtain GDRFA and MOHRE establishment cards before hiring. For the bank, an Emirates ID, held or applied for, makes a person eligible to open an account. We handle the bank account opening introduction, and our accounting and tax compliance service files the tax returns.
Required Documents for a Trade Licence
DET's list for a mainland licence is short:
- Passport for a non-resident, or Emirates ID for a UAE resident
- Residence visa or entry permit for non-GCC nationals
- Articles of Association, except for a one-person LLC
- A feasibility study for a joint stock company
For a corporate shareholder, the documents go through the legalisation chain; an apostille is not enough. Their documents are attested in the home country and by the UAE embassy there, then by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs. An Arabic translation attested by the UAE Ministry of Justice completes the chain.
Free zones set their own lists. Typical items are passports (JAFZA wants six months' validity), KYC and beneficial owner forms, a business plan and, at DMCC, proof of address. UAE residents add a no-objection letter from their sponsor.
How Trade Licence Renewal Works in Dubai
A Dubai mainland licence runs for one year. DET sends an SMS reminder when renewal is due, and renewal is instant: online through Invest in Dubai, by SMS or at a DET service centre.
What renewal requires
Two rules catch new licensees. The beneficial owner data is resubmitted at every renewal, under Article 11(3) of Cabinet Decision No. 109 of 2023. Instant Licence holders must also move from the virtual site to a real business location by the first renewal. In a free zone, renewal goes to the zone authority. Meydan requires it before expiry (Regulation 13.1), and RAKEZ licences usually run for one year, some for three.
What happens if you renew late
Renew on DET's reminder, not after expiry. Elsewhere in the UAE, the published rules show a lapsed licence leading to removal in stages:
- Abu Dhabi: unrenewed licences move to an expired registry and face revocation after three years (ADRA, October 2025).
- RAKEZ: a company is struck off six months after its licence goes unrenewed.
- Federal: a foreign branch's ministry registration is deleted after two years without renewal (Ministerial Decision No. 138 of 2024).
Letting a licence lapse is therefore not a way to close a company.
Obligations between renewals
Some duties run on their own clocks.
| Obligation | Rule |
|---|---|
| Beneficial owner changes | Update the registrar within 15 days; answer registrar requests within 14 days |
| Partner register | Data sent to the licensing authority each January (Commercial Companies Law, Art. 74(3)) |
| Audit | Every LLC has an auditor, single-owner LLCs included |
| Corporate tax return | Within 9 months after the end of the tax period |
| E-invoicing | Live from 1 January 2027 for revenue of AED 50 million or more, 1 July 2027 for others |
Adding Activities or Changing a Trade Licence
A licence covers only the activities listed on it. To add one, apply to the authority that issued it: DET on the mainland, the zone authority in a free zone. A regulated activity needs the regulator's approval first, as at formation. Check the mix before filing, because banks look hard at a licence that pairs general trading with unrelated activities.
Bigger changes are getting easier. Federal Decree-Law No. 20 of 2025, issued on 1 October 2025, provides for conversion to another legal form and for moving a registration between emirates and free zones without liquidation. Bracewell, a law firm, expects the changes to phase in over 12 to 24 months.
Trade Licences in the Other Emirates
Each emirate licenses its own mainland businesses.
| Emirate | Mainland licensing authority | Licences worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| Abu Dhabi | ADRA, the ADDED arm launched on 6 January 2025; applications on TAMM | Standard Economic Licence; Tajer for UAE citizens and residents, no premises for an initial period; Freelancer; Virtual Licence for people living abroad |
| Sharjah | SEDD | Premises licence (commercial, professional or industrial); electronic trading licence without premises; Instant Licence, activity within one day |
| Ajman | Ajman DED | Ownership rather than a special licence: 100% foreign ownership in more than 1,000 commercial and industrial activities since June 2021, strategic impact activities excluded |
| Ras Al Khaimah | RAK DED | Non-free zone companies formed through RAKEZ also need a RAK DED licence |
Our guides to business setup in Abu Dhabi and business setup in Sharjah cover those emirates in full.
Getting a UAE Trade Licence as a Non-Resident
A non-resident can own 100% of a Dubai mainland LLC in most activities, as its single owner. The Commercial Companies Law sets no nationality or residency rule for managers. Stakeholders registered on Invest in Dubai sign virtually, and the MoA can be authenticated by e-signature. Still, non-GCC applicants need a residence visa or entry permit, and visa applicants attend the medical test and Emirates ID biometrics in the UAE.
The company must also name to the registrar a UAE resident who can disclose beneficial owner data (Cabinet Decision No. 109 of 2023, Art. 11(4)). More remote routes exist. IFZA needs no physical presence to incorporate, and Abu Dhabi's Virtual Licence lets people abroad own an LLC, applied for online with a passport copy and UAE PASS.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a trade licence?
A trade licence is the permit a UAE licensing authority grants a business for a defined list of activities. On the Dubai mainland, DET issues it through DBLC; in a free zone, the zone authority does. A Dubai mainland licence runs for one year, and the business may carry out only the activities listed on it.
How many types of trade licence are there in Dubai?
DET issues three main types, commercial, professional and industrial, and licenses tourism businesses. Five special licences sit on top. eTrader covers home-based online selling and Instant covers activities without external approvals. Dual serves free zone companies on the mainland, while SME and Intelaq serve UAE and GCC nationals. Free zones issue their own categories.
How long does it take to get a trade licence in Dubai?
The DET desk steps take minutes: 10 for the trade name and 10 for the licence once the file is complete, or five for an Instant or eTrader licence. DET publishes no end-to-end timeline. In practice the premises lease, regulator approvals and any legalisation of corporate documents set the pace, as our formation time comparison shows by country.
How do I renew a trade licence online in Dubai?
Renew through the Invest in Dubai portal or by SMS, or visit a DET service centre; renewal is instant. DET sends an SMS reminder when the licence falls due. Beneficial owner data is resubmitted at every renewal, and an Instant Licence holder needs a real business location by the first renewal. Free zone licences renew with the zone authority.
What decides the total for a Dubai trade licence?
The main drivers are the licence type, the number of activities, the legal form, the premises and any regulator approvals. The premises can be an Ejari lease of at least 100 sq ft or an Instant Licence's year-one virtual site. Visas add to the total, and corporate shareholders add legalisation and Arabic translation. We quote each case in writing.
How do I add an activity to a Dubai trade licence?
Apply to the authority that issued the licence, DET for a mainland licence or the zone authority for a free zone one. A licence covers only the activities listed on it, and a regulated activity needs its regulator's approval before it is added, as at formation. Keep the activities related to each other, since an unrelated mix can slow the bank account.
How do I cancel a trade licence in Dubai?
Apply to the authority that issued the licence: cancellation is a formal step, not the same as letting the licence lapse. A lapsed licence does not close the company. Abu Dhabi moves unrenewed licences to an expired registry, where they face revocation after three years, and RAKEZ strikes a company off six months after expiry. The corporate tax registration sits separately with the Federal Tax Authority.
Get Started: Form Your UAE Company
Tell us your activities, the owners and how many visas you need. We choose the route and the licence type with you, form the company and obtain its first trade licence, then handle corporate tax registration and the bank introduction. Send the details through our contact page for a written quote.
Call +48 2222 5 2222 or email info@companyformation24.com to start.
Content prepared by Aleksandra Kowalska, Corporate Client Service. Approved by Tomasz Bielski, Managing Director.
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