The short answer
- You need a Dubai mainland licence when you will serve customers inside the UAE directly: a shop, clinic, restaurant, contracting firm, local B2B sales or government tenders. If your clients are mostly abroad, a free zone usually fits better.
- Under Federal Decree-Law No. 32 of 2021, foreign investors can own 100% of most mainland commercial companies, with no Emirati partner. The Cabinet can set extra conditions for activities of strategic impact.
- Dubai's Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) issues the licence. You also need an office lease registered in Ejari, and the office affects how many visas you can apply for.
- Our approved price sheet covers free zone packages only, so we quote a mainland company in writing once we know your activity and visa count.
When do you need a Dubai mainland company?
Start from where your customers are and what you will physically do in the UAE. The table is a starting point, not a rule: your activities and any sector approvals decide the final answer.
| Your plan | Usually fits | Why |
|---|---|---|
| A shop, restaurant, salon, clinic or showroom open to the public in Dubai | Mainland | Premises in the city and walk-in customers need a DET licence and a lease for that address. |
| Contracting, maintenance, fit-out or other work on clients' sites across the UAE | Mainland | The work happens in the local market, and the permits that go with it are tied to a mainland licence. |
| Bidding for UAE government tenders | Mainland in most cases | Government buyers usually register mainland suppliers. A Dubai free zone company can look at the permit described below. |
| Consulting, software or trading with clients mainly outside the UAE | Free zone | Lower fixed costs, flexi-desk options and a setup you can run from abroad. See our Dubai free zone licence guide. |
| A remote business that mainly needs a residence visa and a UAE bank account | Free zone | A free zone package bundles the licence, visa and bank support at a price on our sheet. |
| Mostly international, with occasional work for clients in Dubai | Free zone, possibly with a mainland permit | Dubai's Free Zone Mainland Operating Permit may cover the local work without a second company. |
A middle route since October 2025: the Free Zone Mainland Operating Permit
Under Dubai Executive Council Decision No. 11 of 2025, eligible Dubai free zone companies can apply to DET for a permit to operate in the Dubai mainland. The first phase covers non-regulated activities such as technology, consultancy, design, professional services and trading. Dubai Media Office announced a government fee of AED 5,000 for six months, renewable for the same fee, and said the related mainland revenue is subject to 9% corporate tax with separate records. If the UAE market is your main market, a mainland company is usually simpler than renewing a permit twice a year.
If you are weighing Dubai against another emirate, our guide to Dubai mainland licences and other UAE mainland licences explains how they differ.
Can a foreigner own 100% of a Dubai mainland company?
Yes, for most activities. Federal Decree-Law No. 32 of 2021 on Commercial Companies replaced the old rule that an Emirati had to hold at least 51% of a mainland company. According to the UAE government portal, the law abolished the requirement for a majority Emirati shareholder or local partner, and branches of foreign companies no longer have to appoint a UAE national as service agent.
There is one exception to plan for. The Cabinet can name activities of strategic impact and set extra licensing conditions for them, which can include limits on ownership. If your activity is regulated, for example health, education, financial services or anything security related, expect approvals from the sector authority as well.
In practice, a foreign founder can usually hold every share in a Dubai LLC, manage it and apply for a residence visa through it. DET confirms the position for your activity at initial approval, so be sure of it before you sign an office lease.
Which legal forms can a foreign owner use?
The Ministry of Economy and Tourism lists the mainland legal forms. These are the ones that matter to most founders coming from abroad:
Limited liability company (LLC)
The usual choice: liability limited to the capital, and full foreign ownership for most activities. How the form works across the emirates is on our UAE LLC page.
Sole establishment
Owned by one person, who is personally liable for its debts. The ministry notes that a sole establishment needs a local service agent agreement (LSA).
Civil company
A partnership of professionals, such as engineers or consultants, set up with a memorandum of association.
Branch of a foreign company
Your existing company abroad opens a branch in Dubai. A branch is not a separate company, so the parent stays liable. Since the 2021 law it no longer needs an Emirati service agent.
Joint stock companies and holding companies also exist on the ministry list, but they are rarely the starting point for a first UAE business.
Which licence type fits your activity?
Your activities decide the licence type. The UAE has more than 2,000 business activities to choose from, and one licence can carry several related activities. These four types cover most foreign founders:
Commercial licence
Buying and selling goods, import and export, general trading and e-commerce.
Professional licence
Services based on skills and qualifications, such as consultancy, IT services, marketing, design and accounting.
Industrial licence
Manufacturing, assembly, processing and packaging. Expect extra approvals and premises suited to the work.
Tourism licence
Travel agencies, tour operators and similar tourism activities, which need tourism approvals on top of the licence.
The ministry list has two more types, agricultural and occupational licences.
How to set up a mainland company in Dubai, step by step
These are the official mainland steps, in the order they usually happen in Dubai. The times are typical for a straightforward file, not promises: approvals, attestation and the office search set the real pace.
| Step | What happens | Typical time |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Choose your activities | Pick them from the DET activity list. They decide the licence type, any extra approvals and the kind of office you need. | A day or two of planning |
| 2. Pick the legal form | Usually an LLC for foreign owners. Decide the shareholders, their shares and the manager. | Alongside step 1 |
| 3. Reserve the trade name | The name must follow the naming rules and end with the legal form, for example LLC. | Often within a day |
| 4. Get initial approval | The government confirms it has no objection to the business. Ownership conditions and approvals for your activity become clear here. | Often a few working days |
| 5. Sign the MOA, or the LSA | The memorandum of association is signed before a notary, in person or through a power of attorney. Company shareholders need attested documents from home. | A few days, or 1 to 3 weeks if documents are attested abroad |
| 6. Lease an office and register Ejari | Sign a lease for commercial space in Dubai and register it in Ejari with the Dubai Land Department. | Depends on finding the space; the Ejari registration itself is quick |
| 7. External approvals, if any | Some activities need a sector approval, for example from health, education or municipal authorities. | Set by each authority |
| 8. Pay the fees and receive the licence | Submit the complete file and pay the fees. The Ministry of Economy and Tourism lists four days for this step with an economic department. | Around 4 working days once the file is complete |
| 9. Chamber, establishment card and visas | Register with the Dubai Chamber, get the establishment card from GDRFA Dubai, then apply for residence visas. | Typically 2 to 4 weeks for the first visa, with the medical test and Emirates ID |
What you can do from abroad
In our experience, a founder abroad should plan for roughly four to eight weeks from first call to first residence visa, most of it spent on attestation, the office and the visa. You need to be in Dubai for the visa medical test and the Emirates ID biometrics. Much of the rest, including the MOA signature, can be handled through a power of attorney.
What documents do you need?
The exact list changes with the activity and the shareholders. This is what is usually asked for:
Individual shareholders
- Passport copy for each shareholder and the manager, valid for at least six months
- A recent passport photo
- UAE entry stamp or visa page, or your Emirates ID if you already live in the UAE
- A no objection letter from your sponsor, only if you are already employed in the UAE
Company shareholders
- Certificate of incorporation, memorandum and articles
- Board resolution to set up the Dubai company and appoint the manager
- Certificate of good standing
- All of these attested at home and by the UAE embassy there, then legalised and translated into Arabic in the UAE
Company documents during setup
- Trade name reservation and initial approval
- Signed and notarised MOA, or the LSA for a sole establishment
- Registered Ejari tenancy contract
- External approvals for regulated activities
Attestation is the step founders most often underestimate. If a company abroad will own the Dubai entity, start the legalisation as soon as the structure is decided.
What does a mainland company cost?
Our approved price sheet covers free zone packages only, Meydan and IFZA. It has no mainland price, and we do not publish ranges we cannot stand behind. Mainland costs depend on the activity, the office, the number of visas and any approvals, so we quote them in writing once we see your plan. This is what the total is made of:
| Cost line | Who charges it | What we can say today |
|---|---|---|
| Trade licence and DET fees | DET and related authorities | Depends on the activities and licence type. Itemised in our written quote. |
| Office rent | Your landlord | Market rent for the space you choose. Often the largest yearly cost, and the space affects how many visas you can apply for. |
| Ejari registration | Dubai Land Department | Government fee: AED 177.75 when registered through the Ejari app or website, as listed by the Dubai Land Department (checked 8 October 2026). |
| Establishment card | GDRFA Dubai | Government fee: AED 100 per year to issue or renew, as listed by GDRFA Dubai (checked 8 October 2026). |
| Residence visas | GDRFA Dubai, medical centres, ICP | Per person, on top of the licence. Itemised in our quote. |
| External approvals | Sector authorities | Only for regulated activities. |
| Our professional fee | First Idea Consultant | Quoted in writing for mainland. No professional fee on licence renewals. |
The package prices in the box below are free zone prices, not mainland prices. Every other AED figure on this page is a government fee or a government threshold, named with the authority that sets it.
Send us your activity, the number of visas and whether you already have an office. We reply on WhatsApp, usually within a couple of hours, with an itemised written quote.
