Procedure per Dubai Department of Economy & Tourism / DCCI (dcci.gov.ae), drawing on Ministry of Economy and Tourism guidance. Fees and timelines change, so check the current amounts on the authority's website. We don't invent numbers.
How the licence is issued, step by step
- 1
Identify the business activity first
It is important to identify the business activity you want to conduct as it is the basis for selecting the legal form and type of licence, whether commercial, industrial or professional, etc. Get this right before anything else, because everything downstream depends on it.
- 2
Pick the licence type
As per Ministry of Economy and Tourism, there are six types of licences. As per Invest in Dubai website, there are 8 types of licences. Your activity from the previous step points you to the right one.
- 3
Register the trade name
A trade name distinguishes one business from another. An investor can apply for the trade name through the economic department in each emirate, through its website or mobile application. Worth knowing: the local department of economic development registers the trade name, while Ministry of Economy and Tourism registers the trademark. They are two different things, handled by two different bodies.
Documents:Proposed trade name - 4
Sign the MoA or the LSA
Depending on the legal form of a business, a completed and signed Memorandum of Association (MoA) or a local service agent agreement (LSA) of the business is required. Which of the two applies to you comes straight from the legal form you chose.
Documents:Memorandum of Association (MoA)Local service agent agreement (LSA) - 5
If you are opening a branch of a foreign entity
There is a separate related eService for this route: initial approval for foreign entity branch, through Ministry of Economy and Tourism.
Documents:Initial approval for foreign entity branch - 6
Pay within the stated window
You have to pay for your trade licence within 30 days of receiving the payment voucher. On the amount itself: the official text we work from does not publish a fee figure, and it varies by activity and legal form, so check the current cost on the authority's website rather than relying on a number quoted second-hand.
Documents:Payment voucher
Fees and timelines may change — verify with the official source.
Who provides this service in Dubai
Real companies from Google Maps — live ratings and reviews.
Commitbiz LLC - Business Setup in Dubai, UAE
4.8(938)10th floor Dubai World Trade Center, Sheikh Zayed Road - شارع الشيخ زايد - المركز التجاري الثانية - دبي - United Arab Emirates
Business Setup In Dubai - Company Setup UAE
4.9(278)Jumeirah Bay X3 - Suite 2702 - 27 Floor Cluster X - Al Thanyah Fifth - Jumeirah Lakes Towers - Dubai - United Arab Emirates
RadiantBiz Business Setup Consultants in Dubai
4.7(1005)The Burjuman، Business Tower - Office Number - 2106 - Sheikh Zayed Street - Mankhool - Dubai - United Arab Emirates
StartUp Zone - Business Setup Consultants in Dubai
5.0(183)Latifa Tower - Suite 801 - Sheikh Zayed Rd - opp. Museum of Future - Trade Center First - Dubai - United Arab Emirates
Riz & Mona Consultancy | Business Setup Consultants In Dubai, UAE
4.7(171)The Exchange Tower - Office 2401 - Business Bay - Dubai - United Arab Emirates
Takween Business Advisory – Business Setup Consultants Dubai
4.9(53)1902, Al moosa tower 2 - Emirates Towers - المركز التجاري الأولي - دبي - United Arab Emirates
We can handle the paperwork side
Our relocation team helps residents through exactly this process: narrowing down the activity, matching it to the right licence type and legal form, getting the trade name registered, and preparing the MoA or LSA so nothing is sent back for correction. We work from what the authority currently publishes, and we tell you when a figure needs to be confirmed with them directly.
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