Dubai Mainland Company Setup

A Department of Economy license, for when you need to trade anywhere in the UAE, hold premises outside a free zone, and bid for government work.

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A mainland license is issued by the emirate's Department of Economy, and it is the route to take when you need to trade freely inside the UAE market, hold premises outside a free zone, tender for government work, or open branches across emirates. Free zone companies are very good at what they are for and are limited outside their own zone, which is the trade off founders are rarely shown before they pay. Full foreign ownership is available across a wide range of commercial and industrial activities, with the eligible list set by the authority and not by us, so the first thing we do is put your activity against it. We then run the file end to end, including the tenancy and Ejari step that a free zone setup does not have.

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Key Features

Activity checked against the Department of Economy list, confirming whether it permits full foreign ownership or still calls for a national agent or partner
Trade name reservation and initial approval filed with the Department of Economy, and with the sector regulator where the activity needs one
Memorandum of association drafted and notarised, tenancy contract and Ejari registration arranged, since a mainland license is tied to a physical address
License issue, establishment card and labour file opened, then the visa quota applied for against the leased space
You supply passport copies, three trade name options, your intended activity, and the shareholder structure you want, which is what decides the ownership route

Benefits for Your Business

Trade anywhere in the UAE and with any UAE customer, without the geographic limits a free zone license carries.
Eligible for the government and semi government tenders that free zone entities are usually shut out of.
Ownership route confirmed against the authority list before you pay, so the structure does not change halfway through.
Tenancy, Ejari and labour file handled inside the same engagement, which is exactly where self filed mainland applications stall.

General information, not legal advice. The activities eligible for full foreign ownership, the approvals each activity needs and all official fees are set by the Department of Economy in the relevant emirate and by federal authorities, and they change. We confirm the current position for your activity with the authority before you commit.

Mainland license cost in Dubai (2026)

Item	Typical cost
DET license itself	About AED 10,000 to 20,000
First year with an office and 1 visa	About AED 25,000 to 60,000
Renewal, professional license	About AED 7,500 to 10,500
Renewal, commercial license	About AED 10,500 to 14,500
Renewal, industrial license	About AED 14,000 to 20,000

The office rent is usually the biggest variable. For the full breakdown, read our trade license cost guide.

Mainland license types and legal forms

The Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) issues three main license types:

Commercial license: trading, import and export, general trading
Professional license: consulting, services, skilled trades
Industrial license: manufacturing and processing

The most common legal form is the LLC (limited liability company), which can have a single owner. Others include the sole establishment, the civil company for professionals, and the branch of a foreign or UAE company.

Mainland or free zone?

	Mainland (DET)	Free zone
Where you can trade	Anywhere in the UAE, any customer	Inside the zone and abroad; the UAE market needs extra arrangements
Government tenders	Yes	Usually no
Office	A registered address with Ejari; its size sets the visa quota	Flexi desk often enough
Starting cost	Higher	From about AED 5,555

If you mainly sell abroad or online, compare the cheapest free zones first.

How to set up a mainland company in Dubai: 6 steps

Activity and ownership check against the DET list.
Trade name reservation and initial approval.
Memorandum of association drafted and notarised.
Office lease and Ejari registration.
License issued, then the establishment card and labour file.
Visas and bank account: see our investor visa guide and bank account guide.

Documents you need: passport copies of all shareholders, a photo, three trade name options, and the shareholding you want. Corporate shareholders also need attested company documents (see document attestation).

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a mainland license cost in Dubai?

The DET license itself usually costs about AED 10,000 to 20,000. A first year with an office and one visa usually lands at about AED 25,000 to 60,000, mostly driven by the office rent.

Can a foreigner own 100% of a mainland company in Dubai?

Yes, for most commercial and industrial activities. A few strategic activities still need a UAE national partner or agent, so we check your activity against the DET list first.

What is the difference between mainland and free zone?

A mainland company can trade anywhere in the UAE and bid for government work, but needs an office with Ejari. A free zone company costs less to start but is limited in the local UAE market.

Do I need an office for a mainland license?

Yes, a registered address with an Ejari tenancy contract. The size of the space decides how many visas the company can get.

How long does mainland company setup take in Dubai?

Usually about 1 to 2 weeks for the license once the documents and the lease are ready, then visas on top.

Can one person own a mainland LLC?

Yes. A mainland LLC can have a single owner.