Trade anywhere in the UAE, bid for government contracts and own 100% of your company. We handle your DED licence from name reservation to issuance, typically within 5–12 working days.
Overview
A mainland company is licensed directly by Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (DET, still widely known as the DED). Since the 2021 ownership reforms, most commercial and industrial activities permit full foreign ownership with no local sponsor, giving you the widest possible market: onshore clients, government tenders, unlimited office locations and no restrictions on where in the UAE you trade.
Benefits
A mainland licence is the only structure that lets you sell directly to customers anywhere in the UAE, without a distributor taking a margin and without a free zone boundary deciding who you can invoice. It is also the only route to most government contracts. If your buyers are here, in Dubai malls, on Dubai sites, in Dubai offices, this is the licence that reaches them. Everything else on this page follows from that one fact.
Federal and local tenders are generally open only to mainland-licensed entities. A free zone licence closes that market to you.
Immigration allocation is driven by premises rather than a fixed package cap, so headcount can grow without changing jurisdiction.
Most commercial and industrial activities now permit 100% foreign shareholding under the amended Commercial Companies Law.
Businesses selling to the UAE market directly, retail, trading, contracting, restaurants, clinics, consultancies serving local clients, and any company that intends to work with government entities.
A mainland licence is the wrong choice if all your revenue comes from outside the UAE and your priority is the lowest possible cost in year one. Mainland means a tenancy contract, Ejari and higher government fees, and you would be paying for market access you never use. A free zone licence is usually cheaper and faster for that profile.
Requirements & Process
The core file is short. Most delays come from documents that arrive un-attested or from passport copies that do not match the spelling used on the application.
Additional documents may be required depending on the licensing authority, your chosen jurisdiction and the specific business activity. We confirm the exact list for your case before any fee is paid.
How it works
Assuming documents are complete and no external regulator approval is required, a straightforward mainland LLC completes within five to twelve working days.
We map your activity to DET codes, confirm the ownership form that applies, and issue a written recommendation with an itemised cost estimate separating government fees from our fee.
1 working dayWe reserve your preferred trade name and secure initial approval from DET, confirming that the authority has no objection to you carrying on the proposed activity.
1–2 working daysThe Memorandum of Association is drafted in Arabic and English, setting out shareholding, capital and manager authority, then notarised before a notary public.
1–2 working daysWe register the tenancy contract through Ejari and confirm that the premises classification supports the visa quota you need.
1–3 working daysActivities under a sector regulator, health, education, transport, security, food, require that body to approve before the licence is released. This is the step that most often extends a timeline.
Varies by regulatorDET issues the trade licence once fees are settled. At this point the company legally exists and can be named on contracts.
1–2 working daysWe open your immigration establishment card and MOHRE labour file, the prerequisites for sponsoring any residence visa, including your own.
2–4 working daysYou receive the complete document pack: licence, notarised MOA, establishment card, activity list and the credentials for every portal in your name.
Same dayTell us your activity and visa needs, a senior consultant replies with an itemized quotation, usually within 15 minutes during working hours.
Want the numbers first? Dubai Mainland Cost Calculator
