Trade license in Dubai. From AED 12,500.
The activities printed on your trade license decide what you may legally sell. We map what you actually do to the right activity codes, pick the authority that fits, and file it with the authority that fits your business.
- Commercial, general trading, industrial and regulated activities
- Issued in 2–5 working days, subject to activity and approvals
- Mainland and every major free zone — we compare both
- Over 2,000 licensable activities — we map yours to the right codes
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Trade license types in Dubai — commercial, general trading and professional
Five categories cover almost every trade license in Dubai. Which one you need follows from what you actually do — we confirm it on the first call, before anything is filed.
| License type | What it covers | Typical activities | Watch for | Starting cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial license | Buying and selling goods | Trading, retail, import and export, distribution | Customs code if you import stock yourself | from AED 12,500 |
| General trading license | Broad range of goods on one license | Multiple unrelated product categories under one entity | Costs more than a narrow commercial license, saves amendments later | from AED 12,500 |
| Industrial license | Manufacturing and processing | Production, assembly, packaging, processing | Premises inspection and municipality approval | On enquiry |
| Tourism & regulated | Activity needs a regulator | Travel, food service, health, real estate, transport | Regulator approval before or alongside the license | On enquiry |
| And many more | Over 2,000 activities are licensable in the UAE | Whatever your business actually does | We map your work to the right codes on the first call | Quoted to your activity list |
What a trade license in Dubai actually is
A trade license is permission to carry out specific, listed activities. It is issued by an authority — the Department of Economy and Tourism for mainland Dubai, or the relevant free zone authority — and it names the exact activities you are approved to perform. Those codes, not your business description, decide what you may legally sell, whether you can import, and what a bank will accept when you open an account.
Trade license, commercial license and business license are largely the same thing. The label varies by authority; what differs materially is the category — commercial for buying and selling, general trading for a broad product range, industrial for manufacturing. Most confusion about “which license do I need” is really a question about which category and which activities, and that is settled in one conversation.
Over 2,000 activities are licensable in the UAE, and licenses run for 1 year. Adding an activity after issue costs a government fee and processing time each time — which is why we ask what you intend to do in year two, not just what you are launching with. Scoping it correctly at application is almost always cheaper than going back.
Partnered with almost every free zone in the UAE
- Meydan FZ Dubai
- DIFC Dubai
- RAKEZ Ras Al Khaimah
- IFZA Dubai
- Fujairah Creative City Fujairah
- SHAMS Sharjah
- DMCC Dubai
- ADGM Abu Dhabi
And many more
Mainland or free zone trade license?
This is the decision that sets your cost, your visa allocation and who you are allowed to sell to. We will tell you which fits even when it is the cheaper one.
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Best for most new businesses
Free zone trade license
Dubai · other emirates from AED 9,999 from AED 12,500
Payment plans available
- 100% foreign ownership
- Issued in 2–5 working days
- Flexi-desk usually sufficient — no separate premises cost
- Choice of every major UAE free zone
- Sell internationally and into the mainland via a distributor
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Best for selling inside the UAE
Mainland trade license
Depends on activity and premises Priced on enquiry
Payment plans available
- Sell directly to UAE customers and businesses
- 100% foreign ownership on most activities
- No cap on visa numbers — scales with office size
- Eligible for government and large retail contracts
- Physical premises and a registered Ejari required
From activity selection to application support
Build the scope you need into your proposal. Your advisor confirms what is included, what is optional and any third-party charges before you commit.
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Activity matching
We turn a broad idea like “consulting” or “trading” into the specific activity codes the authority works from — and tell you which of them trigger additional approvals.
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Authority & jurisdiction options
Mainland or free zone, and which free zone, decided on where your customers are and whether you need to sell into the UAE market directly. We compare rather than default.
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Document checklist
Exactly what is required for your route and category, given on the first call rather than discovered in stages during the application.
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Approval planning
Food, tourism, health, real estate, education and transport need sign-off from a regulator beyond the licensing authority. We identify that before you sign a tenancy or set a launch date.
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Application coordination
Trade name reservation, initial approval, submission and responding to the authority’s document requests. You are not chasing a portal or a counter.
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Visas & what follows
Establishment card, immigration file and residence visas planned against your hiring intentions, plus corporate tax registration — all quoted alongside the license rather than after it.
Know what is inside your trade license quote
Your final figure depends on how many activities you list, your visa count and whether any activity needs regulator approval. These are the honest starting points, and they are the same numbers your advisor works from.
Payment plans available — the cost can be spread rather than paid up front.
- Free zone trade license — Dubai
- from AED 12,500
- Free zone trade license — other emirates
- from AED 9,999
- E-commerce license
- from AED 5,999
- Mainland trade license
- Quoted individually
Starting prices, exclusive of government fees that vary by activity and visa count. Mainland pricing depends on activity and premises, so we quote it directly rather than publishing a figure that would mislead you. Every line is itemised in your written proposal before you commit.
Two trade license quotes can cover very different work
Whoever you end up using, separate these three before you compare. A headline license price often assumes one activity, no visas and no regulator approval.
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01
Activities included
How many activities the figure covers, whether yours are among them, and what each additional activity costs to add. Also whether trade name reservation and initial approval are inside the price or billed on top.
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02
Approvals & premises
Whether your activity needs a regulator beyond the licensing authority, and whether that approval, the premises requirement and any inspection are inside the quote or left to you to arrange.
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03
Visas & what renews
How many visas the package allows and what each extra costs, plus the annual renewal figure. First-year and renewal cost are frequently different, and the second is the one you live with.
Ask any consultant three questions: what is included, what is optional, and what renews. If the answer is not in writing before you pay, the comparison you are making is not a real one.
From activity to trading license, in four steps
Getting a trade license in Dubai runs through four stages, and you keep the same advisor across all of them — from the first call through to your first renewal.
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Step 1Describe the work
What you sell or do, who pays you and how you deliver it. 20 minutes is usually enough to identify the category.
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Step 2Review the license route
We recommend the authority, the category and the activity list that covers you, with every fee itemised in writing.
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Step 3Prepare the documents
Trade name reserved, initial approval obtained, documents assembled and the application filed with the authority.
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Step 4Start trading
License issued, immigration file opened where needed, visas processed and your bank introduction made — with your ongoing obligations set out in writing before you begin.
Make the most of your first call
20 minutes goes a long way if you bring 3 things. Nothing needs to be final — rough answers are enough for us to identify the right category and activity list.
- A plain description of what you sell or do, and who pays you
- Whether you need to sell inside the UAE market or mainly serve clients abroad
- A rough idea of how many residence visas you will need
You do not need every decision settled to start the conversation — that is what the call is for.
Meet the team behind your next chapter
15 years in the UAE, 75,000 companies set up and 15+ languages spoken across the floor. Your advisor stays with you from the first call through to your first renewal — no handover to a processing team you have never spoken to.
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Trusted by 75,000+ Entrepreneurs
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“From start to finish, the process was incredibly smooth and stress-free.”
I had an excellent experience with the team assisting me with my visa renewal. From start to finish, the process was incredibly smooth and stress-free.
A huge thank you to Racky, Roxanne, and Julie — their communication was outstanding throughout. Every step was clearly explained, instructions were simple and easy to follow, and they were always quick to respond to any questions I had. Their professionalism and attention to detail gave me complete confidence that everything was being handled properly.
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I had an excellent experience with Creative Zone and couldn’t be more satisfied with their service. The entire team is extremely efficient and professional, and everything was handled with impressive speed from start to finish. What really stands out is their well-organized logistics, which makes both sending and receiving documentation smooth, clear, and stress-free.
Creative Zone is a reliable and trustworthy agency that I highly recommend to anyone looking for fast, efficient, and well-managed services. An outstanding experience overall!
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“I highly recommend their services to anyone looking to establish a business.”
They were incredibly professional, responsive, and knowledgeable about every step of the process. The team made what can often be a complicated setup feel smooth and stress-free. Their attention to detail and commitment to getting everything right stood out. I highly recommend their services to anyone looking to establish a business efficiently and with complete confidence.
Daniel Harris -
“..helped me out sorting my Emirates ID.”
Creative Zone recently helped me out sorting my Emirates ID. The process was quick and smooth. They were always happy to help with any questions I had and supported me with the required documents. If you're looking to get your Emirates ID sorted - highly recommend using Creative Zone.
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“..incredibly responsive, knowledgeable, and genuinely helpful..”
I had a great experience with Creative Zone! From the very beginning, their team was incredibly responsive, knowledgeable, and genuinely helpful. Every question I had was answered clearly and with patience. They made the process feel smooth and stress-free, which I truly appreciated. Special thanks to Judianna, for her professionalism and prompt response to my follow-ups - quick and reliable. I highly recommend Creative Zone to anyone looking for trustworthy business set-up support in the UAE! Kudos guys.
Roan Abellera
Your business license Dubai questions, answered
1. Is a consultation useful if I don’t know which license type I need?
Yes — that is the normal starting point. Describe what you actually sell or do, who pays you and how you deliver it, and the category follows from that. Trying to pick between commercial, professional and industrial before describing the business is how people end up with activities that do not cover their work. You do not need to arrive with a license type in mind.
2. How much does a trade license in Dubai cost?
Free zone trade licenses start from AED 12,500 in Dubai and AED 9,999 in other emirates. Mainland is quoted individually because premises and activity costs vary widely. What moves your final figure is how many activities you list, how many residence visas you need, and whether any activity requires regulator approval. Payment plans are available.
3. What is the cheapest trade license in Dubai?
The lowest headline figures usually come from free zones in the northern emirates, and they can be genuinely right for an online or consultancy business serving international clients. They are the wrong answer if you need to sell directly into the UAE market, hold stock locally or sponsor several visas — in those cases the cheap license costs more overall once you add a distributor, premises or a second entity. We will tell you when the cheapest option is actually the right one.
4. What is the difference between a trade license, a commercial license and a business license?
In everyday use they mean the same document. The meaningful distinction is the category printed on it. A commercial license in Dubai covers buying and selling goods, general trading covers a broad and unrelated product range, and industrial covers manufacturing. What matters far more than the label is the list of activities, because that is what determines what you may legally do.
5. Can I put several activities on one license?
Usually yes, if the activities sit in compatible groups. Most authorities include a number of activities and charge per additional one beyond that. If your product range is broad or unrelated, a general trading license is often better value than a narrow commercial license plus additions. We work out which applies to you before filing, so the license covers year two as well as year one.
6. Should I buy an existing trade license instead?
We would be cautious. Licenses advertised “for sale” come attached to an existing company, which means you inherit its history — any outstanding fines, liabilities, tax position and expired visas come with it. The saving is usually smaller than it appears once transfer fees and due diligence are counted, and in some cases the activities do not cover what you intend to do anyway. A new license is normally cleaner and often cheaper than it looks.
7. Is a residence visa included in the quote?
Do not assume so, with us or anyone else. Tell your advisor how many visas you need and ask for them to be itemised separately from the license fee. Visa allocation is tied to your package in a free zone and to office size on mainland, so it is worth settling before the license is issued rather than after.