Mainland Company Setup in the UAE
Mainland company setup in the UAE from AED 15,200. DET/DED licence costs, Ejari and office rules, visa quotas, 100% ownership activities and the full 2026 process.
Business Setup AE editorial review Last reviewed 2026-09-09
Quick answer
Mainland company setup in the UAE costs about AED 15,200 to AED 30,000 in year one and takes 5 to 10 working days. A mainland licence from DET or the emirate's economic department covers the activities named on it onshore across the UAE, allows registration for public-sector tenders where the activity and procuring entity permit, and scales visas with registered premises as assessed by the authority.
- Year-one cost
- AED 15,200 – 30,000
- Setup time
- 5 – 10 working days
- Ownership
- 100% foreign on most activities
- Office
- Registered premises (Ejari in Dubai) — rules vary by emirate and activity
A mainland (onshore) company is licensed by the economic department of the emirate — DET in Dubai, ADDED in Abu Dhabi, SEDD in Sharjah — rather than by a free zone authority. It provides the most direct route to UAE market activity — selling to UAE customers, opening retail premises, taking government contracts and scaling headcount — always subject to the licensed activity and applicable approvals. A free zone company may require an appropriate mainland licence, permit or commercial arrangement to operate outside its zone, depending on its activity and structure.
Since the 2021 amendments to the Commercial Companies Law, most commercial and industrial activities allow 100% foreign ownership. A short list of strategic-impact activities still needs Emirati participation, and professional sole establishments may need a Local Service Agent who holds no equity and charges a fixed annual fee.
The trade-off is cost and paperwork. You need a physical premises registered on Ejari, a notarised memorandum of association for LLCs, and in some cases external approvals from ministries or municipality departments. This guide walks through the true cost, the visa-quota mechanics and the sequence that avoids the two-week delays most first-time founders hit.
Check your activity before choosing a mainland licence
Search 5,886 UAE business activities to see which free zones list your activity, then confirm mainland approvals with the emirate's economic department.
Search business activities →| Line item | Typical cost (AED) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Trade name reservation | 620 – 1,000 | Higher for foreign or non-Arabic names |
| Initial approval | 120 – 500 | Per activity group |
| Trade licence (DET, 1 year) | 9,000 – 15,000 | Activity-dependent |
| Market fee | 5% of annual rent | Charged with the licence |
| MOA notarisation | 900 – 2,500 | LLC only |
| Ejari and premises | 10,000 – 25,000 | Serviced office at the lower end |
| Establishment card and e-channel | 2,500 – 4,000 | Immigration registration |
| Investor / partner visa | 4,500 – 6,500 | Medical, Emirates ID, stamping |
| Typical total year one | 28,000 – 50,000 | Including premises |
| Factor | Mainland | Free zone |
|---|---|---|
| Sell to UAE customers | Directly, for licensed activities | Activity-dependent — often via distributor, dual licence or branch |
| Government tenders | Eligible to register where the activity and procuring entity permit | Activity-dependent — usually needs a mainland branch or permit |
| Premises | Registered premises set by the emirate authority (Ejari in Dubai) | Flexi-desk accepted in many zones |
| Visa quota | Scales with office area | Fixed by facility tier |
| Year-one cost | AED 15,200+ licence, plus rent | AED 12,500 – 24,000 all-in |
| Audit requirement | Depends on emirate, legal form and tax status — confirm with the authority and FTA | Zone-dependent |
| Corporate tax | 9% above AED 375,000 | 0% on qualifying income if QFZP conditions met |
What mainland gives you that free zone does not
- Unrestricted trade with customers anywhere in the UAE, including retail and B2C
- Eligibility to bid for federal and emirate government tenders
- No zone-imposed cap on activities — you can combine trading, services and contracting
- Visa quota that scales with office square metres rather than a fixed flexi-desk allowance
- Ability to open branches in other emirates under one commercial registration
- Easier acceptance with some UAE banks for onshore-revenue businesses
Ownership rules and legal forms
Limited Liability Company (LLC) is the default form for commercial and industrial activity, with one to fifty shareholders and liability capped at the share capital. A Sole Establishment suits a single professional — an engineer, consultant or designer — and a Civil Company suits two or more professionals in partnership.
For an LLC in a 100%-ownership activity there is no Emirati shareholder and no service agent. For professional sole establishments owned by a foreign national, a Local Service Agent is appointed on a fixed annual fee (typically AED 5,000 to AED 15,000) with no share of profits or control.
| Structure | Owners | Typical use | Local agent |
|---|---|---|---|
| LLC | 1 – 50 | Trading, contracting, services at scale | Not required for most activities |
| Sole Establishment | 1 individual | Single professional practice | Local Service Agent required |
| Civil Company | 2+ professionals | Law, engineering, consultancy partnerships | Sometimes required |
| Branch of foreign company | Parent company | Extending an overseas business | National agent required |
Office space, Ejari and visa quota
Every mainland licence must be tied to premises with a registered Ejari tenancy contract. The smallest compliant option is usually a shared or serviced office starting around AED 10,000 to AED 15,000 per year in Dubai, though rates in Sharjah and Ajman are materially lower.
Visa quota is assessed by the labour and immigration authorities from the registered premises and the roles requested; area is the main input and Dubai practice has commonly worked to about one visa per nine square metres, but the assessment is made case by case rather than by a published universal formula. If you plan to hire, price the office for the headcount you will have in month 18 and have the provider confirm the quota with the authority before you sign a lease.
External approvals that catch founders out
Some activities need a second regulator before DET will issue the licence: KHDA for education, DHA or DOH for clinics, Dubai Municipality food-control for restaurants and food trading, RTA for transport, the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority for certain tech activities, and the Central Bank for payments. Each approval adds days and its own fee.
Who this option suits best
- Retail, F&B and any business with UAE walk-in customers
- Contractors and consultants bidding for government work
- Companies hiring more than five staff in the first two years
- Businesses needing multiple branches across emirates
- Professional practices requiring onshore client contracts
- Distributors importing and selling into the local market
Step-by-step process
- 1
Select activities and legal form1 day
Pick activity codes from the DET list and confirm whether 100% foreign ownership applies to each.
- 2
Reserve the trade name1 day
Three options submitted to the economic department; approval is usually same-day.
- 3
Obtain initial approval1 – 3 days
Confirms the department has no objection to you conducting the activity. Add external approvals here if required.
- 4
Sign and notarise the MOA1 day
For LLCs, the memorandum is notarised before a UAE notary or via the digital notary service.
- 5
Secure premises and register Ejari1 – 3 days
Sign the tenancy, register Ejari and obtain the makani/unit details for the licence.
- 6
Pay fees and collect the trade licence1 – 2 days
Licence, market fee and chamber of commerce membership are settled together.
- 7
Establishment card and labour file2 – 5 days
Register with immigration and MOHRE to unlock visa quota.
- 8
Process visas and open the bank account2 – 6 weeks
Investor visa first, then staff. Bank onboarding runs in parallel once the licence is issued.
Documents required
- Passport copies (valid 6+ months) for every shareholder and manager
- Passport-size photo with white background for each applicant
- Proof of address or a recent utility bill / bank statement
- Three proposed trade names in order of preference
- Business activity list and a short business description
- Emirates ID and visa copy or entry stamp if you are already in the UAE
- Signed and notarised memorandum of association (LLC)
- Registered Ejari tenancy contract and title deed copy
- External regulator approval where the activity requires it
- Local Service Agent agreement for professional sole establishments
Realistic timeline
| Stage | Duration |
|---|---|
| Name reservation and initial approval | 1 – 3 working days |
| MOA notarisation and Ejari | 1 – 3 working days |
| Licence issuance | 1 – 2 working days |
| Establishment card and labour file | 3 – 5 working days |
| Investor visa and Emirates ID | 7 – 14 working days |
Mainland totals include premises, which free zone quotes usually exclude. Compare on year-one all-in cost, not licence price alone.
Common mistakes and how to avoid them
Renting premises before initial approval
Fix: Get initial approval first; some activities are restricted by building or zoning.
Under-sizing the office for future hires
Fix: Quota is area-based; size for month-18 headcount to avoid a mid-term move.
Missing an external approval
Fix: Check the activity's regulator list at the start; approvals can add two to four weeks.
Assuming a Local Service Agent owns part of the business
Fix: An LSA holds no equity — the relationship is a fixed annual fee documented in a notarised agreement.
Forgetting the 5% market fee on rent
Fix: It is invoiced with the licence; include it in the year-one budget.
Myth vs reality
| Myth | Reality |
|---|---|
| Mainland still needs a 51% Emirati partner | Most commercial and industrial activities have allowed 100% foreign ownership since 2021. |
| You must rent a full office | A compliant shared or serviced office with Ejari is accepted for small quotas. |
| Mainland is always more expensive | In Sharjah and Ajman a mainland licence with premises can undercut a mid-tier Dubai free zone package. |
Compliance after licensing
- Corporate tax registration with the FTA — 9% applies on taxable profit above AED 375,000; 0% below it. Small Business Relief may apply to revenue under AED 3m.
- VAT registration is mandatory once taxable turnover passes AED 375,000 in 12 months, and voluntary from AED 187,500.
- Economic Substance notifications and reports applied only to financial years ending on or before 31 December 2022 — no new ESR filings are due for later years (Ministry of Finance).
- Ultimate Beneficial Owner (UBO) register kept with the licensing authority and updated within 15 days of any change.
- Anti-Money Laundering (AML) registration on the goAML portal for designated non-financial businesses and professions.
- Annual licence and establishment-card renewal, plus audited financials where the free zone or activity requires them.
Regulators referenced: Ministry of Economy (UAE) · Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) · Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED) · Federal Tax Authority (FTA) · General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) · Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE)
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8 min read · Published Read guideFrequently asked questions
How much does a mainland licence cost in Dubai?
Can foreigners own 100% of a mainland company?
Do I need an office for a mainland licence?
How many visas can a mainland company sponsor?
How long does mainland setup take?
Is mainland subject to corporate tax?
Can a mainland company also work internationally?
People also ask
What is the cheapest mainland licence in Dubai?
The lowest-cost mainland routes are usually single-activity professional or commercial licences with a flexi-desk or shared Ejari. The headline licence fee is only part of the first-year cost, so compare office, visa and approval fees before choosing.
What is the difference between DED and DET?
DET (Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism) is the renamed Dubai DED. Other emirates still use DED or an equivalent — ADDED in Abu Dhabi, SEDD in Sharjah.
Can I convert my free zone company to mainland?
There is no direct conversion. You register a new mainland entity or a branch of the free zone company and migrate contracts and staff across.
What is a Local Service Agent?
A UAE national appointed for professional sole establishments who provides government liaison for a fixed annual fee and holds no ownership or profit rights.
Is a mainland company better for bank accounts?
Often yes for onshore revenue, because invoices and customers are UAE-based, which simplifies the bank's source-of-funds review.
Founder checklist
- Confirm 100% ownership applies to every activity code you select
- Get initial approval before signing any tenancy
- Size premises for month-18 headcount, not today
- Budget the 5% market fee on annual rent
- Check the visa quota attached to your chosen facility (flexi-desk vs office)
- Ask what is excluded: establishment card, e-channel deposit, medical, Emirates ID, PRO fees
- Confirm bank-account support and which banks the provider actually opens with
- Register for corporate tax within the deadline after licence issuance
- Diarise your licence renewal date and UBO register updates
Why you can trust this guide
- Independent marketplace — Business Setup AE does not form companies and takes no commission on provider pricing
- Package prices are read from each provider's own published page or PDF and stored with that source URL and check date
- Government fee figures are cited to the published schedule of the relevant authority; where an authority does not publish a figure we say so instead of estimating
- We do not audit provider operations, licence standing or adviser credentials — see how we verify for exactly what a verification covers
Editorial ownership: Business Setup AE Editorial Team. See our editorial and corrections policy and package verification method.
Related guides and services
Official government sources
Fees, thresholds and licensing rules on this page are checked against these official UAE government and regulator sources.
- Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET)Mainland licence issuance, activity codes and renewals
- MOHRE — labour and EmiratisationWork permits, quotas and Emiratisation duties for onshore staff
- Ministry of Economy — UAEFederal commercial registration, trade names and company law
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