A
Abdul Sami3 months ago
Thank you to the team for supporting us with our company setup. Our case was not straightforward, especially the bank account opening, but they stayed committed and got it done.
Mainland or free zone
General Trading License in Dubai
One licence covering multiple unrelated goods, with 100% foreign ownership on most activities.
- Electronics, textiles, food, machinery
- 100% foreign ownership, no local partner
- 5 to 15 working days
- DET activity fee from AED 15,000
15+ years10,000+ engagements4.8 Google, 163+ reviewsISO certified
Mainland or free zone
What is a general trading license?
One licence covering multiple unrelated goods, issued by DET or a free zone authority, with 100% foreign ownership on most activities.
DETLicensing authority
100%Foreign ownership, most activities
10Activities under one license, mainland
Which is right for you
Mainland vs free zone
Both are legitimate. The right answer turns on one question: where are your customers? Here is the honest side by side, with the mainland's edge for UAE-facing trade made clear.
Best for UAE trade
MainlandDET license
Free zoneZone authority license
Sell inside the UAEDirect to local buyers
Anywhere, no agent needed
Needs a local distributor
Government contractsPublic-sector tenders
Eligible
Not eligible
Foreign ownershipWho holds the shares
100% on general trading
100% always
Office requirementPhysical space and Ejari
Ejari tenancy required
Flexi-desk options
Visa capacityResidence visas
Scales with office size
Capped by package
Corporate tax9% above AED 375k
9% standard
0% on qualifying income, conditions apply
Import dutyOn goods you bring in
5% on mainland import
Duty-suspended in zone
Entry costTypical year one
Higher
Often lower to start
Best for
Trading to UAE customers, retailers, distributors and government.
International trade, re-export, and fully offshore operations.
The honest verdict
If your buyers are in the UAE, mainland is the cleaner route despite the higher cost. If you never touch the local market, a free zone is cheaper and we will tell you so.
The process
How to get a general trading license in Dubai
Standard goods with a clean file clear in a few working days to about two weeks. Restricted goods add approval time. Visas follow after.
Confirm activity and legal form
Pick the general trading activity, choose the legal form, usually an LLC, and confirm ownership.
- Critical stage
Check goods against restricted list
This is where files stall. We match your product list to the restricted categories before filing.
Reserve name and get initial approval
Reserve the trade name with the DET and clear initial approval.
Secure premises and register Ejari
Sign the tenancy and register Ejari, or select your free zone package.
Pay fees and collect the license
Settle the DET fees. The license issues digitally for standard goods.
- Critical stage
Establishment card, visas, customs code
Open the establishment card, run visas, and register a customs code for imports.
The filings that keep a trading company compliant
A trading company carries more filing than a service business, because it crosses the tax thresholds sooner. Here is the yearly cycle.
- 01
Register
Register for corporate tax with the FTA, and for VAT once supplies pass AED 375,000.
- 02
Track
Track your VAT return dates and your corporate tax filing window from day one.
- 03
File
File VAT on schedule and the corporate tax return within nine months of year-end.
- 04
Renew
Renew the license, Ejari, establishment card and visas before they lapse.
Bank opening
Opening a bank account for a trading company
General trading draws extra scrutiny, because it moves high volume across many goods and often has an overseas owner. A resident applicant typically clears in 2 to 4 weeks, a non-resident in 6 to 12.
01
Match the bank to your profile
We put your activity and ownership in front of the bank most likely to approve it, rather than applying everywhere at once.
02
Prepare the full KYC file
Shareholder documents, a business plan and source-of-funds evidence, ready before you apply.
03
Submit and manage to approval
The bank runs its checks and we manage the file through to activation. A clean file moves faster.
Banks DMCS has opened trading-company accounts with
No agent controls a bank's decision. We prepare the file that gives it the best chance of clearing review.
The fit check
Is a general trading license right for you?
Two minutes to confirm your position beats filing on a guess. Here is who this license fits and who should look elsewhere.
Recommended
Good fit4 signs
A general license fits if
- You trade several unrelated goodsElectronics, textiles and foodstuff on one license.
- You import, export and distributeOne registration covers the full trade cycle.
- You sell to UAE customers or retailersMainland gives you direct local market access.
- You plan to add product linesRoom to grow without re-licensing each time.
Reconsider4 signs
Look at another route if
- You trade one product categoryA specific license saves AED 5,000–10,000.
- You only serve clients outside the UAEA free zone is leaner for export-only trade.
- You need the lowest possible entry costAnd you expect no mainland sales at all.
- You need regulated-goods approvalFood, pharma and electronics carry a separate sign-off.
Why DMCS
Set up your trading company with DMCS
Trading applications stall for boring, preventable reasons: an activity code the bank does not expect.
Where trading files fail most
We check your product list before we file
A restricted item hidden in a product list is the most common reason a trading license stalls. We match every item to the restricted categories.
01
Direct DET filing
Fifteen years filing with the DET means we know which goods trigger an external approval before we submit, so that step is planned, not a surprise.
02
One desk, end to end
The team that files your license opens the bank account, runs visas and handles renewal. Nothing falls between handoffs.
03
A fixed, itemised quote
Your activity, office and visa count priced before you commit, with the year-two renewal shown, so the recurring cost is never a surprise.
Real results from our clients
What our clients say about working with us
Real Google reviews from founders we have set up and kept compliant on the Dubai mainland.
P
Paolo Chua8 months ago
I had a great experience opening a corporate bank account. The process was smooth and efficient. The staff were friendly, professional, and explained everything clearly.
A
Amy Elliott Dunne4 months ago
The accounting and bookkeeping service has been exceptional. Attention to detail is impressive, and communication is always clear. Tasks are handled promptly.
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Rashed Al Falasi5 months ago
They confirmed our activity grouping before filing and flagged an issue the bank would have raised. Licensed in under two weeks with no surprises on the invoice.
M
Marwa Khalil2 months ago
We came for a mainland LLC and stayed for renewals and PRO work. The same team answers the phone after the license is issued, which is rare here.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Turn a range into your exact number
Send us the goods you plan to trade. We confirm the license, check your list against the restricted categories, and return an itemised quote with the year-two renewal in writing.
No obligationTransparent pricing, zero hidden fees100% privacy guaranteed